The Wild Geese: Special edition Review & Ratings

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The Wild Geese: Special edition Review

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 An acquaintance of Lloyd working in in Rhodesia in the mid 1960's, met up with then unpublished novelist Daniel Carney, and heard about his manuscript concerning mercenaries seeking to rescue an imprisoned president from a military prison.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 !

The Wild Geese: Special edition Overview

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