Product Details

• Actors: Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, Hardy Krüger, Stewart Granger
• Directors: Andrew V. McLaglen
• Writers: Daniel Carney, Reginald Rose
• Producers: Chris Chrisafis, Douglas Netter, Euan Lloyd
• Format: PAL
• Language: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Warner
• Run Time: 134 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001BPRVU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #480,786 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Wild Geese" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Mixing action, humor, sentiment, and even a few righteous moral convictions, The Wild Geese is good, rousing fun. Released theatrically in 1978 (oddly, this 2005 DVD release is referred to as the "30th Anniversary Edition"), director Andrew V. McLaglen’s film depicts the adventures of a group of British mercenaries hired by a shady multinational corporation to free the benevolent leader of an African nation held captive by a ruthless dictator. Led by the caustic, no-nonsense Col. Allen Faulkner (Richard Burton), these soldiers of fortune are all stout fellows out to earn a big payday and restore a good man to his rightful place of power (the underlying message of universal racial brotherhood is effective, if somewhat simplistic), and they do their job swiftly and efficiently... at least until they're double-crossed by their venal, perfidious employers, at which point the film becomes a tale of survival and revenge. The cast, which also includes Richard Harris, Roger Moore, and a host of other fine veteran actors, is first-rate, the story-telling efficient, the dialogue entertaining (with occasional bursts of profanity), and the action reasonably exciting and not overly graphic. And even if the pace is somewhat leisurely by new millennium standards (we're nearly an hour into it before the actual mission starts), The Wild Geese is a very enjoyable ride. Bonus features include a profile of producer Euan Lloyd and commentary by Lloyd, Moore, and journalist Jonathan Sothcott. --Sam Graham

Product Description

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Commentary, Documentary, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: The veteran mercenary Colonel Allen Faulkner travels to London invited by the British millionaire Sir Edward Matherson to rescue the African President Julius Limbani that had been abducted 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 and Lieutenant Shawn Fynn and the trio select their old friends to form the rescue team. They plan the whole operation and succeed in their mission; however, Sir Edward deals with the dictator and double-crosses the group of mercenaries, leaving them in Rhodesia. The mercenaries have to fight against Colonel Mboya's troops to survive and Col. Faulkner promises to revenge his deceased friends. ...The Wild Geese (1978)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

142 of 147 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enough action and adventure for ten mercenary movies !!, November 20, 2000

By 

P. Ferrigno "firehouse444" (Melbourne, Victoria Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: the Wild Geese [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Let's be honest....this movie is basically a "Boys Own" action adventure straight out of the fertile imagination of a 16 year old English schoolboy....but, gee it's so much fun to watch !!

According to producer Euan Lloyd, who had worked on the star spangled war film "The Guns Of Navarone" (penned by novelist Alistair McLean), Lloyd was seeking out a similar tale featuring several strong male leads that he could turn into an international blockbuster. An acquaintance of Lloyd working in in Rhodesia in the mid 1960's, met up with then unpublished novelist Daniel Carney, and heard about his manuscript concerning mercenaries seeking to rescue an imprisoned president from a military prison. Lloyd leapt at securing the rights for the intense manuscript, got Carney a publishing deal for his book, and set about getting the story onto the screen.

( The name "the wild geese" is taken from a literary term applied to Irish mercenaries initially operating during the late 17th century )

Lloyd secured his four strong male leads (Burton, Harris, Moore & Kruger) and the casting is as follows...Richard Burton plays ageing mercenary leader, Col. Alan Faulkner recruited by the unscrupulous, money hungry banker Sir Edward Matherson (Stewart Granger at his evil best) to rescue an imprisoned African leader, Julius Limbani (Winston Ntshona), from local terrorists. Limbani is a key figure in African politics and at stake are copper mine concessions worth millions. Burton recruits old war buddy Rafer Janders (Richard Harris), pilot extraordinaire Shawn Fynn (Roger Moore) ex-South African mercenary Peter Coetzee (Hardy Kruger), and 'tough as nails' Regimental Sergeant Major Sandy Young (Jack Watson) and most of their old war comrades for one last crusade for truth, justice and a very large paycheck !

