The Wind and the Lion [Blu-ray]

Overview

In the early 1900s, an American businessman was kidnapped by a rebellious Arab chieftain, principally as a means to embarrass the sultan of Morocco. This abduction sparked the threat of armed intervention by President Theodore Roosevelt, which was never carried out. In The Wind and the Lion, the unattractive male captive is replaced by the gorgeous female Mrs. Pedecaris, an American widow played by Candice Bergen. The ruthless but essentially decent Arab chief Raisuli is portrayed by Sean Connery, while Teddy Roosevelt is depicted as a jingoistic blowhard by Brian Keith. The film's main theme -- that of America's emergence as a world power -- is largely secondary to the growing mutual-respect relationship between Mrs. Pedecaris and Raisuli. After releasing his hostage, Raisuli is himself captured by German forces, who at the behest of the Kaiser are seeking out methods of laying the groundwork for what would evolve into World War I. Mrs. Pedecaris must then help Raisuli escape.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/29/2014
UPC:	0888574015527
Original Release:	1975
Rating:	PG
Source:	Warner Brothers Publications
Language:	English
Time:	1:59:00
Sales rank:	5,314

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Sean Connery	Mulay el-Raisuli
Candice Bergen	Eden Pedecaris
Brian Keith	Theodore Roosevelt
John Huston	Sec. of State John Hay
Geoffrey Lewis	Gummere
Steve Kanaly	Capt. Jerome
Vladek Sheybal	The Bashaw of Tangier
Nadim Sawalha	Sherif of Wazan
Roy Jenson	Admiral Chadwick
Deborah Baxter	Alice Roosevelt
Jack Cooley	Quentin Roosevelt,Secret Service Man #2
Chris Aller	Kermit Roosevelt
Simon Harrison	William Pedecaris
Antoine St. John	Von Roerkel
Aldo Sambrell	Ugly Arab
Luis Barboo	Gayaan the Terrible
Darrell Fetty	Dreighton
Marc Zuber	The Sultan
Bill Williams	Sir Joseph
Shirley Rothman	Edith Roosevelt
Rusty Cox	Marine Sergeant
Larry Cross	Henry Cabot Lodge
Alex Weldon	Elihu Root,Elihu Root
Akio Mitamura	Japanese General
Frank Gassman	President's Aide
Audrey San Felix	Miss Hitchcock
Ben Tatar	Sketch Artist
Michael Damian	President's Secretary
Howard Hagan	Diplomat
Rupert Crabb	Mountain Man
Carl Rapp	Station Man
Anita Colby	Station Woman
Ricardo Palacios	Torres
Robert Case	UK Military Adviser
Felipe Solano	Pockmarked Arab
Charlie Bravo	Decapitated Arab
Eduardo Bea	Philippe
Juan Cazalilla	Chef
Polly Gottesman	Jennifer Pedecaris
Leon Liberman	Aide #2
Allen Russell	Aide #3
Arthur Larkin	Secret Service Man #1
M. Ciudad	Secret Service Man #3
Charles Stalnaker	Reporter #1
David Lester	Reporter #2
Paul Rusking	Reporter #3
Antoine Saint-John	Von Roerkel
James Mitchell	Gummere's Aide
Jerry Goldsmith	Composer

Technical Credits

John Milius

John Milius	Director,Screenwriter
Herb Jaffe	Producer
Aaron Rochin	Sound/Sound Designer
Harry W. Tetrick	Sound/Sound Designer
Roy Charman	Sound/Sound Designer
William McCaughey	Sound/Sound Designer
Phil Rawlins	Producer
Alex Weldon	Special Effects
Milton C. Burrow	Sound Effects
Basilio Cortijo	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

Once a while, a film resurfaces or is come upon that proves to be incredibly effective and powerful not because of any specific aspect of its plot or characters, but because during the passage of time, history has proven the film to be either prescient or an eerie parallel to current events. Produced in the mid-'70s, The Wind and the Lion, when viewed through the prism of today, is practically a mirror image of goings-on in the Middle East. The film, written and directed by John Milius, tells the true story (with some adjustments) of an American woman (Candice Bergen) and her children, who are abducted in Morocco by a Berber chieftain played by Sean Connery. This act leads to an overblown military response by the Americans, led by President Theodore Roosevelt and Secretary of State John Hay played incredibly effectively by Brian Keith and John Huston, respectively. Keith in particular captures the spirit of Roosevelt to a tee. In their desire to assert the power of America across the globe in a re-election year for Roosevelt, the Marines invade Morocco and take over. Insert Bush for Roosevelt and Osama bin Laden for the Connery character, and it's downright creepy. It's to the film's benefit that modern viewers can draw these parallels, because there are a lot of holes that are covered over by them. Bergen's character goes through a change that isn't really very believable, and Connery as the chieftain loses some authenticity every time he speaks with his usual Scottish accent. It gives off the aura of a sort of low-budget epic. The sets and costumes are all impressive, but the overall look of the film seems muted. The ending in particular is rather powerful, and Milius puts dialogue in the mouths of his actors that sends chills down the spine when one is reminded that history is more or less repeating itself.

All Movie Guide - Dan Friedman