The Wild Geese - 1978
The Dogs of War. The Best D*** Mercenaries in the Business!
Director(s)
Andrew V. McLaglen
Writer(s)
Daniel Carney novel
Reginald Rose
Producer(s)
Chris Chrisafis associate producer
Euan Lloyd producer
Douglas Netter co-producer
Erwin C. Dietrich producer (uncredited)
Cast
Richard Burton - Col. Allen Faulkner
Roger Moore - Lt. Shawn Fynn
Richard Harris - Capt. Rafer Janders
Hardy Krüger - Lt. Pieter Coetze
Stewart Granger - Sir Edward Matherson
Winston Ntshona - Julius Limbani
John Kani - Sgt. Jesse Blake
Jack Watson - RSM Sandy Young
Frank Finlay - Fr. Geoghagen, the Priest
Kenneth Griffith - Medical Orderly Arthur Witty
Barry Foster - Thomas Balfour
Ronald Fraser - Sgt. Jock McTaggart
Ian Yule - Sgt. Tosh Donaldson
Patrick Allen - Rushton
Rosalind Lloyd - Heather
David Ladd - Sonny
Paul Spurrier - Emile Janders
Jeff Corey - Mr. Martin
Brook Williams - Samuels
Percy Herbert - Keith
Glyn Baker - Esposito
Sydney Chama - Clark
Ken Gampu - Alexander
Jane Hylton - Mrs. Young
Taks Senekal - East German Officer
Martin Grace - East German Officer
Terry Wells - Cuban Officer
Joe Cole - Derek
Fats Bookholane - Tribal Elder
John Alderson - Randy
Terence Longdon - Anonymous Man
Patrick Holt - Skyjacker
Robert Cunningham - Man on Aircraft
John Dennison - Matherson's butler
Thomas Baptiste - Col. Mboya
Jules Walters - Mboya's ADC
Fred Bryant - Baronet Club manager
Valerie Leon - 1st Girl Dealer
Anna Bergman - Sonny's Girlfriend
Joanna Collings - Sonny's Girlfriend
Susan Hunt - Egyptian girl flirting with Faulkner
George Lane Cooper - Mercenary (uncredited)
Clive Curtis - Randolf (uncredited)
Suzanne Danielle - Girl at party (uncredited)
Eddie Eddon - Mercenary (uncredited)
Jazzer Jeyes - Jones (uncredited)
George Leech - Stone (uncredited)
Solly Marx - Mercenary (uncredited)
Greg Powell - Mercenary (uncredited)
Bob Simmons - Pilot (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor - Mercenary (uncredited)
Review by Theo Robertson
When I was in my early teens you could judge how good a film was because my classmates would discuss it after seeing it on telly, ah yes those were the days when there were only three TV channels and hardly anyone owned what was known as a VCR. When THE WILD GEESE was first broadcast on television my peers and I were discussing it scene by scene for days afterwards. If 15 year old schoolboys liked this film no other praise is needed.
Looking back however TWG is flawed. As several other reviewers have noted most of the actors look like they’d be better cast in DADS ARMY, they’re far too old to be playing tough adventurers. Roger Moore I’m sure is a very nice human being but I’ve seen tropical rain forests that are less wooden, watch his introductory scene and monologue and beware of splinters. And there’s a redemption sub plot featuring a racist Rhodesian and a black politician which doesn’t ring true. But having said that TWG is still a very good action film especially for people who are fed up with Hollywood blockbusters where Arnie, Sly and Bruce blow away a myriad of bad guys without suffering a scratch.
Burton and Harris in the same film! I wonder how much of the budget went on the drinks bill?
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