''Beau Hunks'' is a 1931 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

film, directed by James W. Horne. The title is a reference to the Beau Geste trilogy (''

Beau Geste ''Beau Geste'' is an adventure novel by British writer P. C. Wren, which details the adventures of three English brothers who enlist separately in the French Foreign Legion following the theft of a valuable jewel from the country house of a rel ...

'' (1924), ''

Beau Sabreur ''Beau Sabreur'' is a 1928 American silent romantic adventure film directed by John Waters and starring Gary Cooper and Evelyn Brent. Based on the 1926 novel ''Beau Sabreur'' by P. C. Wren, who also wrote the 1924 novel ''Beau Geste''. Produced ...

'' (1926) and ''

Beau Ideal ''Beau Ideal'' is a 1931 American pre-Code adventure film directed by Herbert Brenon and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film was based on the 1927 adventure novel ''Beau Ideal'' by P. C. Wren, the third novel in a series of five novels base ...

'' (1927) and the Hollywood films of the same period based on them); to the line in ''Beau Sabreur'' where Buddy says '"Sure thing, Son Hank — if a gang of Touareg Bohunks couldn't, French troops couldn't. . . . I s'pose it ''is'' us he's after?"'; or to ''bohunk'', a common ethnic slur of the time in the United States. At 37 minutes, it is the longest Laurel and Hardy short. The French Foreign Legion scenario was reused in ''

The Flying Deuces ''The Flying Deuces'', also known as ''Flying Aces'', is a 1939 buddy comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy, in which the duo join the French Foreign Legion. It is a partial remake of their short film ''Beau Hunks'' (1931). Plot While the boys ...

'' with Charles B. Middleton again playing their commanding officer.

Plot

A lovesick Ollie sings and plays piano for his absent sweetheart Jeanie-Weenie (only ever seen as a photograph) before revealing to Stan that he is to marry her. No sooner does he make this announcement than the postman delivers a

Dear John letter A Dear John letter is a letter written to a man by his wife or romantic partner to inform him that their relationship is over, usually because his partner has found another lover. The man is often a member of the military stationed overseas, alth ...

from Jeanie-Weenie. A heartbroken Ollie announces that the pair of them will join the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...

as it is the only place where he can forget her. When they arrive at the

barracks Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...

French Algeria French Algeria (french: Alger to 1839, then afterwards; unofficially , ar, الجزائر المستعمرة), also known as Colonial Algeria, was the period of French colonisation of Algeria. French rule in the region began in 1830 with the ...

, they discover that not only are all the other soldiers also trying to forget lost loves but they are all trying to forget the same one that Ollie had: Jeanie-Weenie! This gives Ollie the revelation that she was not worthy of his love from the beginning. An attempt by the pair to resign from the Legion is angrily rejected by the camp commander and the entire platoon is sent on a

forced march A loaded march is a relatively fast march over distance carrying a load and is a common military exercise. A loaded march is known as a forced foot march in the US Army. Less formally, it is a ruck march in the Canadian Armed Forces and the US Ar ...

. A scout enters the camp in a hurry to say that Legion fortress Fort Arid is to be besieged by native Riffian tribesmen, and the garrison is sent to defend it. The duo get cut off from the rest of the regiment in a

sandstorm A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transporte ...

but reach the fortress before the others. Surprisingly, with the aid of barrels of nails, the boys defeat the Riffians by themselves and the leader of the Riffians is revealed to be yet another of Jeanie-Weenie's conquests.

Cast

Hal Roach's Favorite Movie

In January 1992, seven days after Hal Roach celebrated his hundredth birthday, the centenarian appeared as a guest on ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

''. On that occasion,

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...

was subbing for host

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...

. When Leno asked Roach which of the movies he had made was his favorite, he selected ''Beau Hunks''. Roach said it was strictly because "leading lady"

Jean Harlow Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

—who had started at Roach's studio but had moved on to become a star at MGM—appeared in ''Beau Hunks'' for nothing. Harlow "appeared" in the film only through old publicity photographs for the Roach studio.

The Dutch musical group

A Dutch musical ensemble, named The Beau Hunks Orchestra after that film, was formed in early 1992 for the purpose of performing some of the soundtrack music at an Oliver Hardy centennial celebration in Amsterdam. They went on to release a number of recordings of the film music of

Leroy Shield Leroy Bernard Shield (October 2, 1893 – January 9, 1962) was an American film score and radio composer. He is best known for the themes and incidental music he wrote for the classic Hal Roach comedy short films of the 1930s, including the ''Our ...

and some other composers, notably

Raymond Scott Raymond Scott (born Harry Warnow; September 10, 1908 – February 8, 1994) was an American composer, band leader, pianist, record producer, and inventor of electronic instruments. Though Scott never scored cartoon soundtracks, his music is ...

References

External links

* * * * *
Beau Hunks Orchestra in rehearsal, 2007
{{James W. Horne 1931 films 1931 comedy films 1931 short films American black-and-white films Films directed by James W. Horne Films about the French Foreign Legion Laurel and Hardy (film series) Military humor in film Films with screenplays by H. M. Walker Films set in deserts 1930s English-language films 1930s American films