Under Two Flags

Under Two Flags was the last of a series of films that Ronald Colman did for the newly formed 20th Century pictures which only lasted about two or three years before it merged with Fox to form that colossus of a studio that Darryl Zanuck ran. This film was in fact done under the banner of the new colossus.

Having starred in the silent version of Beau Geste, Colman certainly had the Foreign Legion credentials cinema wise. But Under Two Flags drags in spots the way Beau Geste never does. In fact the first half of the film deals with a romantic triangle between Legionaire sergeant Colman and the two women who love him, camp follower Claudette Colbert and British aristocrat Rosalind Russell. And there's Colman's commanding officer Victor McLaglen who is jealous over the fact that Colman has Colbert panting over him while she won't give McLaglen the time of day.

Another component of the Colman/McLaglen rivalry is that McLaglen is a professional soldier up from the ranks and Colman while a good sergeant is clearly upper crust. But back in those days one joined the Foreign Legion to get away from problems in civilian life wherever you came from. In fact where Under Two Flags is most similar to Beau Geste is why Colman joined the Legion. It's a plot device lifted from Beau Geste and one typical of those romantic days before World War I.

With Colbert and Russell in the film this will not be a male bonding adventure film. Russell as she did in her early films played aristocratic women of class. This was way before her gift for comedy was discovered and utilized. As for Colbert this film belongs more to her than anyone else. This was the most atypical part for her I've ever seen her do, but she does it superbly. Claudette was clearly poaching on Marlene Dietrich's territory as the camp following daughter of the legion that Marlene did so well in Morocco.

I don't think fans of romance and fans of adventure were completely satisfied with Under Two Flags. The genres didn't quite blend together successfully for a great film. Still Under Two Flags has its moments for everyone.

A Foreign Legion outpost in the desert (where else?) is troubled by enemies without and dissention within as a soldier who used to be a blue-blood is torn between two women, an upper class lady and a schemer who works in the local bar.

Ouida's book is eviscerated, but it was too long. Wren's BEAU GESTE might be a rip-off but it's a great book. However, in the 1800s UNDER TWO FLAGS was very popular.

Ronald Colman is one of my favorite actors but he can't do much with his role. This movie needs twice it's running time.

Nigel Bruce is perfectly cast as a sully English man.

Claudette Colbert isn't bad as Cigarette, the bar-girl; but I never could get past thinking "That's Claudette Colbert" as she's known these days.

For a better Foreign Legion flick check out "Beau Geste" with Gary Cooper (Colman made a silent version but I haven't seen it; sorry).

I love Colman but he's been tons better. This is for Foreign Legion completists.

Ronald Colman stars as Sgt. Victor, a member of the French Foreign Legion. He's assigned to a new post in southern Algeria under the command of Major Doyle (Victor McLaglen). Victor soon catches the eye of local saloon girl "Cigarette" (Claudette Colbert), who is in turn the object of Doyle's affection. As for Victor, he's found romance with visiting English society woman Lady Venetia (Rosalind Russell). Doyle keeps attempting to get Victor out of the way by issuing him dangerous assignments, but Victor keeps surviving them. That could change with an uprising that may spell the end for them all. Also featuring Tor Johnson.

This was a major production, with large sets and plenty of extras. The battle scenes near the end of the film are very impressive in scope and execution, and there are several nice shots of caravans moving across the high desert sands. Unfortunately the romance part of the story is bland and predictable. Colman, McLaglen, and Russell all bring their usual personas to the story, but Colbert seems out of place as a lowly singing girl. Simone Simon was originally cast in the part, and even filmed the entire movie, but producer Darryl Zanuck didn't like the end result so he hired Colbert and reshot her entire part! Maybe she was awful, but I would think Simon would have been much better suited to the role.

Unfortunately, Ouida's great classical novel of dishonor, exile, love, war and sacrifice in Algeria with the French foreign legion has not been awarded with that great film script it deserves. A deep tragedy of human greatness has been transformed into a rather superficial Hollywood romance entertainment, where even Ronald Colman makes a rather poor figure, far from the sadly noble hero of the original. Nevertheless, it's a Frank Lloyd film, who also made "Cavalcade" and "Mutiny on the Bounty", and there are great moments, especially of the desert scenery. Claudette Colbert as Cigarette is the real star of the film, though, but then she is also the most memorable character in the novel. Rosalind Russell is good enough and adds some heart-warming romance, while the worst failure of the film is the alteration of the grim reality of the French foreign legion with a sinister discipline worse than that of the 'Bounty' into some loose barrack ballads with plenty of brandy. The grim nature of the colonel in the novel is deleted, and Victor McLaglen is only Victor McLaglen, whom you can't take seriously. It's a good enough entertainment but not more than that, while the novel is so much more.

You would have expected a better movie reading down the cast members. It took effort to make the first half boring--as if it didn't know what it wanted to be as a movie--a romance or a light action film. The second half was a bit better, but not enough to make up for the first half. My rating is more in recognition of the cast than the quality of the movie.