In 1978, when it was released, a movie where white mercenaries kill a bunch of black soldiers and (almost) rescue a black resistance leader was nothing more than a cracking adventure.  Now, its ‘white saviour’ theme is rather uncomfortable, notwithstanding some token attempts in the script to address racism head-on. (The movie also invited controversy at the time for filming in South Africa during apartheid, perhaps not the smartest move.) 

All of this, I must admit, totally passed me by when I first saw the movie. I thought of it very much in the same vein as Where Eagles Dare (one of my all-time favourites) and other ‘men on a mission’ war movies, which do not spare much thought for the ‘baddies’ who get mown down by the ‘heroes’. 

The Wild Geese also has one of the stars from Eagles in Richard Burton, who once again plays the mission leader. He is ably supported by Roger Moore and Richard Harris who, in a memorable moment late in the film, is mercifully killed by a tearful Burton to avoid being tortured to death by enemy troops.

This is the UK quad poster, with artwork by the renowned Arnaldo Putzu. I used to have this on my wall for several years as a kid, but I am ready to pass it on. You can find it for sale here.