The Wild Geese [1978] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

What we have here is a brilliant story of mercenaries in Africa that contains many fine and intense moments balanced against a script that builds intelligently and never fails to entertain.
The scripting is only matched by the performances that still resonate WITH ME after 26 years. Richard Burton is exceptionally good and believable as the bands leader, and Richard Harris shows glimpses of why he was an actor still sought after until his recent death. On that topic, watching the scene at the training camp where Harris and Burton discuss their own mortality now holds a deeper meaning - I raise my glass to these legends.

Roger Moore is the debonair wise cracker and Hardy Kruger plays the hard-bitten tough South African to an absolute tea.
Special mention to Jack Watson's beautiful performance and Kenneth Griffith's wonderful 'Witty'.

Compared to some of the rubbish churned out these days The Wild Geese delivers full on and is bona fide 100% classic.


One Of The Best!!   April 25, 2006
Michael Bermingham (Birr,County Offaly,Ireland.)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This is easily one of the best military films ever made.Its up there with 'Where Eagles Dare' and 'Zulu' in a small group of original and superb military action films.
Briefly the storyline is about the attempted rescue of an imprisoned African president by a group of fifty mercenary paratroops.Needless to say the rescue has to take place in Africa and this is where the real action enfolds.Superb performances by British actors Richard Burton and Roger Moore are well complimented by sterling acting from Irishman, Richard Harris and Hardy Kruger from Germany.These four actors play the officers in the film but there are also fine performances from many of the 'volunteers', particularly Jack Watson as the unflinching and fearless RSM.
This film has everything, action, humour, double dealing, sadness and most of all entertainment.It was filmed mostly in South Africa and it really captures the aura of the African continent.I first saw this film in 1978 when it was first released and returned to the cinema for a second viewing the next night.I now have it on dvd and its one of my favourites...buy it-you won't regret it!


The Wild Geese   November 16, 2005
michael corr (uk)
7 out of 9 found this review helpful

its an action film, that simple, before hollywood got lazy with computors doing the movies. Simple straightforward war movie, with simple lines and a theme of soliders who enjoy soldering for the sake of it. The acting is good and strong, yeah i mean the people in the movie act, like they are supposed to be doing. It never tries to be more than what it is, touches on some moral issues and has a gentle take on the human nature of all its cast. Some people would compalin. THE PC brigade, go on like the always do. When they die they die as it is, no daft stupid lazy modern rubbish. If you ever soldered or saw guns close up it holds back only what it was forced to do for its time. No heros in this movie, just villains but honest villians. Watch it and if you wait for the slow motion computer stuff go watch spielberg and his cronies.


Thrilling War Adventure   June 4, 2000
thana.sutharsan@virgin.net (London, UK)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Ruveen Singam's review of the 1978 film "The Wild Geese"

Andrew V. MacLaglan directed this tense, suspense full action adventure based on Alistair Macleane's best-selling novel and given an uplifting theme tune "The Flight Of the Wild Geese" sung by Joan Armatrading.

Richard Burton plays the mercenary soldier "Allen Faulkner", who is employed by the businessman Stewart Granger along with Richard Harris as "Rafer Jarnders", Roger Moore as "Shaun Flynn" and

Hardy Kruger, to rescue a top, democratic political leader,Winston Ntoshona, from the clutches of a military dictator in deepest Southern Africa.Ultimately though, Burton is cruelly betrayed by Gran ger when he secretly forces the rescue aeroplane to leave them stranded in hostile country, leaving them no choice but to fight their way out of Zambia.

This film is packed full of military-style excitement and heart-pounding action sequences.Along the way, there is a wonderful debate between Kruger and Ntoshona on the moral ethics and philosophy of African politics and government and international race-relations.