The Wild Geese (1978) – Provocative yet engaging

Director:  Andrew V. McLaglen

Cast: Richard Burton. Roger Moore. Richard Harris. Hardy Krüger. Stewart Granger

Genre – War Movie (based on true stories)

Time: 2 Hours, 14 minutes

Platform: You Tube

Films about mercenaries are generally one dimensional. The (usually) “WHITE” mercenaries are bringing hope and light to the “DARK” continent of Africa, who are always a bunch of savages.  Rarely do we get a nuanced or ‘grey’ look at the whole mercenary experience; no one asks the question – what business do they have there in the first place ? They are paid ‘Dogs of War’ who are supposedly bringing order but actually causing more chaos in the process . It was also a “proxy war” between the  western supported Dictatorial Governments and usually Communist / Socialist Rebels. The Governments changed rapidly depending on who was giving more military and financial aid; yesterday’s rebel could be today’s leader and tomorrow’s outcast.

This 1978 film surprisingly makes these statements but in the background , sometimes subtly and at times boldly in your face.

This time , the paymaster is Sir Edward Matheson (Stewart Granger), who wants to control the copper mines of (a fictional country) Zembala. This can be done only by rescuing the deposed president Limbani (Winston Ntsoshna) from the present dictator. So Matheson calls forth “Colonel” Allen Faulkner (Richard Burton) to do the job.

Faulkner enrolls his ex-colleagues Shawn Fynn (Roger Moore) and the reluctant Rafer Janders (Richard Harriss) who doesn’t want to leave his son and go on what is surely a dangerous job. There is South African Pieter Cootze (Hardy Kruger) who sees this as a move to go back to his native country . They assemble a mixed team of whites and blacks, all ex-soldiers, whose only aim is to do the job for money. They are all trained by Faulkner’s trusted RSM Sandy Young (war movie regular Jack Watson) in the heat of Africa.

They sky dive, get on the ground, capture their objectives, free Limbani . And then are left alone as Matheson and the British Government  have done a deal with Ndofa due to which Limbani is no longer required . The mercenaries now literally have to fight their way out of Zembala.

Beyond the ‘war / action’ movie tag, the film is not an easy watch. Purely because of the (at times) subtle/ not-so-subtle ‘racist’ undercurrents of the film. On one hand more or less confirming that its just  a matter of Blacks killing each other while The White Man brings ‘order’ and ‘civilisation’, on the other hand it also presents Blacks , symbolized by Limbani, as more mature and understanding of the situation. The South African Cootze is adamant that South Africa will never surrender while Limbani says , one day it will happen (Remember this was 1978 and Apartheid was in full flow in South Africa).

What the film does get right is the whole mechanics of the mercenary process. A mysterious paymaster , supported by the Government of the day. Various unemployed ex-soldiers in various unsuitable civil occupations, generally bored out of their skulls. Clandestine bankrolling of arms and ammunition, delivered secretly . The training at a secret site in Africa.

And finally the not so subtle references to Rwanda to the North and  Zambia, clearly implies that this is to do with the Congolese Civil Wars where the Foreign Governments including the US supported the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko while his rival and rebel Moise Tshombe was brutally killed. However , the ‘White” mercenaries in the film are on the side of the rebels while the dictator, whom we never see, is supported by Matheson and the British Government .

The action is at times is like a comic book and at times true but it does point to one fatal flaw of all mercenary soldiers ; the total lack of heavy weapons and equipment. Since they are usually (and almost always) armed with small arms , their capability to enter into a long conventional battle with a superior regular Army is always fraught with risk. History has proved that time and again.

The realism of the whole enrollment process is due to “Technical Adviser”, Colonel “mad” Mike Hoare, and it shows in the recruitment and drill scenes. Here’s the wiki link to Mad Mike Hoare and his not so reputable exploits which are still looked upon by some Westerners as a “positive” example of bringing light into darkness.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Mike_Hoare

If all these are the ailments of the film, is there anything good ?  Why bother watching it ? For one thing , the leading duo of Burton and Harris. Roger Moore apparently told the scriptwriters to ‘Give me less dialogues and scenes” . When asked why, he quipped “you want me to act against those two?” The Two being the formidable talents of Richard Burton and Richard Harris, who steal everyone’s thunder. It is always a pleasure watching the duo act even though they were supposedly on a continuous drinking binges and tomfoolery during the making of the film. Check out Moore’s comments for the Blue Ray edition of the film

https://ew.com/article/2012/12/10/wild-geese-sir-roger-moore-blu-ray/

Moore also supplies the lightweight cynical comments that is quintessential Moore and also something like a “moral anchor”  of the film , almost as if he is an independent observer of the proceedings.

There are couple of good action scenes and a superbly shot mass skydiving scene where the mercenaries parachute at night into Zembala

There were worldwide protests since it was filmed in South Africa. Perhaps the film’s strength is in that shows the white-black relationship as it is , though there is a somewhat silly philosophical discussion between Limbani and Cooetze. Yet the film was a worldwide hit, despite the somewhat ‘grey’ approach to racism.

The film is free on You Tube

https://youtu.be/sqz2WvoCM20?t=5

Historical Background – 4 out of 5

Script – 4 out of 5

Story – 4 out of 5

Direction – 4 out of 5

Photography – 4 out of 5

Total – 4 out of 5

PS: Don’t confuse with CodeName Wildgeese..