The Wind and the Lion (1975)

The Wind and the Lion (1975), written and directed by John Milius.

"Pedecaris alive or Raisuli dead." -- TR.

We get right to it: a peaceful day in Tangier, Morocco is violated by raiding bloodthirsty desert tribesman who carry off an American woman and her two children. President Teddy Roosevelt isn't having that and sends in the Marines.

It takes us a while to understand the intended film genre: this is a light retro-adventure, playing off the romantic action pictures of earlier decades. The captives are not abused and the violence is sanitary. We even get a hint of an old Victorian plot, of the woman expecting to be ravished and perhaps a bit let down when it doesn't happen.

Sean Connery is the Raisuli: that Scotsman gets around. And yet, there is no denying he makes it work. That confident, amused, great-hearted masculinity suits the desert brigand/leader very well.

Brian Keith is a hoot as President Roosevelt, the happiest man with the happiest family to ever occupy the White House. He was sort of an American Churchill: a strong-willed and visionary imperialist subject to boyish enthusiasms. TR knew his image and used it as a political tool, but wasn't faking it.

Like the viewer, Candice Bergen seems initially uncertain as to what sort of story she is in. She gets better when she settles into old-time action/adventure.

Milius obviously admires each of these strong characters. He's more ascerbic about politicians, diplomats and generals.

Misc notes:

• Suggested by real events, although the historical Perdicaris was a man and the Marines did not take over the country.
• The Raisuli was also a real character and many of his lines are taken from his biographies.
• Milius had Julie Christie in mind but offered the female lead to Faye Dunaway. She became sick and Bergen came in at the last minute. She had good horsemanship which helped the production quite a bit.
• I find it hard to believe, but Milius claims the film is popular in the Muslim world because The Raisuli is shown as such an estimable figure.
• That wanton slaughter by the tribesmen in the first scene? The Marines do something similar later. Again, it is claimed that bit has been shown in war college classes.
• This is the sort of film John Huston might have made and he plays Secretary of State John Hay, who was also an aide to Lincoln during the Civil War.
• Milius calls Huston his mentor but doesn't mention The Man Who Would Be King (1975), Huston's own retro-adventure with Connery released the same year.
• Milius gives full credit to the other films he immitated, Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in particular. The way the children grow wild among the brigands is a nod to A High Wind in Jamaica (1965).
• Filmed entirely in Spain, including the DC and Yellowstone scenes.

Jerry Goldsmith score, nicely evocative of old-school adventure films.

Available on Blu-ray with a commentary track by the director. Warner Archive Collection