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Wild Geese II
Wild Geese II
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Wild Geese II
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPeter Hunt
Screenplay byReginald Rose
Based onThe Square Circle
1982 novel
by Daniel Carney
Produced byEuan Lloyd
Starring
CinematographyMichael Reed
Edited byKeith Palmer
Music byRoy Budd
Production
companies
Distributed byThorn EMI
Release date
  • 18 October 1985 (1985-10-18)
Running time
125 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£11 million[1]

Wild Geese II is a 1985 British action-thriller film directed by Peter Hunt, based on the 1982 novel The Square Circle by Daniel Carney, in which a group of mercenaries are hired to spring Rudolf Hess from Spandau Prison in Berlin. The film is a sequel to the 1978 film The Wild Geese, which was also produced by Euan Lloyd and adapted from a novel by Carney. Richard Burton, who starred in the first film as Colonel Allen Faulkner, was planning to reprise his role, but died days before filming began. The sequel has Faulkner's brother (played by Edward Fox) as one of the mercenaries. No characters from the original are featured in the sequel.

Plot

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Africa, 1977

Veteran mercenary Allen Faulkner trains and then leads a group of 50 hired soldiers in an attempt to rescue deposed President Julius Limbani. After initially being successful, the mission begins to fall apart; double-crossed and caught in the open, Faulkner's men are strafed and napalmed by an enemy plane. With what few men remain, Faulkner looks to escape the country in an old Dakota aeroplane. With only his best friend Rafer Janders left to board the plane, Janders is shot in the leg and cannot catch the taxiing plane. As the hordes of ferocious Simbas are virtually upon him, Janders calls for Faulkner to kill him, which he regretfully does.

London, 1982

As the only surviving Nazi leader in captivity, Rudolf Hess has secrets that could destroy the careers of prominent political figures, secrets an international news network will pay any price to get.

As Alex Faulkner arrives for a meeting, Robert McCann is arguing with Michael Lukas about the delay of a planned rescue of Rudolf Hess.

Faulkner is escorted into the office; there, he meets network executives Michael and Kathy Lukas, who ask him to free Hess - a request that he refuses. He does recommend John Haddad as a substitute. As this is happening, former Lebanese-American soldier turned mercenary Haddad avoids Palestinian hitmen in London. Later, Kathy and Michael hire Haddad to free Hess and get him safely out of West Berlin.

When Haddad arrives in West Berlin, he stakes out the outside of Spandau Prison as a jogger while being spied on. He drafts plans of the outside of the prison, including guard towers and entrances. The next day, Haddad joins a construction team and sneaks away to get into the prison-guard entrance. Carefully eluding the guards by studying their timed patrols, he drafts floor plans of the hallways and cell blocks.

When he leaves the prison with the construction crew, Haddad is abducted by Karl Stroebling, who is a Nazi, but works for the Soviet Union. Stroebling and his thugs smother Haddad with a plastic bag over his head to torture him into disclosing details about his mission. Haddad escapes by overpowering the thugs, and rolls across the street, barely missing being run over by an oncoming truck as the police arrive and witness the incident.

While recovering in hospital, Haddad is visited by British Colonel Reed-Henry. Reed-Henry questions Haddad, but to no avail; he leaves Haddad, but suspects he is there to rescue Hess. Haddad leaves the hospital, and with Kathy, goes to Bavaria to plan the mission without interference from Stroebling.

Haddad enlists his old mercenary comrade Faulkner to watch his back. Faulkner, a former British Army officer, is working as an assassin and is an expert marksman. As romance between Haddad and Kathy blossoms, the trio returns to West Berlin to find that Reed-Henry will help Haddad release Hess. Reed-Henry claims that the British secretly want to get rid of Hess because the old man's presence is a reason for the Soviets to have military in the British sector. Once again, Stroebling's thugs attempt to kill Haddad, but this time, Faulkner helps him kill all but one of them.

Meeting with Reed-Henry to discuss his plan, Haddad agrees to hand over Hess to the colonel in exchange for help from Regimental Sergeant Major James Murphy. Murphy, an ex-warden at Spandau Prison, informs Haddad of the prison routine and helps make the mercenaries look like British royal military police. Stroebling offers to remove a contract on Haddad's life in exchange for Hess and the death of Faulkner. Haddad refuses and Stroebling leaves, frustrated.

