In regards to C.A.'s column:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/011019.html
for interested parties I recommend for a swell read Christian Jennings’ “Mouthful of Rocks”:
The only other comment I have is, if you watch the Gary Cooper B&W version of “Beau Geste,” you can tell how they filmed the night scenes during daylingt by placing a (red?) gel over the lens. This turned the sky dark, but made the legionaires’ dark blue tunics lighten from black to gray.
And should anyone wish to join, you may find helpful information on the Legion’s website.
You’ll want to check out their links page. The tales and testimonials of veterans are really something to read.
“Also like much else connected with the legion, it’s a beau geste (beautiful gesture). Very nice,
but in the end you think, all this accomplished what?”
I’m reminded of a French officer’s remarks after witnessing the Charge of the Light Brigade: “Magnificent! But it is not war!”
Help me here. I recall a PBS program on the FFL several years ago. It seems that one of the attractions (considering the people who joined) was that upon completion of some ungodly amount of time you gained full French citizenship under your FFL name.
Any truth to this?
From Why the Legion?