The Delta Force (1986)

Director:

Menahem Golan

Writers:

James Bruner (written by) &
Menahem Golan (written by)

Release Date:

14 February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

They don't negotiate with terrorists... they blow them away!

Plot:

A 707 aircraft jetliner on its way from Athens to Rome and then to New York City is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists...

Plot Keywords:

Terrorist | Pilot | Beirut | Priest | Delta Force

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Chuck Norris	...	Maj. Scott McCoy
Lee Marvin	...	Col. Nick Alexander
Martin Balsam	...	Ben Kaplan
Joey Bishop	...	Harry Goldman
Robert Forster	...	Abdul
Lainie Kazan	...	Sylvia Goldman
George Kennedy	...	Father O'Malley
Hanna Schygulla	...	Ingrid
Susan Strasberg	...	Debra Levine
Bo Svenson	...	Capt. Campbell
Robert Vaughn	...	Gen. Woodbridge
Shelley Winters	...	Edie Kaplan
William Wallace	...	Pete Peterson
Charles Grant	...	Tom Hale (as Charles Floye)
Steve James	...	Bobby

Also Known As:

Mahatz Ha-Delta (Israel: Hebrew title)

Runtime:

125 min | 129 min

Country:

USA | Israel

Language:

English | Arabic | Hebrew | Greek

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | South Korea:15 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) (heavily cut) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:R (DVD rating) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Ben-Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

The movie was originally to be produced with the cooperation of Delta Force's real-life founder and original commanding officer, Col. Charles Beckwith. The producers wanted to tell the story of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue the American hostages from Iran in 1979, but they wanted to change the story so that Delta Force completed their mission successfully. Colonel Beckwith left the project in disgust.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In a scene when McCoy is searching the bed room, he removes a mattress and a terrorist that is hiding underneath get a shot off. The terrorist hits the lens of McCoy's wrist mounted flashlight before being shot. Shortly there after, you can see the flashlight again, only the lens is intact.

Quotes:

Nick Alexander: Did anyone ever tell you that you have beautiful legs?
Bartender: Oh, Nick! You can't see them from here.
Nick Alexander: No, but I do have a good imagination. Well, actually I'm just trying to be nice.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Get Smart (2008)

It's a go. TAKE THEM DOWN!

Here we get a little of Norris' cheesier flicks, but it is good for what it was intended to do - boost morale after the Iranian hostage situation. Designed to show that we can be just as effective as the Israelies with our bad-ass Delta Force starring Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin. Of course, they are going to create a big bang, and they did.

While all the banging is going on, there is some fine acting also going on by the hijacked passengers including Shelley Winters, Martin Balsam, George Kennedy, Susan Strasberg, Lainie Kazan, and Joey Bishop.

Hanna Schygulla played the stewardess Ingrid and showed as much courage under fire as the whole Delta Force. First-time actress Natalie Roth also did a great job.