It's a goofy-looking title now but in 1939 Rudyard Kipling's poem would have been much better known than it is today. That said, it was (and is) a poem, not a story, so the casual reader would have been intrigued as to what additional story the already legendary screenwriters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur had added to it through the lesser known credited screenwriters. Seems to be a foreign legion tale. Those were quite popular in those days. And look at those faces, laughing, lusty adventurers all! Fairbanks, Jr. was probably the biggest draw at that point with Grant just starting to reach his stride. Both were known for neat, clean roles and in this one they were about to get messy.
Victor McLaglen, Eduardo Cianelli, Sam Jaffe (in the title role but you couldn't tell that from this ad) and a young Joan Fontaine, familiar names all, round out the heralded cast and George Stevens produces and directs.
Would I have seen it based on this ad? Absolutely. And I'd have loved it!
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