The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-22
Hectic Life
Of Fighters
Is Screened
CoIman, Colbert, McLaglen
Take Starring Roles
in PhotopIay.
by JOHN w. THOMPSON


It's been some time since Holly
wood turned out a French Foreign
Legion movie. The next one will be
Under Two Flags, TO open at the
Apollo May 9.
Starred in the picture are Rom
aid Colman, Claudette Colbert, Vic
tor McLaglen and Rosalind Russell.
When Twentieth Century Fox
studio officials decided TO film the
story they sought out expert adj
visers on the home life of legion
naires.
Daryl F.. Zanuck, producer, dis
covered in Hollywood former
legionnaire, Otto de Bunnelle Ste1-
ger, and NJ. Steiger was made boss
of technical advice during the film
ing.
According to Mr.. Steiger, life of
the legionnaire before the turn of
the century was much more hectic
an existence than the routine fol-
lowed by the soldiers today. Mr..
Steiger served in the Legion from
1897 to 1902, the same period COW
cred by Ouida in her desert story,
Under Two Flags"
THE period from 1853 to shortly
before the World War was one of
the hardest through which the For
eign Legion has passed." commented
Mr. Steiger. Discipline was harsh,
equipment inadequate and the re-
mote outposts were entirely on their
own.
Supplies Carried on March
'If legion column was cut off by
Arab warriors, it had to fight its way
out unaided. There were no radio
units travelling with the legion
troops, as there are today. A courier
stood little chance of getting through
TO the main base, so reinforcements
we're simply not a part of the tacti-
cal design"
The units, according to Mr.
Steiger, carried all supplies with
them on the march. If raiders de-
stroyed their provisions those who
survived had to fight their way back
to the base or starve. From those
conditions emerged the famous le-
gion command" march or die"
The legion pay Steiger declares,
was equivalent to a cent and half
day for men in the ranks De-
sipte the pay, the ranks always were
we'll filed he said.
Reasons why men joined the le-
gion were numerous" Mr.. Steiger
says. Some were lured merely by
the prospect of adventure. Others
came to forget some unhappiness.
But it is not true that great pro-
portion of the men were fleeing
criminals.
1T is true that the legion asked
no questions. And a man, fleeing
from the law might, under some
circumstances, find security in its
ranks, where number and not
name was recruits designation
But not more than one-fifth of the
enlisted men were in this category"
Despite the haven which some
law-breakers might find in the le-
gion, Steiger said, there was no
room for murderers. If such a
criminal was found he was turned
over to civil authorities.
Motorization completely has
changed the picture of modern le
gion troops. Although the legion
still primarily is an infantry body,
the long forced marches across the
desert, such as those portrayed in
Under Two Flags" no longer are
the rule of the tri-color troops.
McLanglen Is Ex-Soldier
Victor McLaglen, one of the pic
lures stars, supported Mr.. Steiger's
statements McLaglen, whose father
was q bishop in South Africa, ran
away as a youth, falsifled his age
and fought with the British army
in the Boer War.
He knows desert warfare. having
served during the World War as
an officer with the British forces
in Arabia He was for time pro-
vost marshal of the city of Bagdad
during British occupation.
McLaglen and Colman recently
discussed the improved conditions
under which location operations,
such as those required in the film
ing of the new picture were con-
Quoted. Years before the two had
been together on the same type of
location in making Beau Geste"
In those days." Mr.. Colman
said, I'VE just scrambled up one
side of the towering sand hills and
down the other. No specially built
roadway gave us access to the scene
of shooting. We literally were
roughing it"
Producers of under Two Flags"
chose a spot Just outside of Yuma,
Ariz.. for location of the picture.
Modern conveniences we're installed
in the tent city where the actors
and technicians lived. A radio
station. entertainment crew ard
large library helped the actors to
pass the time between takes"