Film: The Wind and the Lion.
Starring: Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith and John Huston.
Directed by: John Milius.
Story & Screenplay written by: John Milius.
Distributed by: © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. & Columbia Pictures.
Theatrical Release Date: 1975 (USA)
Niceties by: http://www.youtube.com/IAmOnlyLove
Synopsis!
"The Wind and the Lion" is a 1975 adventure film. It was directed by John Milius and starred Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith and John Huston. It was based somewhat on the real-life Perdicaris incident of 1904.
This movie blends historic facts into a fictional adventure in which an American woman, Eden Perdicaris (played by Bergen), and her two children are kidnapped by Berber brigand Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli (Connery) prompting American President Teddy Roosevelt (Keith) to wield the "Big Stick" of American diplomacy to launch an armed invasion and rescue mission. (The real Perdicaris incident involved the kidnapping of a middle-aged male and his stepson, who were not harmed.)
The film was a co-production between MGM (which handled US distribution) and Columbia Pictures (which handled international distribution). Coincidentally, Columbia's current parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment currently owns a stake in MGM, although the US rights to this film are now with Warner Bros./Turner Entertainment.
Plot!
In 1904, Morocco is the source of conflict by the powers of Imperial Germany, France, and the British Empire, all of whom are trying to establish a sphere of influence in that country. Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli (Sean Connery) is the leader of a band of Berber insurrectionists opposed to Sultan Abdelaziz (Marc Zuber) and his uncle, the Bashaw (Pasha) of Tangier (Vladek Sheybal), whom Raisuli sees as corrupt and beholden to the Europeans. He kidnaps Eden Perdicaris ([[The Wind and the Lion ]]) and her children, William (Simon Harrison) and Jennifer (Polly Gottesman) from their home, after murdering Sir Joshua Smith (Billy Williams, the film's cinematographer), a British friend of Eden's. Raisuli then issues an outrageous ransom demand, deliberately attempting to provoke an international incident in order to embarrass the Sultan and trigger civil war.
Back in the United States, President Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Keith) is struggling for re-election, and decides to seize the kidnapping as both a political tool (coining the phrase "Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead!") and as an effort to flex America's military muscle as a new power - despite the protests of his cautious Secretary of State, John Hay (John Huston). The American Consul to Tangier, Samuel Gummere (Geoffrey Lewis), is unable to negotiate a peaceful return of the hostages, so Roosevelt sends the South Atlantic Squadron, under the command of Admiral French Ensor Chadwick (Roy Jenson), to Tangier, either to retrieve Perdicaris themselves or to force the Sultan to give in to Raisuli's demands. Over the course of the story, however, Roosevelt finds himself gaining more and more respect for Raisuli, thinking him an honorable man who just happens to be his enemy.
The Perdicarises are held as hostages by the Raisuli in the Rif, far out of reach of any potential rescue. Though her children seem to admire Raisuli, Eden finds him "a brigand and a lout", and the two engage in much verbal banter, as well as several chess matches. The Perdicarises attempt an escape, helped by one of Raisuli's men, but they are betrayed and turned over to a gang of desert thieves. Luckily, Raisuli has tracked them and kills the Perdicarises' kidnappers. He then reveals that he has no intention of harming the Perdicarises, and is merely bluffing. Eden and Raisuli then begin to fall in love as Raisuli reveals his backstory - that he was once betrayed and captured by his brother, the Bashaw, and held in inhuman conditions in a dungeon for several years.
Finally, Gummere, Chadwick and his aide, Marine Captain Jerome (Steve Kanaly), tire of the Sultan's perfidy and the meddling of the European powers and decide to engage in "military intervention" to force the Sultan to negotiate. Jerome's company of Marines, supported by a small detachment of sailors, march through the streets of Tangier, much to the surprise and chagrin of the European legations, and overwhelm the Bashaw's palace guard, taking the latter hostage and forcing him to negotiate.
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GREAT film !
RJM1011 6 months ago
gracias JOHN MILLIUS por escojer ALMERIA para rodar esta pelicula y CONAN EL BARBARO,gracias!!
KWAKATSU57 7 months ago
@ dayvconsir I just recently found out from my father that he is my grandmothers grandfather and I don't know much more than that as I continue research I will keep it posted. It is the most intersting discovery in my life and it makes me even more interested in my family histoRy since I have lived in America my entire life and don't know that side of my family well.
sophiaeuphia11 11 months ago
@sophiaeuphia11 Really? Tell us about it! Or give us an elaborate fictional story. Ether way I'm sure I would enjoy it.
dayvconsir 11 months ago
this is about my great great great grandfather
sophiaeuphia11 11 months ago
This movie is that expressed how the United States understands Arab in the 1970's.
Is the understanding of the United States to Arab different from at that time of this now the 21st century?
The movie is a mirror that copies the idea of the counterplan at that time.
MorinoMashio 1 year ago 2
@maxxrexx You are right
ViejoCabo 1 year ago
grande Milius!!!
edgarkarg 2 years ago