The Wild Geese

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The Wild Geese is a 1978 British war-action film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. It stars Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, and Hardy Krüger. The screenplay, by Reginald Rose, is based on Daniel Carney’s novel The Thin White Line, which was later published under the film’s title. The story follows a group of British mercenaries who are hired to rescue a deposed African president from a brutal regime.

Plot (in simple terms)
Colonel Allen Faulkner, a former British Army officer turned mercenary, assembles a team to rescue Julius Limbani, the deposed president of a Central African country, who is held prisoner by General Ndofa. The mercenaries train in Swaziland and parachute into Ndofa’s land on Christmas Day. One group frees Limbani from prison, while another takes control of a small airfield to wait for extraction. In London, a merchant banker named Sir Edward Matherson makes a deal with Ndofa that puts the mercenaries on their own. Stranded and under heavy fire, the team fights through the countryside, suffering many losses. Janders is wounded; Faulkner ultimately shoots Janders to spare him from torture. Limbani dies during the escape, and only a few mercenaries reach Kariba in Rhodesia to fly away. Back in London, Faulkner confronts Matherson, takes money to compensate survivors and families, and then visits Limbani’s son Emile at his boarding school.

Cast (selected)
- Richard Burton as Colonel Allen Faulkner
- Roger Moore as Lieutenant Shawn Fynn
- Richard Harris as Captain Rafer Janders
- Hardy Krüger as Lieutenant Pieter Coetzee
- Stewart Granger as Sir Edward Matherson
- Jack Watson as Sandy Young
- Winston Ntshona as President Julius Limbani
- John Kani as Sergeant Jesse Blake

Production basics
The film had a budget around $9 million. It was produced by Euan Lloyd, with United Artists involved. The project grew from Lloyd’s idea of making an all-star adventure film in the spirit of classic war movies. The title comes from the real-life Wild Geese mercenary units and the Flight of the Wild Geese. The African country in the story is unnamed but clearly meant to resemble Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Real mercenaries and veterans appeared in the cast.

Filming and location
Principal photography took place in South Africa in 1977, with studio work at Twickenham in England. Location shoots included areas near Tshipise in the Northern Transvaal (now Limpopo) and the Messina Border Region. Much of the military gear came from the South African army; some weapons had to be imported due to an arms embargo at the time. The Africa setting and the Congo-like backdrop were promoted as part of the film’s appeal.

Music
Roy Budd composed the score. The film’s end title song Flight of the Wild Geese was performed by Joan Armatrading and became one of the most remembered musical pieces from the film. The soundtrack also features other pieces inspired by the film.

Release and reception
The Wild Geese had a Royal premiere in London and became a commercial success worldwide, especially in Britain. Its U.S. release was limited after Allied Artists, the U.S. distributor, collapsed. The film earned substantial rentals in the United States and abroad and achieved popularity in several markets, including Germany, where it earned a Goldene Leinwand award for admissions. Critics were mixed: some praised its excitement and star power, while others criticized it for its portrayal of black characters and for filming in apartheid-era South Africa. The film also sparked protests by anti-apartheid groups in several places.

Sequel
A sequel, Wild Geese II, appeared in 1985. Burton did not return (he had died just before filming), and Edward Fox played a new lead. Roger Moore was considered for a return but did not take part. The sequel followed a new mission with a different cast.

Proposed remake
There have been talks of remaking The Wild Geese. In 2007, Gianni Nunnari’s Hollywood Gang bought rights for a remake with Rupert Sanders attached to direct. In 2017, New Republic Pictures and Filmula announced a William Monahan screenplay, and by 2021 there were ongoing development updates, but no film had been released.

Books
Daniel Carney’s original novel was later published under the film’s title, The Wild Geese, after the movie’s release.

Note: The Wild Geese remains a well-known 1970s adventure war drama, famous for its ensemble cast and its brisk, action-filled plotting.