History Literature / UnderTwoFlags

When he loses a bet on a [[UsefulNotes/HorseRacing horse race]], he has nothing left but his brother – who signed a heavy bill with Bertie's name. Because [[YourCheatingHeart he was with the 'titled and wedded' Lady Guenevere]] when the bill was signed, he has no way of proving that the signature is forged except with, at the same time, exposing Lady Guenevere. Such as to not ruin both Berkeley and Lady Guenevere's names, Bertie flees and joins the ''Chasseurs d'Afrique'', where, after twelve years of service, he meets the fascinating camp-follower Cigarette as well as the ruthless Châteauroy, his commander, who is in love with Cigarette.

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: Venetia is called a princess for a reason.

* TheLadette: Cigarette -- hard-riding, shooting, and sexually agressive.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Bertie's nickname is “Beauty” for a reason.[[note]]Typical of Ouida, the stronger and more valiant her male characters, the more likely they were to be quasi-femininely attractive and often AgentPeacock as well. She was one of many writers to portray masculine androgyny, empathy and sensitivity as signs of strong character.[[/note]] His “evil” brother Berkeley, on the other hand, has a “weak chin”.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Bertie's nickname is “Beauty” for a reason. His “evil” brother Berkeley, on the other hand, has a “weak chin”.

* HelloNurse: Cigarette induces this.

It was adapted into four movies, the last of which starring Creator/RonaldColman with Creator/ClaudetteColbert as Cigarette, and an obscure comic book. TheGoonShow play "Under Two Floorboards" is actually their version of ''Beau Geste'', not this thing.

It was adapted into four movies, the last of which starring Creator/RonaldColman with Creator/ClaudetteColbert as Cigarette, and an obscure comic book.

''Under Two Flags'' (1867) is the most well-known work of English author Ouida, pen name of Marie Louise de la Ramée and has spawned the genre of French Foreign Legion romances, the most famous of which is now Wren's ''Literature/BeauGeste'', despite not even involving the French Foreign Legion.

It was adapted into four movies, the last of which starring Creator/ClaudetteColbert as Cigarette, and an obscure comic book.

[[TheHero Bertie Cecil]], who is called [[TheBeautifulElite „Beauty of the Brigades“]], is a young nobleman serving in the First Life Guard as a cavalryman. He leads a comfortable, upper-class life full of hunts and horse races, surrounded by a large admiring circle of influential friends. The only faults in his life are that his family is [[ImpoverishedPatrician bankrupt]] and his brother Berkeley has [[TheGamblingAddict a bad gambling problem]].

It was adapted into four movies, the last of which starring Claudette Colbert as Cigarette, and an obscure comic book.

When he loses a bet on a [[HorseRacing horse race]], he has nothing left but his brother – who signed a heavy bill with Bertie's name. Because [[YourCheatingHeart he was with the 'titled and wedded' Lady Guenevere]] when the bill was signed, he has no way of proving that the signature is forged except with, at the same time, exposing Lady Guenevere. Such as to not ruin both Berkeley and Lady Guenevere's names, Bertie flees and joins the ''Chasseurs d'Afrique'', where, after twelve years of service, he meets the fascinating camp-follower Cigarette as well as the ruthless Châteauroy, his commander, who is in love with Cigarette.

[[DesignatedHero Bertie Cecil]], who is called [[TheBeautifulElite „Beauty of the Brigades“]], is a young nobleman serving in the First Life Guard as a cavalryman. He leads a comfortable, upper-class life full of hunts and horse races, surrounded by a large admiring circle of influential friends. The only faults in his life are that his family is [[ImpoverishedPatrician bankrupt]] and his brother Berkeley has [[TheGamblingAddict a bad gambling problem]].

* FairForItsDay: Despite (or you know, because of) being universally hated by MoralGuardians back when it first came out, the novel contains a fair amount of feminism in the character of Cigarette, who can shoot, ride, and swear like a man and about whom is explicitly stated that she had sex with many a man and enjoyed it. In Victorian times, this was like writing the word “bitch” on her forehead in big glowing letters.