Wild Geese (film)

The Wild Geese is a 1978 British-Swiss action war film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, and Hardy Krüger. The screenplay, written by Reginald Rose, is based on the novel The Wild Geese by Daniel Carney, which was published the same year.

The film tells the story of a group of aging mercenaries hired by a British banker to rescue an imprisoned African political leader. The team, led by Colonel Allen Faulkner (Burton), undergoes rigorous training before being deployed to a fictional African country. After successfully rescuing the leader, unexpected complications arise, forcing the mercenaries to fight their way out against overwhelming odds. The plot involves betrayal, political intrigue, and themes of loyalty, honor, and the moral ambiguities of mercenary work.

The Wild Geese was a commercially successful film, known for its ensemble cast of seasoned actors and its realistic portrayal of mercenary life. It spawned a sequel, Wild Geese II (1985), although only Harold Pinter from the original cast reprised his role. The film has been praised for its action sequences and its exploration of the motivations and experiences of mercenaries, while also receiving some criticism for its simplistic portrayal of African politics.