An English gentleman hiding in the French Foreign Legion finds himself in a love triangle with two very different women.
Falsely accused of murder, an English gentleman, Sergeant Victor (Ronald Colman), flees to the French Foreign Legion with his loyal valet. Stationed at a remote desert outpost, he attracts the unwanted attention of his commander (Victor McLaglen), especially after he becomes the object of affection for the commander’s flame, a fiery local woman named Cigarette (Claudette Colbert). Matters are further complicated by the arrival of a refined English lady (Rosalind Russell), to whom Victor is drawn. Despite being jilted, Cigarette ultimately comes to his aid during a desert conflict.
This lavish production serves as a prime example of the romantic adventure genre popular in the 1930s. The film is a remake of an earlier silent version which had starred Theda Bara in the role played here by Claudette Colbert. The story’s central conflict hinges on the clash of loyalties between the passionate, self-sacrificing Cigarette and the more socially acceptable Lady Venetia. Hungarian-born actor J. Edward Bromberg made his screen debut in this film, launching a career in which he would often portray memorable villains.
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox / 98 minutes / 1936
Directors: Frank Lloyd, Otto Brower
Screenplay: Walter Ferris, W.P. Lipscomb
Cinematography: Ernest Palmer
Music: Louis Silvers
Main Cast: Ronald Colman (Sgt. Victor), Claudette Colbert (Cigarette), Victor McLaglen (J.C. Doyle), Rosalind Russell (Lady Venetia Cunningham), John Carradine (Cafard), Nigel Bruce (Capt. Menzies), Herbert Mundin (Rake), Gregory Ratoff (Ivan)
