GrimPrecise I'll tell you why so serious

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

dglink In concept, "The Wild Geese" resembles many other action movies; "The Dirty Dozen" immediately comes to mind, despite obvious differences. Tough veteran with a murky background is hired to assemble and train a team that will carry out a dangerous assignment; the opening interview explains the mission; the team is recruited from among the vet's old friends; the team is trained under a tough drill sergeant; and the climactic raid unfolds.A late-career Richard Buron is fine as Colonel Faulkner, the mercenary with experience and myriad capable ex-confederates. Enter Stewart Granger as Sir Edward Matherson, a stuffy Brit with ambiguous motives; Matherson secretly brings Burton to England for a dangerous mission to rescue a kidnapped African president named Limbani, sensitively played by Winston Ntshone. Burton quickly enlists Roger Moore, on hiatus from his James Bond franchise; Richard Harris; and Hardy Kruger. An old buddy of Burton, Jack Watson, is the tough drill sergeant, who gets the aging group in shape. And they all badly need the exercise, because Burton enlists his team from among the retired, the underemployed, and malcontent, and most seem too mature for the mission; they are not exactly a dirty dozen, but more an arthritic thirty. Beyond the aging leads, the rest of the seasoned cast includes Barry Foster, Frank Finlay, Kenneth Griffith, Ronald Fraser, and Jeff Corey. As expected from the distinguished names, the acting throughout more than meets the demands of an action flick. The screenplay by Reginald Rose, which was based on a novel by Daniel Carney, is riddled with such stereotypes as the fey gay man, the noble African leader, and the racist white South African. The plot is often predictable, and clichés abound from hostile wives, who tolerate their adventure-seeking husbands, to the requisite "if something happens to me" speech to a sappy fade out. The superfluous clichés and gratuitous political exchanges between Ntshone and Kruger slow the film, and the running time is a bit long at 129 minutes. However, Andrew V. McLaglen directs professionally and manages to overcome the script's weaknesses to deliver a satisfying action movie.

gilligan1965 I first saw this movie with my Dad in 1978 when I was twelve and when it first came out in the theaters in the US; and, to this day...I still love it! It's a very radically and racially-driven movie of a time that most Africans, and, people in general, wish to forget (Apartheid); but, it's also a movie that tells about how all of the 'rich people' in the world, along with governments, took advantage of, and, preyed-upon, Africa and her people and resources. Much like in China in the early 1900s - ("55 Days at Peking;" "The Sand Pebbles;" etc.).This is a movie, 'no matter what anyone may think,' that simply shows how 'outside' interests in the resources of a nation or continent in turmoil can so-easily be taken advantage of when they are most vulnerable. No one 'in power' cared about the rescue of President Limbani, even the rich British banker (Stewart Granger...a great actor) who paid for his rescue, unless it paid-off. That was just an excuse...a dupe, to make himself look good' and, if it worked, to also make himself even more rich! All that the rich banker cared about was getting hold of the copper concessions that he could acquire by rescuing this President. But, once another deal was struck, the banker dissolved 'everything.' leaving Colonel Faulkner and his men stranded in Africa and at the mercy of the now-government he'd invaded.Sure...Colonel Faulkner (Richard Burton) cared so much so long as he's paid to lead the 'mercenary' rescue (but...he cares GREATLY for his men); Lieutenant Shawn Fynn (Roger Moore) took this job to get out of Mafia trouble, but, he has a good heart and cares for and protects people; Lieutenant Pieter Coetzee (Hardy Kruger) also has a big heart, an open mind, and, despite political views, made friends with President Limbani, and, they came to trust one-another; Captain Rafer Janders (Richard Harris) is and always was a great supporter of President Limbani, and, a great and honorable man and soldier.This movie is of political and worldwide 'life,' then and now; and, in a thousand years from now! It's GREED without empathy or sympathy, no matter the stakes or losses to others! It's a world with only greed! A world that has no room for soft feelings, especially for other people!?!? This movie is a must-see, no matter how sad it is politically or ethically...it's true in it's depiction of callous politics and the bloodthirsty rich! :(

t_atzmueller What makes this movie the classic it is, is the chemistry between lead- and supporting actors, all among the finest of their time: Roger Moore essentially plays his cool James-Bond-persona in camouflage (indeed, the jovial manner in which he offs his opponents while chomping a cigar makes one believe he still owns a "licence to kill"). Burton convinces as boozed-out, aging and fallen out of fortune mercenary, Harris as his reluctant buddy and Krueger (although his sudden conversion from racist Afrikaner to moderate is more than a little sudden and implausible), Krueger plays the redneck Boer with a heart to a tit.The rest of the cast is similar formidable: Stewart Granger, although generally known for his dandy-roles, is suitable unlikeable as aristocratic, double-dealing employer, Frank Finlay excellent even in a tiny role as missionary, one cannot help but like Kenneth Griffith as gay comedic-sidekick-cum-hero, Ian Yule, all makes a perfect cast for this Film. And of course the great, late Jack Watson as aging trainer, who at all times looks like longing for the battlefield while trimming his garden in England, while longing for his garden when sitting in the training-camp, eating what surely must have been beans and sausages. Watsons "training" and cuss-tirades are among the highlights of the film.As for the accusations of being racist (having been filmed in South-Africa), even today, decades after the apartheid-regime has ended: I highly doubt that filming added much financially to the then-government. If anything it put some money in the pockets of the locals involved. The leading African cast other than the enemy-soldiers of course, namely John Kani and Winston Ntshona, is generally portrayed positive and amiable and as for accusing the film for showing African countries as either tribal and backward or run by military despots and juntas – well, one needs only look toward the country that was back then called Rhodesia today or perhaps at Uganda, one of the more "stable" countries in Africa, where they're considering a bill that will make homosexuality a crime punishable by death, at the time I'm tipping these words. A negative reputation usually doesn't come from nowhere.A final word about the „controversial" theme-song by Joan Armatrading: As with most things, it's really a matter of taste and for me personally the inability of the singer to hit a correct note rather soured my teeth. Other than that, I found this opening schmaltz ballad about as appropriate for a mercenary-film as if one had used "My heart will go on" to open the movie "300" (but that's just my subjective opinion).8/10

Bene Cumb 1960-1970ies were probably the decades when great and heroic war films were made which are enjoyable today as well: all in color, with stunts and technology up-to-date, topics understood by younger generations as the activities take place in 20th century, i.e not so long ago. The Wild Geese has great actors like Burton, Harris and Moore, and there are several scenes found politically incorrect nowadays. The military hierarchy is present, but without redundant patriotism, and all soldiers know their own values and skills well.Landscape scenes are beautiful and genuine, as they were filmed on the spot in Africa, although followed by some criticism as South-Africa had apartheid regime then.Recommended to those fond of watching both the planning and fulfillment phase of a military operation. And there are not only bad guys / less known actors who get killed...