Ashanti (1979)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Stephen Geller (screenplay)
Alberto Vázquez Figueroa (novel)

Release Date:

April 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Only two men could rescue her. One driven by love, the other by revenge.

Plot:

Dr. Anansa Linderby is kidnapped in a medical mission in Africa by a slave trader. From this moment...

Plot Keywords:

Slave | Africa | Box Office Flop | Troubled Production | Critically Bashed

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Dr. David Linderby
Peter Ustinov	...	Suleiman
Kabir Bedi	...	Malik
Beverly Johnson	...	Dr. Anansa Linderby
Omar Sharif	...	Prince Hassan
Rex Harrison	...	Brian Walker
William Holden	...	Jim Sandell
Zia Mohyeddin	...	Djamil
Winston Ntshona	...	Ansok
Tariq Yunus	...	Faid
Tyrone Jackson	...	Dongaro
Akosua Busia	...	The Senoufo Girl
Jean-Luc Bideau	...	Marcel
Olu Jacobs	...	Commissioner Batak
Johnny Sekka	...	Captain Bradford
Marne Maitland	...	Touareg Chief
Eric Pohlmann	...	Zeda El-Kabir
Harry Araten	...	Slave Dealer
Jack Cohen	...	German at Slave Market
Jay Koller	...	Buyer at Slave Market
Enzo Patti	...	Pearl Dealer
Ori Levy	...	Hotel Attendant

Directed by
Richard Fleischer

Writing credits
Stephen Geller		(screenplay)
Alberto Vázquez Figueroa		(novel "Ebano") (as Alberto Vasquez-Figueroa)

Produced by
Georges-Alain Vuille	....	producer
John C. Vuille	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Michael Melvoin

Cinematography by
Aldo Tonti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ernest Walter

Casting by
Maude Spector
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Mario Chiari
Aurelio Crugnola
Kuli Sander

Makeup Department
Paolo Borselli	....	hairdresser (as Paolo Borzelli)
Tony Lloyd	....	makeup man: Michael Caine
Mario Van Riel	....	makeup man

Production Management
Luciano Sacripanti	....	executive in charge of production
Orazio Tassara	....	production supervisor
Paolo Lucidi	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Brandt	....	first assistant director
Allan Elledge	....	second assistant director (as Alan Elledge)

Art Department
Maria-Teresa Barbasso	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ken Barker	....	dubbing mixer
David Hildyard	....	sound mixer
Colin Miller	....	sound editor
Tommy Staples	....	boom operator
Rowland Fowles	....	boom operator (uncredited)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Aldo Gasparri	....	special effects

Stunts
Sergio Testori	....	stunt coordinator
Paul Weston	....	stunt coordinator
Paul Weston	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bruno Angeletti	....	gaffer
Gino Ietto	....	key grip
Paul Ronald	....	still photographer
Giorgio Tonti	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annalisa Nasalli-Rocca	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Annalisa Nasalli)

Editorial Department
Noel Rogers	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Sergio Bologna	....	location accountant
Luciana De Pita	....	production accountant
Sharon Lindstrom	....	production assistant
Carole Murdoch	....	production secretary
Yisrael Ringel	....	location coordinator: Israel (as Israel Ringel)
Maria Luisa Rosen	....	continuity (as Marisa Rosen)
John Sutton	....	location coordinator: Kenya
Danny Ben Menahem	....	location manager (uncredited)
Bill Holz	....	helicopter pilot: Kenya (uncredited)
Danny Perlman	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Georges-Alain Vuille Production (as GAV)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1979) (France) (theatrical)
• EuroVideo (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (1986) (Greece) (VHS)
• Warner Bros.

Other Companies

• National Screen  film titles by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:15 (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1979) | Netherlands:12 | UK:12 (video rating: 2009) | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

Georges-Alain Vuille Production

Trivia:

The movie featured two actors who have played villains in the James Bond film franchise. Kabir Bedi was henchman Gobinda in Octopussy (1983) whilst Eric Pohlmann was the voice of Blofeld in From Russia with Love (1963).

Soundtrack:

Don't Lose the Feeling

Watchable Enough Though It's Easy To See That Caine Dislikes It

ASHANTI is a somewhat typical movie from the late 70s/early 80s starring Michael Caine . It's certainly watchable in an undemanding way but no more than that but neither is it bad enough to be virtually disowned by its star .

The story itself is intriguing an Afro-American doctor working for the UN is kidnapped by slave traders and it's up to her English born husband to track down the kidnapped woman . I guess the movie could have concerned itself more as to dispelling or building myths about the present day slave trade but it's not that type of movie and rightly concentrates on action and adventure

One can't help thinking that maybe Caine's dislike of the movie is down to the fact that he's playing a hero and as everyone knows heroes are by their very nature boring . Undoubtedly Malik played by Indian actor Kabir Bedi is the most interesting character while Peter Ustinov as Sulimen gets by far the best lines and scenes like " A father , a father , a father " . Very frequently Caine gives the impression that as soon as the movie is finished and the cheque is in the bank he'll be firing his agent

ASHANTI is a movie that demands very little from and offers little to its audience except to sit back and be enthralled . Film buffs might complain that this is a poor movie considering it was directed by the legendary Richard Fleischer , well maybe but I think the only thing the director can be criticised for is casting an obviously unwell William Holden in a needless cameo