A British banker hires a group of British mercenaries to rescue a deposed African President from the hands of a corrupt African dictator.A British banker hires a group of British mercenaries to rescue a deposed African President from the hands of a corrupt African dictator.A British banker hires a group of British mercenaries to rescue a deposed African President from the hands of a corrupt African dictator.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
Hardy Krüger
- Lt. Pieter Coetzee
- (as Hardy Kruger)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie's European premiere in London was marred by demonstrations by anti-Apartheid protesters, angry that this movie had been shot in South Africa with the cooperation of the then white government there. They were also angry at the reported negative portrayal of black Africans, although none of the protesters had seen this movie to verify this for themselves. The producers handed out to the crowds copies of favorable reviews in the Soweto Times, the largest circulation black newspaper in South Africa, but these were thrown away by the demonstrators.
- GoofsWhen Shaun (Roger Moore) confronts the two mafia men, the bodyguard goes for his pistol and is shot in the head. The sound Shaun's pistol makes sounds like a silenced shot, but his pistol has no silencer on it.
- Quotes
RSM Sandy Young: Sir! With respect, you can stick the money up your arse that's all I can offer you sir. - I love what I do, I also love these grubby, thickheaded men I trained - you most of all and I expect to be with them and with you because I'm needed. You want to see a REAL revolution? Try and stop me.
- Alternate versionsNBC edited 12 minutes from this film for its 1982 network television premiere.
- SoundtracksFlight of the Wild Geese
Written and Performed by Joan Armatrading
Featured review
The man is dead, Mr. Faulkner. Now only the spirit remains.
Marvellously macho, a men on a mission movie proudly proclaiming that the old adage is indeed true, there is life in the old dog(s) yet. A notable cast of British and Irish thespians were rounded up and unleashed into a plot that required a band of mercenaries sent to extract an African President from some prison in the darkest part of Africa. The formula is tried and tested, the leader is a man made of stern stuff but carrying emotional baggage, his band of men assembled are a mixture of ex soldiers who have either fell on hard times or just haven't been able to let go of the army life that they feel was their calling in life. The latter of which causes great consternation amongst spouses and immediate family members.
Director Andrew V. McLaglen lets it unfold in steady and unfussy time, structuring it in three stages. Stage one is getting to know the principal players, their fears, pet peeves and psychological make up, stage 2 is the re-training programme, where the good old boys wait to see who keels over from a heart attack first, then stage 3 is the mission, where blood will be shed, bodies will fall, treachery and racism are big irritants, and of course big sacrifices will have to be made during a whirl of explosions and politico pummelling. The screenplay, much like the actors playing the key roles, is very self aware to not take itself too seriously, it's also very funny at times, there is some absolute cracker-jack slices of dialogue here.
The PC brigade and political historians beat themselves around their heads trying to flatten the appeal of The Wild Geese, it didn't work. Most action movie fans understood fully just what was going on, and it's the reason why today it still holds up as a perennial favourite on the British TV schedules. Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Roger Moore, Hardy Kruger, Jack Watson, Kenneth Griffith, Ronald Fraser and Percy Herbert, I salute you all. 8/10
Director Andrew V. McLaglen lets it unfold in steady and unfussy time, structuring it in three stages. Stage one is getting to know the principal players, their fears, pet peeves and psychological make up, stage 2 is the re-training programme, where the good old boys wait to see who keels over from a heart attack first, then stage 3 is the mission, where blood will be shed, bodies will fall, treachery and racism are big irritants, and of course big sacrifices will have to be made during a whirl of explosions and politico pummelling. The screenplay, much like the actors playing the key roles, is very self aware to not take itself too seriously, it's also very funny at times, there is some absolute cracker-jack slices of dialogue here.
The PC brigade and political historians beat themselves around their heads trying to flatten the appeal of The Wild Geese, it didn't work. Most action movie fans understood fully just what was going on, and it's the reason why today it still holds up as a perennial favourite on the British TV schedules. Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Roger Moore, Hardy Kruger, Jack Watson, Kenneth Griffith, Ronald Fraser and Percy Herbert, I salute you all. 8/10
helpful•263
- hitchcockthelegend
- Jan 2, 2014
Details
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- Also known as
- Divlje guske
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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- Budget
- $10,000,000 (estimated)
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