The plan is finalised, with the news network, Reed-Henry, and Stroebling each believing they will receive Hess. Part of the plan involves a staged traffic accident, so Haddad employs fairground wall-of-death rider Pierre to perform the deliberate crash. Attempting to force Haddad into a vulnerable position using blackmail, Stroebling kidnaps Kathy. In exchange for guaranteeing her safety, Haddad must have a member of Stroebling's gang, Patrick Hourigan, join the rescue group. Haddad and Faulkner are now joined by Kathy's brother and Lebanese mercenaries Joseph and Jamil. The group, including Hourigan, are trained by Murphy. During one of Faulkner's fever spells, Hourigan substitutes Faulkner's medication with LSD tablets causing hallucinations.

After the training is finished, Hourigan taunts Murphy about an IRA ambush in which he participated. Murphy shoots Hourigan dead, putting Haddad in a dilemma over Kathy's safety. Haddad enlists his final team members, Arab businessman Mustapha El Ali and his employees, to take a few minor parts in the rescue. To appease Stroebling, Haddad offers Michael as extra insurance. Haddad must rescue Michael and Kathy from the clutches of Stroebling. Michael creates a diversion for Kathy and him to escape, but is killed during the struggle when the guard retrieves his handgun and shoots him. Moments later, Haddad kills the guards and rescues Kathy. The plan goes ahead as scheduled, but Pierre is killed in the staged accident.

Hess is sedated with an anaesthetic, switched with the look-alike corpse from the other ambulance, and placed into a waiting jeep. At the rendezvous point at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial, Reed-Henry tries to intercept Hess, but discovers that he has been duped into killing Stroebling disguised as a guard. Kathy, Haddad and Faulkner take a drugged Hess to and from a football game. Together with the Austrian fans, they travel to an East German airport to flee to Vienna. They succeed by killing a curious East German customs officer. Reed-Henry confesses to his Russian superiors that Hess has escaped with his rescuers and is nowhere to be found. He accepts execution by being shot with his own pistol.

Epilogue

Haddad, and Kathy and Faulkner take Hess to a hotel in Vienna, Austria. He overhears Kathy talking on the phone to McCann about the rescue and Michael's death. Hess, knowing that he is being exploited, tells Kathy, Haddad, and Faulkner that he has no desire to be a part of modern society. He has regrets about the millions of deaths. Haddad and Faulkner try to talk him into accepting his freedom, but he insists on going back to Spandau to live out the rest of his life. The following day, Haddad, Kathy, and Faulkner take Hess to the French embassy, where he turns himself in. A newspaper article in the following days tells a story about a false rumour of Hess's escape.

Cast

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Production

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The original film had not been particularly popular in the US, but performed better around the world. In April 1984, Richard Burton and Scott Glenn were announced as stars.[2] Roger Moore was asked to reprise his role from the first film, but did not like the sequel's script.[3] Lewis Collins claimed he was originally signed to play Haddad due to a contract with producer Euan Lloyd[4] but the role went to the American Scott Glenn.

Burton said after making the film, he intended "to retire again for at least six months".[5] In August 1984, a week before filming was to begin, Burton died of an intracerebral haemorrhage at his home in Geneva. Producer Euan Lloyd had just visited him: "He looked tan and healthy and had just passed his physical examination for the film after a nice holiday in Switzerland".[6] Burton was replaced by Edward Fox.[7]

Hess, 1933
Hess (1933)
Olivier, 1938
Olivier (1938)
In some ways Laurence Olivier resembled Rudolf Hess.

In January 1985, Thorn EMI split the cost of a five-picture, £38 million slate of films they had made, including Dream Child, A Passage to India, Morons from Outer Space, The Holcroft Covenant, and Wild Geese 2.[8][9]

The film opens with a dedication to the previous film's lead actor, Richard Burton, followed by a brief summary of that film. Then-77-year-old Laurence Olivier, who portrayed Rudolf Hess, was in poor health during filming, requiring a nurse to accompany him during production.[10] He was also beginning to suffer with memory problems. Edward Fox recalled him labouring for hours on his one long speech. Ingrid Pitt, who acted in the film but did not have any scenes with him, did have dinner with Olivier during the production, and described him as "very old and frail by this time, but very gallant".[11] Hess's son Wolf Rudiger Hess said afterwards that Olivier's likeness of his father was "uncannily accurate".[12]

