Watch Beau Ideal

Beau Ideal is a movie from 1931, directed by Herbert Brenon, and based on the novel of the same name written by P.C. Wren. The story is a sequel to the novel Beau Geste and it follows the adventures of John Geste, played by Ralph Forbes, an officer in the British army who travels to the deserts of North Africa to find his brother Michael (played by Frank McCormick), who has gone missing after a raid against a rival tribe.

The movie starts with John Geste arriving in Gibraltar, where he meets his friend and fellow officer Otis Madison (played by Lester Vail). Madison has just returned from a mission in North Africa and tells John about Michael's disappearance. John decides to go to North Africa to find his brother and enlists the help of the French Foreign Legion, a group of mercenaries stationed in Algeria.

Once in North Africa, John joins the Legion and is assigned to a fort where he meets a group of interesting characters. There's T.E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia (played briefly by C. Aubrey Smith), who is an officer in the Legion and who helps John in his search for Michael. There's also Lady Brandon (played by Loretta Young), a beautiful and mysterious woman who has a past with Michael and who helps John in his mission.

As John and his companions travel deeper into the desert, they encounter various dangers such as sandstorms, bandits, and rival tribes. They also discover a secret hideout where Michael and his men are hiding, but they soon realize that Michael has been brainwashed by the mysterious Sheik Adis, a powerful and ruthless leader who wants to unite all the Bedouin tribes under his rule.

John and his companions devise a plan to rescue Michael and stop Sheik Adis, but things don't go as planned and they find themselves in a dire situation. It's up to John to use his wits and his bravery to save himself, his brother, and his comrades, and to prevent Sheik Adis from achieving his evil plans.

Beau Ideal is a movie that combines adventure, romance, and drama in equal measure. The performances are solid, with Ralph Forbes in particular giving a convincing portrayal of a loyal and brave soldier who is willing to risk everything for his family. Loretta Young is also excellent as Lady Brandon, a character that brings some much-needed complexity and depth to the story.

The movie is well-paced, with plenty of action scenes and plot twists that keep the viewers engaged. The desert landscapes are beautifully filmed, and the costumes and sets are impressive for the time period. The music score, composed by John Leipold, is also noteworthy for its sweeping orchestral themes that perfectly capture the epic scope of the story.

Overall, Beau Ideal is a solid movie that deserves more recognition than it has received over the years. It's a worthy sequel to Beau Geste, and a great example of the adventure genre that dominated Hollywood in the early 1930s. If you're a fan of classic movies and enjoy a good story with likable characters, then Beau Ideal is definitely worth a watch.

Beau Ideal is a 1931 war movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 18 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.