Sword of Gideon (1986) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Chris Bryant (writer)
George Jonas (novel)

Release Date:

29 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Chronicles a Mossad team hand picked to hunt down the terrorists involved in the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes. |

Plot Keywords:

Munich Olympics | Olympics | Munich | Revenge | Spy

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Steven Bauer	...	Avner
Michael York	...	Robert
Robert Joy	...	Hans
Laurent Malet	...	Jean
Peter Dvorsky	...	Carl
Rod Steiger	...	Mordechai Samuels
Lino Ventura	...	Papa
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Golda Meir
Leslie Hope	...	Shoshana
John Hirsch	...	Avner's Father
Cyrielle Clair	...	Jeanette Von Lesseps
Linda Griffiths	...	Carls Widow
Daniel Alfie	...	Ali Salameh
Hrant Alianak	...	Wael Zwaiter
Sonia Benezra	...	Mrs. Hamshari
Carol Ann Francis	...	New York Bank Clerk
Éric Gaudry	...	Louis
Lisa Hull	...	Hamsharis Daughter
Neil Kroetsch	...	Abu Daoud
Shawn Lawrence	...	Bank Manager
Audi Levy	...	Gen. Harrari
Liza McIsaac	...	Jeanettes Girlfriend
Karen Racicot	...	Hamsharis Mistress
Yair Rubin	...	Maj. G. Rashon
Septimiu Sever	...	Swiss Priest
Gregory Tal	...	Popeye
Miro Wahba	...	Hamshari
David Zatouti	...	Boudia
Pierre Zimmer	...	Surgeon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daniela Akerblom	...	Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Anderson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Chris Bryant		writer
George Jonas		novel "Vengeance"

Produced by
Denis Héroux	....	executive producer
John Kemeny	....	executive producer
Robert Lantos	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Claude Agostini

Film Editing by
Ron Wisman

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster
Clare Walker

Production Design by
Trevor Williams

Set Decoration by
Steve Shewchuk

Costume Design by
Laurie Drew
Rochelle Zaltzman

Makeup Department
Kathryn Casault	....	assistant makeup artist
Maryse Faure	....	hair stylist: France
Consuelo Hailey	....	hair stylist: New York
Consuelo Hailey	....	makeup artist: New York
Gaétan Noiseux	....	hair stylist
Marie-Angèle Protat	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jennifer Black	....	post-production supervisor
Malcolm R. Burgess	....	production manager: London
Massimo Cristaldi	....	production manager: Italy
Jonathan Filley	....	production manager: New York
Joyce Kozy King	....	production manager
Raymond Leplont	....	production manager: France
Gadi Levy	....	production manager: Israel
Zvi Spielmann	....	production supervisor: Israel

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alberto Acciarito	....	assistant director: Italy
Peter Bennett	....	first assistant director: London
Henry Bronchtein	....	assistant director: New York
Michal Engel	....	assistant director: Israel
Victoria Frodsham	....	third assistant director (as Vicky Frodsham)
Simon Haveland	....	third assistant director: London
Madeleine Henrié	....	second assistant director
Pierre Magny	....	first assistant director
Avner Orshalimy	....	assistant director: Israel
Amy Sayres	....	assistant director: New York
Andrew Warren	....	second assistant director: London

Art Department
Zvika Aloni	....	set dresser: Israel
Louis-Fernand Billet	....	set props: France
Luciano Calosso	....	set decorator: Italy
Jacques Chamberland	....	set props
Michel Dernuet	....	construction supervisor
Vincenzo Di Costanzo	....	props: Italy
Assi Esterkin	....	props buyer: Israel
Ronald Fauteux	....	property master
Marc Fiquet	....	property buyer
Bryony Foster	....	set decorator: London
Jean-Vincent Fournier	....	assistant set props
Alain Guyard	....	set dresser: France
Zion Kobi	....	construction supervisor: Israel
Giora Porter	....	key set dresser: Israel
Ariel Roshko	....	art director: Israel
James Sherman	....	props: New York

Sound Department
Benito Alchimede	....	boom operator: Italy
Gary Daprato	....	sound effects editor
Pierre Davoust	....	boom operator: France
Yuri Gorbachow	....	sound editor
Claude Hazanavicius	....	sound mixer
Cathy Hunt	....	supervising adr editor
Chris Hutton	....	sound effects editor
Brian Marshall	....	sound mixer: London
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thierry Morlaas-Lurbe	....	boom operator
Yohai Moshe	....	boom operator: Israel
Keith Pamplin	....	boom operator: London
James Porteous	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob Predovitch	....	sound systems designer
Phil Rodrigues	....	foley artist
Cindy Romanovich	....	sound effects editor
Jean-Charles Ruault	....	sound mixer: France

