Must See Movie...

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Movie Review: "The Wild Geese" (1978)A 1970s action thriller enriched with some political dispute material; Actor Richard Burton (1925-1984) presents himself in one of his most accomplished roles, leading fellow actors Roger Moore (1927-2017), Richard Harris (1930-2002) among others into battle on Central African grounds to break out a disposed African President. The action comes in paced doses. Yet the spectator needs to be prepared to engage into some former hard-boiled attitude variations, which may not be all too contemporary anymore. Nevertheless the mediocre-to-decent direction of Andrew V. McLaglen (1920-2014), a fairly driven adapted script by Reginald Rose (1920-2002) and the powerhouse scene-owning acting by Richard Burton will bring two-hour-entertainment to the motion picture tolerant and world-siding knowledgeable audience.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainment LLC)

Merchant banker Sir Edward Matherson hires colonel Allen Faulkner (Richard Burton) to lead soldiers of fortune to rescue Julius Limbani, imprisoned leader of an African country. Faulkner hires various people including pilot Shawn Fynn (Roger Moore) and Rafer Janders (Richard Harris) in a cloak and dagger operation in London. They successfully rescue Limbani but their extraction takes off without them. Matherson has made a new deal with the new leader of the country.It's a bit slow at the start. The rounding up of the men and the training isn't very exciting or interesting. It builds the characters but that could be done better. There is an argument of the inherent racism in the movie. It has some valid points but the mercenaries aren't all white. There are some black 'good guys'. I won't defend the filming taking place in South Africa. I just don't think that any racism in the movie is that out of the ordinary for that era. The politics of Apatheid probably accentuated any problems. This is rip-roaring mercenary fun when it works.

Fan-BLOODY-tastic! That's how much. In many ways this is an extremely British film, the actors nearly all having lived through WW2 and undergone National Service in the 40s and 50s with no need for an American star to broaden it's appeal (rumour has it the studio wanted OJ Simpson in the Shaun Finn role!). The characters involved strike me as some of the more interesting people you might meet in the mess/wardroom. Some people might criticise it as being racist in its' depiction of Africa, not least due to it being filmed in Apartheid-era South Africa but surely the reality is evidenced by the horrendous real life events in Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Congo? Not to mention the relationship of reconciliation and understanding which develops between the characters of white South African mercenary Pieter Coetze and black African leader Julius Limbani? All told this is a highly realistic depiction of mercenary war, not least because real life mercenaries 'Mad' Mike O'Hoare and Ian Youle both take part in the film (Yule playing the part of Tosh, O'Hoare acting as an adviser and role model for Colonel Faulkner). But what raises it beyond that is the backstory of the men involved. Roger Moore's character a far cry from James Bond, down and out and on the run from both the law and the Mafia. Richard Harris a hard-bitten cynic who has given up the mercenary lifestyle yet is lured back by the promise of friendship, excitement and an African leader he believes in. Richard Burton a drunken veteran World War 2 warrior who knows nothing else but a life of violence and Hardy Kruger a man so desperate he leaps at the chance of a decent payday but then develops a conscience. A great scene is when Faulkner approaches his old RSM, a career soldier, long since retired who of course jumps at the chance to lead men in combat once again but is despised by his wife who correctly assumes that he's taking her husband off to be killed in some desolate African hell-hole, the love between the old comrades in arms greater than any marriage vows, as is Faulkner's killing of Janders in an act of mercy. A very masculine film with exactly 2 female characters who have less than 10 lines between them. The emotional heart of the film is Jander's relationship with his son Emil, taken over by his great friend Faulkner at the end of the film, a fantastic gift to both Emil and his new guardian "Let's talk about your father" (SOB!). All told they don't make films like this any more, perhaps understandably but still something of a shame.

Thrilling/ straight action/adventure story about some mercenaries hired to spring an abducted African leader from well-secured prison and the incidents this triggers . A British multinational seeks to overthrow a vicious dictator in central Africa as hires the much-wanted mercenary Colonel Allen Faulkner (Richard Burton miscast as chief of mercenaries) , as he travels to London invited by the British millionaire Sir Edward Matherson (Stewart Granger) to rescue the African President Julius Limbani that had been kidnapped in a coup d'état by the dictator Colonel Mboya. Sir Edward has interest in the copper mines and intends to negotiate with Limbani. Col. Faulkner hires his friends Captain Rafer Janders (Richard Harris), a tough, two-fisted mercenary and Lieutenant Shawn Fynn (Roger Moore),an expert on planes . The trio selects their old friends and contacts other mercenaries (Ronald Fraser , Percy Herbert , Ken Gampu) to form the rescue team. They plan the whole operation and succeed in their mission .The commando is led by Colonel Faulkner , a sergeant named Sandy (Jack Watson) along with Lieutenent Pieter (Hardy Kruger).The adventure starts when the veteran band of mercenaries land deep inside the African country to rescue Limbani and destroy installations .This fast-paced film packs adventures, large-scale blow-up , plot-twists routine plot , and lots of action for the most part . It's a comfortable mix of action-packed , adventure, thriller and wartime genre . From the beginning to the end the suspense , non-stop action and intrigue is continued . Interesting screenplay by prestigious Reginald Rose who writes thought-provoking dialogs especially between Limbani and Pieter well performed by Hardy Kruger . Other chief excitements about the movie, will be in the intervention of famous British secondaries who realize professionally competent interpretations , some of them with no more than a line or two to say . Cinematography Jack Hildyard is quite nicely , capturing the atmosphere of everywhere . Special mention the impressive and breathtaking musical score by Roy Budd ; it's filled with lively and martial sounds fitting splendidly to action . Furthermore , enjoyable song on the opening under magnificent credit titles by Maurice Binder . The motion picture is well directed by Andrew V MacLagen son of the great actor Victor McLagen. He's a warlike expert , such as proved in several films (Return to Kwai,Wild Geese, Dirtdozen: the next mission,Sea wolves,Breakthrough). However , director McLagen proved had lost the touch that made ¨Devil's brigade¨, ¨Sea wolves¨ and specially ¨Wild Geese¨ such memorable films , as in his final career he filmed average movies . ¨Wild Geese¨ can be called great and received , deservedly, much acclaim when released. Certainly a good work done by one of Hollywood's more skill director, a real craftsman.It's followed by Wild Geese II (Peter Hunt with Scott Glenn, Edward Fox, Barbara Carrera ), an inferior sequel deals about a new group of the much-wanted mercenaries assigned by a rich television network (Robert Webber) to free famous arch-Nazi war criminal Rudolph Hess (Laurence Olivier); this following depended in their all star cast . And a trilogy exploitation directed by Anthony M Dawson( Margheriti) formed by ¨Code name : Wild Geese¨ ¨Commando Leopard(1985)¨ and ¨Der Commander(1988)¨ repeating similar actors, Lewis Collins, Lee Van Cleef , Klaus Kinski, and Manfred Lemann.