IMDb > The Wild Geese (1978)
The Wild Geese
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The Wild Geese (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   6,364 votes »
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Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Andrew V. McLaglen
Writers:
Reginald Rose (screenplay)
Daniel Carney (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Wild Geese on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 November 1978 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller | War See more »
Tagline:
The Dogs of War. The Best D*** Mercenaries in the Business!
Plot:
A British multinational seeks to overthrow a vicious dictator in central Africa. It hires a band of... See more » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
1 win See more »
NewsDesk:
(26 articles)
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User Reviews:
An action film that really delivers the goods !! See more (106 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

Richard Burton ... Col. Allen Faulkner

Roger Moore ... Lt. Shawn Fynn

Richard Harris ... Capt. Rafer Janders

Hardy Krüger ... Lt. Pieter Coetzee (as Hardy Kruger)

Stewart Granger ... Matherson / Sir Edward Matherson
Winston Ntshona ... President Limbani

John Kani ... Sgt. Blake Jesse
Jack Watson ... R.S.M. Sandy Young

Frank Finlay ... Fr. Geoghagen - The Priest
Kenneth Griffith ... Arthur Witty
Barry Foster ... Thomas Balfour
Ronald Fraser ... Jock McTaggart
Ian Yule ... Tosh Donaldson
Patrick Allen ... Rushton
Rosalind Lloyd ... Heather

David Ladd ... Sonny Martinelli
Paul Spurrier ... Emile

Jeff Corey ... Mr. Martin
Brook Williams ... Samuels

Percy Herbert ... Keith
Glyn Baker ... Esposito
Sydney Chama ... Clark
Ken Gampu ... Alexander
Jane Hylton ... Mrs. Marjorie Young
Taks Senekal ... East German Officer
Martin Grace ... East German Officer
Terry Wells ... Cuban Officer
Joe Cole ... Derek
Fats Bookholane ... Tribal Elder
John Alderson ... Randy
Terence Longdon ... Anonymous Man
Patrick Holt ... Skyjacker
Robert Cunningham ... Man on Aircraft
John Dennison ... Matherson's butler
Thomas Baptiste ... Col. Mboya
Jules Walters ... Mboya's ADC
Fred Bryant ... Baronet Club manager
Valerie Leon ... 1st Girl Dealer
Anna Bergman ... Sonny's Girlfriend
Jeannie Collings ... Sonny's Girlfriend (as Joanna Collings)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Lane Cooper ... Mercenary (uncredited)
Clive Curtis ... Randolf (uncredited)
Suzanne Danielle ... Girl at Party (uncredited)
Bryan Davis ... Hercules Pilot (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon ... Mercenary (uncredited)
Susan Hunt ... Egyptian Girl Flirting with Faulkner (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes ... Jones (uncredited)
George Leech ... Stone (uncredited)
Solly Marx ... Mercenary (uncredited)
Tullio Moneta ... Tall Mercenary (uncredited)
Maia Newley ... Girl at Party (uncredited)

Greg Powell ... Mercenary (uncredited)
Leslie Schofield ... Hitman at Club (uncredited)
Bob Simmons ... Pilot (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor ... Mercenary (uncredited)
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Directed by
Andrew V. McLaglen 
 
Writing credits
Reginald Rose (screenplay)

Daniel Carney (novel "The Wild Geese")

Produced by
Chris Chrisafis .... associate producer
Euan Lloyd .... producer
Douglas Netter .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Roy Budd 
 
Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard (photographed by)
 
Film Editing by
John Glen 
 
Casting by
Rose Tobias Shaw 
 
Production Design by
Syd Cain 
 
Art Direction by
Bob Bell 
 
Makeup Department
Ron Berkeley .... makeup artist
Paul Engelen .... makeup artist
Richard Mills .... makeup artist
Neville Smallwood .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Harold Buck .... production supervisor
Norman Foster .... production manager
Ray Freeborn .... unit manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell .... assistant director
John Glen .... second unit director
Raymond Becket .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Simon Wakefield .... set director
Terry Wells .... stand-by property master (uncredited)
Barry Wilkinson .... stand-by props (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Dino Di Campo .... sound editor
Gordon Everett .... sound recordist
Gerry Humphreys .... dubbing mixer
Colin Miller .... sound editor
Allan Sones .... sound editor
 