The plan is simple enough...parachute 50 men in at night, steal Limbani from his captors, and rendevous for a pick up. However, events go horribly wrong and soon the mercenary group are running for their lives, outgunned and outmanned by the brutal, machete wielding Simba guards.

Carney's original manuscript was loosely inspired by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare's mercenary crew "5 Commando", and their incredible adventures controlling tribal violence and rescuing Westerners in the Belgian Congo during the early 1960's....(you can buy Mike Hoare's thrilling books right here on Amazon.)...and Hoare actually consulted as the military/technical advisor for the film !. "The Wild Geese" never lets up once the action gets going and is full of gritty firefights and never say die heroics. Additionaly, the film is full of witty dialogue, guaranteed to make you smirk, such as when RSM Sandy Young addresses the massed troops on the parade ground for the first time "Some of you know me already. Those of you who don't are in for a great big f**king surprise". Or when the fiery Irish priest Father Geoghagen calls out to the mercenaries "Good luck to you godless murderer's", to which Roger Moore drolly replies "That's as moving a benediction as I've ever heard".

Finally, "The Wild Geese" is out on DVD in Region 1, with a remastered print in Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, two accompanying featurettes on the making of the film, plus a documentary on producer Euan Lloyd. Another highlight is the audio commentary from producer Euan Lloyd, second unit director John Glen, journalist Jonathon Sothcott and "Wild Geese" lead actor Sir Roger Moore, and a newsreel from the original UK charity premiere. ( Although, it bugs me that this edition is released as a 30th Anniversary Edition, however the true 30th Anniversary of the film is not until 2008 ! ) Never mind, "The Wild Geese" is highly recommended viewing !

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One to wait for!, January 6, 2001

By 

Critic-at-Arms (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: the Wild Geese [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is THE "mercenary movie," from the book by David Carney (which sold like coldcakes). Inspired by true events, and featuring locations in southern Africa, the film featured technical advice by members of the original "Wild Geese" who fought against Congolese rebels in the early 1960s.

The story is rooted in the rumor that Moise Tshombe had not been killed following the uprising, but instead kept alive as a political pawn.

In Carney's story, African leader Julius Limbani was reported to have been killed by the Idi-Amin-style strongman who ousted him, but instead was "put on ice" in another country. This other country then realizes the leverage they hold, as the specter of a "resurrected" Limbani would destroy the usurper's government. The strongman then decides to bring Limbani back for execution.

Meanwhile, a British banker has hired mercenary Colonel Alan Faulkner (Sir Richard Burton) to rescue Limbani, to get mining concessions in his country. Faulkner, an "out of work drunk," then gathers his former officers, Sean Finn (Roger Moore) and Rafer Janders (Richard Harris) and some of his old unit together to do the job. Finn then recruits a former South African ranger (Hardy Kruger) who is vital to the plan's success, but not pleased with the mission -- he is only there so that he can get back home from England ("You don't realize this is an island, until you try to get off of it!").

The problem with being paid to risk your life, though, is that the people paying you only see you as an expendable asset . . .

This film was so much fun to make that most of the same crew got together again to do "The Sea Wolves," about the last battle of the Calcutta Light Horse in WWII, which is also on the Recommended List.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classis bush war movie, January 15, 2003

By 

W. DU PREEZ (Port Elizabeth, South Africa) - See all my reviews

The Wild Geese is an excellent war movie, with Burton, Moore and Harris at their best. It is set in the bush war of the seventies in the former Rhodesia in Southern Africa (NOT SOUTH AFRICA as the other reviewers thought - there is a huge difference. It's like saying Mexico and the USA are the same place!)

Anyway, it's an interessting,action packed look at the bush war in and the mercenaries involved and a must have for any serious collector of classic movies.