The third version of the most famous foreign legion story makes some key changes (there are name change - I'm talking about important ones): there are two brothers, not three; the entire scene of the brothers as kids is dropped, as is any scene of them in England; the brothers don't enlist together; the entire plot about the stolen jewel is gone.
Instead we get a lot more of the sadism of the sergeant, a new back story (all conveyed by expositionary dialogue, never seen) where Geste took the blame for embezzlement for a woman he was in love with (why no flashbacks?), some dull stuff involving the commanding officer (played by Leslie Nielsen), and Beau not his brother survives at the end. There's still the sadistic sergeant, a mutiny and final attack.
There's plenty of action, the visuals are occasionally impressive (but could have benefited from a really first rate director) and Telly Savalas is brilliant as the sergeant. Some of the other support cast are pretty good; Doug McClure is okay as John but Guy Stockwell super bland as Beau.
No comments:
Post a Comment