Special Effects by
Kit West .... special effects
 
Stunts
Tim Condren .... stunts (uncredited)
George Lane Cooper .... stunts (uncredited)
Clive Curtis .... stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon .... stunts (uncredited)
Martin Grace .... stunt double: Hardy Krüger (uncredited)
Martin Grace .... stunt double: Richard Burton (uncredited)
Martin Grace .... stunt double: Roger Moore (uncredited)
Martin Grace .... stunts (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes .... stunts (uncredited)
George Leech .... stunts (uncredited)
Solly Marx .... stunts (uncredited)
Greg Powell .... stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons .... stunt double: Richard Burton (uncredited)
Bob Simmons .... stunts (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Graham Attwood .... still photographer
James Bawden .... camera operator (as Jimmy Bawden)
Tony Braun .... special photography
John Fenner .... gaffer
Dudley Lovell .... second unit cameraman/operator
Robin Wilter .... associate gaffer
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsa Fennell .... costume supervisor
 
Editorial Department
John Grover .... assembly editor
 
Other crew
Ronnie Bear .... production liaison
Maurice Binder .... main title designed by
Karl Breyer .... the photograph of Moise Tshombe seen in the main titles of this picture was taken by
Richard Charter .... parachute jump master
Brian Doyle .... publicist
Scott Finch .... production associate (as Scot Finch)
Ray Freeborn .... location manager
Dick Hilland .... flying sequences and aerial adviser
Mike Hoare .... military & technical adviser (as Col. Mike Hoare)
Ron Mull .... caterer
Maureen Newman .... production accountant
June Randall .... continuity
Bob Simmons .... action arranger
Edward Eagle .... location assistant (uncredited)
Doris Spriggs .... assistant: Roger Moore (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
134 min
Country:
UK | Switzerland
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (London premiere print) | Mono
Certification:
Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1978) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) (1990) (1998) (2004) (2009) | USA:R | West Germany:12 (f) | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2005) (DVD) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1978) (theatrical) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) (video) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | UK:15 (tv rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Spain:16 (DVD rating)
Filming Locations:
Tshipise, Northern Transvaal, South AfricaSee more »
Company:
Richmond Film Productions (West)See more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Having served as an Army officer during his National Service, Roger Moore helped to instruct the extras cast as mercenaries in drill and other military matters.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: During the mercenaries flight, Coetzee removes the dismantled crossbow from it's leather case and starts to assemble it. After his parachute-landing, however, he is seen carrying the leather-case containing his dissembled crossbow: Meaning the assembly-scene was overlooked in the final edit of the movie.See more »
Quotes:
[as the enemy attacks]
Esposito:We're dead!
RSM Sandy Young:Esposito, you're not dead until I TELL you you're dead.
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge: Episode #1.1" (1994)See more »
Soundtrack:
Sammy's ThemeSee more »

FAQ

How much are the mercenaries paid for rescuing Limbani?
Why does Sir Edward Matherson abandon the mercenaries in Africa?
How does the film differ from the book?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
10 out of 19 people found the following review useful.
An action film that really delivers the goods !!, 26 November 2000
Author: Batjac - 49 from Sydney, Australia

Allegedly, loosely based on the incredible adventures of "Mad Mike" Hoare and his mercenary unit operating in the Belgian Congo in the early sixties rescuing Westerners and stemmimg tribal violence..."The Wild Geese" is a real "Boys Own" adventure that races along like a good action film should !

Ageing mercenary leader Allan Faulkner (Richard Burton) is hired by wealthy, but unscrupulous, merchant banker Sir Edward Matherson (Stewart Granger in an oily performance) to rescue an imprisoned African leader, Julius Limbani (Winston Ntshona) from terrorists and turn him over to his own people...at stake are copper mine concessions in Africa worth millions !!

Burton enlists the aid of war time pals, Capt. Rafer Janders (Richard Harris) debonair pilot Lt. Shawn Fynn (Roger Moore), ex-South African troubleshooter Pieter Coetze (Hardy Kruger) and 'tough as nails' RSM Sandy Young (Jack Watson) as well as about 40 other mercenaries to engage on one last adventure for truth, justice and a very large paycheck.

Burton & Co. parachute into darkened Africa and all goes well....until a double cross emerges and the Wild Geese are running for their lives....outgunned and outmanned by the pursuing brutal, machete-wielding Simba troops

When the action commences in "The Wild Geese"...it comes thick and fast...the film is filled with gritty firefights, fast paced entertainment and colorful use of African savannah / veldt locations for the battle scenes....highly recommended for fans of the action / war genre !!

Just when is this film going to come out on DVD ???

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Message Boards

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One of the better British action movies scheelj1
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