The Wrath of God (1972)

Set in the 1920s, several foreigners held by a South American military group are offered possible freedom if they accept to topple a local crazed military leader.

Director:

Ralph Nelson

Writers:

Jack Higgins (as James Graham), Jack Higgins (novel) (as James Graham)

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Frank Langella, Rita Hayworth

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Mitchum	...	Father Oliver Van Horne
Frank Langella	...	Thomas De La Plata
Rita Hayworth	...	Señora De La Plata
John Colicos	...	Colonel Santilla
Victor Buono	...	Jennings
Ken Hutchison	...	Emmet Keogh
Paula Pritchett	...	Chela
Gregory Sierra	...	Jurado
Frank Ramírez	...	Carlos Moreno
Enrique Lucero	...	Nacho
Jorge Russek	...	Cordona
Chano Urueta	...	Antonio
José Luis Parades	...	Pablito
Aurora Clavel	...	Señora Moreno
Victor Eberg	...	Delgado

Storyline

Irish adventurer Emmett Keogh finds himself partnered with a hard-drinking priest named Van Horne in revolutionary Central America. Tricked into delivering guns by smuggler/con man Jennings, the three end up joining forces against despot Tomas de la Plata, who treats his subjects ruthlessly and who has a special hatred for priests. Van Horne, who seems to be a priest in costume only, decides to stand up to de la Plata and lead a revolt against him.

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Plot Keywords:

ammo belt | ammo | belt | cartridge belt | cartridge | 

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Taglines:

They offered them a choice - THE FIRING SQUAD . . . or The Wrath of God

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1972 (France)

Also Known As:

Zum Teufel mit Hosianna

Filming Locations:

Bavispe, Sonora, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineman, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Rainbow Releasing

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The part of Father Van Horne was offered to Trevor Howard.

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Goofs

When Keogh is knocked backwards on a balcony, the stuntman intends to fall back out of sight before a second double for Keogh comes into sight and rolls down the adjacent stairs. But for a moment, both "Keoghs" are visible at the same time.

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Quotes

De La Plata: You were going to have a very lonely walk, priest.
Father Oliver Van Horne: You're here. That's all that matters.
De La Plata: I thought suicide was a mortal sin.

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Soundtracks

Gloria
from "Misa Criolla"
Music by Ariel Ramírez
Lyrics by Alejandro Mayol, Jesus G. Segade and Osvaldo Carena

User Reviews

The Wrath Of The Insurance Company

The Wrath Of God is a kind of parody on the films Robert Mitchum was so routinely cast in back in the Forties and Fifties and even later on which he was doing know for a good paycheck. It's funny in spots, but ultimately doesn't quite come off.

Humphrey Bogart's The Left Hand Of God is the closest comparison one can make to this film. Bogart is also an adventurer in priestly disguise who aids a Chinese village during Kuomintang China days.

The Wrath Of God has Mitchum as a priest who is also a conman and handy with a variety of weapons, particularly the Thompson submachine gun. He, Victor Buono and Kenneth Hutcherson form an alliance of convenience which wasn't easy with Buono and Hutcherson refighting all the recent troubles in Ireland.

They get impressed into service by a strutting Colonel played by John Colicos whose behavior and that of his troops doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence that Colicos's bunch are the good guys. Colicos has to get inside the stronghold of a wealthy Don played by a young Frank Langella in one of his earliest films. Colicos is no prize, but Langella is positively psychotic, especially on the subject of religion. In his domain he's forbade the Catholic Church and any of its priests from any practice of the religion. He's got his reasons, but they're kind of out in left field to say the least. Mitchum's convincing guise a priest might just draw him out.

The Wrath Of God marked the final screen appearance of Rita Hayworth who got the film as an act of charity by Mitchum according to the Lee Server biography of Mitchum. Hayworth was having financial problems and was drinking heavily. Little did anyone realize that the reason for her bad behavior which occasionally got reported in the press back then was the onset of Alzheimer's Disease. The woman was drinking literally because she was losing her mind. She caused a lot of production delays. A truly sad end to the woman who in my humble opinion was the greatest screen sex goddess of all.

What delays Rita Hayworth didn't cause Ken Hutcherson did with an accident which injured his arm and the insurance had to pay big bucks. The film was delayed by several weeks while Hutcherson healed and as Server put in his book, the insurance company wound up owning the film.

They didn't wind up owning Gone With The Wind.