Patricia Brandon James Burke as Lieutenant Dufour G. P. Huntley Jr. as Augustus Brandon Harold Huber as Voisin Donald O'Connor as Beau as a child Billy Cook as John as a child Martin Spellman as Digby as a child Ann Gillis as Isobel as a child David Holt as Augustus as a child, a despised playmate Harvey Stephens as Lieutenant Martin Stanley Andrews as Maris Harry Woods as Renoir, a Legionnaire deserter Arthur Aylesworth as Renault, another deserter Henry Brandon as Renouf Barry Macollum as Krenke Ronald R. Rondell as Bugler Production The film is a virtual scene-for-scene remake of the 1926 silent version of the same title starring Ronald Colman. This is probably the best known adaptation. It was filmed either near Yuma, Arizona, or on government owned land in California's Imperial Valley. Release The film was banned in parts of Canada out of respect for the French government. The film was banned by the fascist authorities in Mussolini's Italy on the grounds that it portrayed the British too positively, and it was feared that because Britain was a democracy the film would correspondingly serve to undermine fascist ideology. The 1935 movie The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, also starring Gary Cooper, had been banned in Mussolini's Italy for the same reason. The film's copyright was renewed in 1966. Reception A contemporary New York Times reviewer felt that this film did not come up to the standards of the Ronald Colman 1926 adaptation, writing that, "On the whole, it is perhaps an unfortunate thing for Beau Geste the Second that Beau Geste the First was so distinguished, for Mr. Wellman's film seems dominated by the tremendous shadow of its predecessor." One of the complaints was that the three British Geste brothers were all played by Americans. Nevertheless, the reviewer still called the production "a stirring piece of cinema". The film has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Award nominations Brian Donlevy was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film. References External links Streaming audio Beau Geste on The Campbell Playhouse: March 17, 1939 Beau Geste on Escape: June 6, 1948 1939 films American adventure drama films American war drama films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s adventure drama films 1939 war films Films based on British novels Films based on military novels Films directed by William A. Wellman Remakes