The Wild Geese (1978)

A British banker hires a group of British mercenaries to rescue a deposed African President from the hands of a corrupt African dictator.

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writers:

Reginald Rose (screenplay), Daniel Carney (novel)

Stars:

Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Burton	...	Colonel Allen Faulkner
Roger Moore	...	Lt. Shawn Fynn
Richard Harris	...	Capt. Rafer Janders
Hardy Krüger	...	Lt. Pieter Coetzee (as Hardy Kruger)
Stewart Granger	...	Sir Edward Matherson
Winston Ntshona	...	President Julius Limbani
John Kani	...	Sgt. Jesse Link
Jack Watson	...	R.S.M. Sandy Young
Frank Finlay	...	Father Geoghagen
Kenneth Griffith	...	Arthur Witty
Barry Foster	...	Thomas Balfour
Ronald Fraser	...	Jock McTaggart
Ian Yule	...	Tosh Donaldson
Patrick Allen	...	Rushton
Rosalind Lloyd	...	Heather

Storyline

A British multinational seeks to overthrow a vicious dictator in central Africa. It hires a band of (largely aged) mercenaries in London and sends them in to save the virtuous but imprisoned opposition leader.

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Plot Keywords:

bird | fowl | value | operative | troop | 

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Taglines:

The Dogs of War. The Best Damn Mercenaries in the Business!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Switzerland UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 November 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los gansos salvajes

Filming Locations:

Tshipise, Limpopo, South Africa

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,423,104, 31 December 1978

Company Credits

Production Co:

Richmond Film Productions (West), Victory Films, Varius Entertainment Trading A.G.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (London premiere print) Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Curd Jürgens was considered for the part of Lieutenant Pieter Coetzee.

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Goofs

During the Medical Orderly's final scene he runs out of ammo for his Uzi. The weapon, however, doesn't click once but three times which is impossible with a real weapon. All of the three clicks were added post production to enhance the fact to the audience that Witty ran out of ammo.

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Quotes

Lt. Pieter Coetze: We whites have carried you people on our backs ever since we came to this country.
Julius Limbani: It's the other way around now, is it?
Lt. Pieter Coetze: Is it? You need me to save your miserable black life now, don't you?
Julius Limbani: I do. And then you may need me to save yours. We need each other, white man. And that's the way it should be. We've got the whole world using us now. Setting group against group, destroying Africa. Our new freedom is just a new label for their brand of slavery. And a final blood bath is coming. First between...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

NBC edited 12 minutes from this film for its 1982 network television premiere.

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Connections

Featured in The Wild Geese Director (2012)

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Soundtracks

Rafer's theme
by Aleksandr Borodin (as A. Borodin)
Arr. Roy Budd (as Budd)

User Reviews

The Mercenary and his Employer

Africa has been the background setting for many an exciting film. In this story a powerful, but arrogant English lord and wealthy financier, (Stewart Granger) Sir Edward Matherson, hires, a professional Mecernary, Col. Allen Faulkner, (Richard Burton) to fly into Africa and rescue a popular but imprisoned African leader Julius Limbani. (Winston Ntshona) This action will threaten and force a ruthless, but established dictator to sign over his country's lucrative copper mining rights. To help Faulkner with his dangerous task, he calls on close military friends. Lt. Shawn Fynn, (Roger Moore), Capt. Rafer Janders (Richard Harris) Lt. Pieter Coetze, (Hardy Krüger) and Sagarent Major Sandy Young. (Jack Watson). Together, they plan, organize, train and secretly fly into the heart of enemy country. What they don't know is that Sir Edward Matherson will expect the dreaded and merciless "Simbas" to be more efficient than his hired men. Rarely does a dramatic, action packed film contain a simple subliminal message; that men of war can also be men of conscience seeking common bond and family life. A superb vehicle for Richard Burton. ****