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Krags in the Movies

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:16 pm
by Culpeper
Looks like I have to re-create the list. I am not certain if this one is one the old thread so here goes.

Mesdames et Messieurs! For your viewing pleasure and to satisfy your Krag curiosity I give you Hell's Angels from 1930! It is found at 19:36.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhyNpM5FKNE

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Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:54 pm
by Culpeper
Flight by Frank Capra 1929

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bezKvD3b2sI



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Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2022 8:35 pm
by Culpeper
Amigo (2010)

US Troops in the Phillipines War movie. ...and krags

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42Gl7uoU7hc

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 1:09 am
by Culpeper
One of the great French Foreign Legion movies. Beau Geste (1939)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DnWtIbTgnY

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 4:03 am
by butlersrangers
The puzzled vetran is thinking: "All these bodies, how the hell am I going to pull-off a bunch of Viking Funerals in the middle of the Desert? ... and how did this foreign rifle get here? ... and how am I going to fix my bayonet, 'Rosalie', to a Krag-Jorgensen"? :x :roll: :?

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2022 1:54 pm
by butlersrangers
Mapping Fort Zinderneuf:

San Diego State University Alums recently located, explored, and did an Archaeological Map of the 1939 Beau Geste film site.

It is on Federal property and the shifting sands and laws frustrate doing a 'dig' or removing artifacts.

They did locate cartridge cases. The one in their photograph appears to be a .30-40 case.

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 5:25 am
by butlersrangers
The first Beau Geste movie was a 1926 silent film starring Ronald Coleman. It was filmed near Yuma, Arizona, in the Imperial Valley.
An oasis was built replete with concrete palm trees. A 'Fort Zinderneuf' was constructed and burned down during filming, as part of the story.

The 1926 film sets were built using Fordson Tractors and military like logistics. Movie scenes show Berthier rifles and rather nice uniforms.

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2022 6:20 am
by butlersrangers
The 1939, Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston - "Beau Geste" was filmed at the same 1926 location, with a new Fort Zinderneuf, apparently built on the ruins of the 1926 fort. The same concrete treed oasis was used.

Some 1939 movie scenes show Garry Cooper carrying and firing a Krag. A movie still picture shows Milland and Cooper holding Krags, while Preston has a Berthier.

In 1940, some San Diego State college students occupied the fort and filmed a satire/spoof titled "Beau Geste".
Armed with .22 caliber rifles and improvised costumes, the students portrayed the Legionaries, as well as, the Arab Marauders.
They were successful in burning down part of the fort

Paramount Studios threatened the students with legal action. An agreement was reached that decreed the Student Spoof Movie copies would be burned after three public showings. (Some of the student 'actors' are still alive and in their 90's).

A documentary film, "The Lost Remake of Beau Geste", has been recently done. It relates the story of the students and their Beau Geste spoof. It has created a renewed interest in the Paramount movie location.
Fort Zinderneuf appears to have been bulldozed down, without ceremony, in the 1940's.

A recent photo at the site shows quite a pile of spent brass, (8mm Lebel, .30-40, and some .30-06). Looks like some pistol cartridge-cases, too.

p.s. My favorite version is the Marty Feldman/ Michael York movie, "The Last Remake of Beau Geste". The Brits had the good sense to film their movie in Spain!

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:36 am
by Culpeper
Upon an in depth review of 55 Days at Peking I come to the pertinent observation that there are zero Krags in that film. Lee Rifles, yes. Lebels, yes. Mavbe a Martini-Henry. In the end when the Russians show up even Mosin-Nagants.

But no Krags, not even ones in the Chinese hoard background where you might expect to see them.

Re: Krags in the Movies

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:37 am
by butlersrangers
"55 Days in Peking" was filmed by Allied Artists in Spain. I suppose this had a lot of impact on the movie prop companies that were used and the arms that were available.

Looking at 'movie stills' there is quite an array of Mausers, Magazine Lee-Enfields, Lebels, Carcanos, Mosins, and Trap-Door Springfields in the production.
There is no appearance of Krags on the listed arms, that enthusiasts have noticed in the movie.

The "U.S. Marines" in the production are armed with Magazine Lee-Enfield Mark-I rifles. This 1963 movie was produced on an epic scale.
In my opinion, they tried to make the guns kind of right. Winchester-Lee 'straight-pull' rifles would have been cool, but impossible, unless mocked-up out of rubber!