Special Effects by
Jacques Godbout	....	assistant special effects coordinator
Yoram Polach	....	special effects: Israel
Richard Ratliff	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Dwayne McLean	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Avi Avrahami	....	best boy: Israel
Vincent Bataillon	....	second assistant camera: France
Jacques F. Bernier	....	second assistant camera
Larry Blanchette	....	grip: New York
Elio Bosi	....	grip: Italy
Yacov Bukman	....	key grip: Israel
Steve Burgess	....	second assistant camera: London
Pierre Charpentier	....	grip
Sergio Conti	....	grip: Italy
Robert Coret	....	grip: France
John Danyluk	....	generator operator
Jean-Louis Daquist	....	key grip
Jean-Maurice de Ernsted	....	grip
Roberto Diamanti	....	grip: Italy
Remo Dolci	....	gaffer: Italy
Alex Dukay	....	still photographer
Marcel Gellier	....	key grip: France
Robert Guertin	....	first assistant camera
René Guillard	....	third electrician
John Herron	....	first assistant camera: New York
Martin Hume	....	first assistant camera: London
Tony Iulo	....	grip: New York
Manuel Jover	....	grip: France unit
Avraham Leibman	....	gaffer: Israel
Jean-Yves Le Poulain	....	first assistant camera: France
John Lewin	....	best boy
Bruce Macaulay	....	still photographer
Marion Mailhot	....	grip
Robert Mattigetz	....	second electrician
Les Pearce	....	grip: London
Don Saari	....	gaffer
Luke Sacher	....	second assistant camera: New York
Robert D. Shulman	....	key grip: New York
Allan Smith	....	camera operator
Marco Sperduti	....	first assistant camera: Italy
Michel Vocoret	....	gaffer: France
Jimmy Waters	....	key grip: London

Casting Department
Tova Cypin	....	casting: Israel (as Tova Tzipin)
Ginette D'Amico	....	additional casting
Marlène Tommasi	....	casting: France

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Denise Andres	....	wardrobe: New York
Brigitte Demouzon	....	assistant costume: France
Louise Gagne	....	assistant costume designer
Don Mothersill	....	wardrobe: London
John Stowe	....	key wardrobe dresser
Mary Jane Wallace	....	wardrobe dresser

Editorial Department
Stephen Humble	....	assistant editor
Jan Nicolichuk	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Andrew Hermant	....	music engineer
Richard Stone	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Meir Sigura	....	transportation captain: Israel

Other crew
Eitan Alon	....	location manager: Israel
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	weapons expert
Andrea Bolognini	....	production coordinator: Italy
Liz Bunton	....	production secretary: London
Denise Cassotti	....	production coordinator: France
Monique Champagne	....	continuity
Ronit Chayun	....	production coordinator: Israel
Amy Herman	....	production secretary: New York
Ken Korrall	....	location scout
François LeClerc	....	location manager
Doron Mizrachi	....	key propman: Israel
Dana Robin	....	location manager: New York
Yitzhak Shriki	....	camp chief: Israel
Rola Zayed	....	assistant to producer
Zigler Zeev	....	extras chief: Israel
Deborah Zwicker	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Alliance Entertainment
• CTV Television Network
• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Rogers Cablesystems
• Société Radio-Canada
• Téléfilm Canada

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (1987) (Canada) (video)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• HBO/Cannon Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (original airing)
• LMP (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA Home Video (1987) (Canada) (video)
• Platinum Disc (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Le 11ème commandement (France)
The Eleventh Commandment (UK) (video title)
Vengeance (France)

Runtime:

173 min | UK:148 min (video)

Country:

Canada | USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Alliance Entertainment

Trivia:

First shown on Canada's CTV network and later on HBO as a four hour miniseries.

Movie Connections:

Version of Munich (2005)

Tense, fascinating film with several chilling scenes

This tense, fascinating film details how men are recruited into the Israeli Mossad to search for and kill those responsible for the Munich Olympics murders. Also, we see how the men are pressured to stay in the group. Great acting and real locations make it all the more compelling. The morality of what they're doing is questioned at several points, and we see some very chilling assasination scenes.

The ending is a bit of a let-down, but then since it is based on actual events . . . I am not Jewish but found this film to be suspenseful and very involving -- a humdinger.