Patrick Stewart appears in a small role as a Russian general. By his own admission, he only took the role to pay for much-needed home repairs. He felt his appearance was the biggest embarrassment of his career.[13]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Wild Geese II is a 1985 British action thriller directed by , functioning as a loose to the 1978 mercenary film and adapted from the 1982 novel The Square Circle by Daniel Carney. The plot centers on a team of , led by Allen Faulkner (), hired by an American television network to abduct —the sole remaining Nazi war criminal imprisoned at in —in order to extract revelations about his 1941 flight to that purportedly implicate Allied leaders in wartime deceptions. Featuring a cast including , Edward Fox, as a German professor, and early appearances by and , the film dedicates its opening to the late , who starred in the original. Despite its ensemble of established actors and action sequences filmed on location, Wild Geese II received poor critical and commercial reception, earning a 4.9/10 rating on from over 1,700 users and an 18% score on based on limited reviews, often criticized for implausible scripting and middling direction. The premise of staging a for Hess, portrayed in the film as potentially holding undisclosed truths rather than unambiguous villainy, drew inherent controversy for engaging with Nazi apologetics-adjacent themes amid lingering sensitivities, though the production avoided explicit endorsement of such views. challenges, including a fragile narrative mirroring real-world operations' unpredictability, contributed to its status as a box-office disappointment.

Development

Novel Adaptation

Wild Geese II draws its narrative foundation from The Square Circle, a 1982 novel by Daniel Carney published by Corgi Books. The book outlines a mercenary operation aimed at extracting Rudolf Hess, the last prisoner held in Spandau Prison, amid geopolitical tensions surrounding his long-term solitary confinement. Carney, a former Rhodesian soldier whose prior work The Wild Geese (1977) had inspired the 1978 film of the same name, infused the story with insights from real-world mercenary dynamics and Cold War-era intrigue. Producer , who helmed the original production, optioned The Square Circle for adaptation approximately seven years later, positioning it as a thematic to leverage the established genre appeal despite the absence of recurring characters or direct plot links. This choice reflected Lloyd's strategy to capitalize on authorship and the rescue-mission motif, transforming the novel's emphasis on interpersonal tensions and logistical into a more visually dynamic screenplay suited for theatrical release. The adaptation process, scripted by , prioritized escalating action elements over the source material's deeper explorations of moral ambiguities among the operatives, aligning with commercial expectations for the action-thriller format.

Pre-Production Planning

Pre-production for The Wild Geese II was led by , the producer of the 1978 original, who secured adaptation rights to Daniel Carney's 1982 novel The Square Circle as the basis for the sequel. developed the screenplay, structuring it around a mission to extract —the last surviving defendant from the —held in under joint Anglo-French-Soviet-American guard since 1945, a setup emblematic of persistent divisions in . This historical anchor lent the project a layer of geopolitical realism, distinguishing it from purely fictional tales by grounding operations in verifiable prison security protocols and multi-power oversight dynamics. Peter R. Hunt was selected as director, with Lloyd enlisting him for his track record in coordinating complex action sequences, as demonstrated in his prior work on espionage-infused thrillers. Early emphasized logistical feasibility for the core extraction scenario, including of Berlin's divided zones and coordination of team movements, to ensure depictions aligned with practical military constraints rather than exaggerated heroics. Budget allocations prioritized on-location authenticity over elaborate enhancements, reflecting independent production realities in mid-1980s British cinema where cost control was essential for viability amid declining theatrical audiences for action genres. These decisions shaped a leaner scope compared to the original, focusing causal chains of —such as guard rotation patterns and escape route viability—derived from open-source accounts of Spandau's operations to enhance tactical credibility.

Production

Casting Choices

Scott Glenn was cast as the lead mercenary, leveraging his established screen presence in action films such as The Challenge (1982), where he demonstrated physical intensity suitable for the genre's demands. Edward Fox assumed a central mercenary role as Alex Faulkner, stepping in after Richard Burton's death on August 5, 1984, which derailed plans for Burton to reprise his character from the 1978 original; Fox portrayed Faulkner's brother to maintain a nominal link while assembling a fresh ensemble. This shift underscored a deliberate pivot away from the prior film's stars, none of whom returned, prioritizing new actors amid logistical constraints like Burton's passing. Barbara Carrera filled a prominent supporting position, contributing visual appeal informed by her recent high-profile work in Never Say Never Again (1983). , aged 77 and contending with serious health challenges including the need for an on-set nurse, accepted a key supporting part in one of his final film appearances, infusing the production with veteran prestige despite his physical frailty. His involvement, amid a late-career output that included roles in The Bounty (1984), highlighted efforts to elevate the film's credibility through established theatrical authority.

Filming Process

Principal photography for Wild Geese II occurred in 1984, with principal locations in , England, and , Germany, to replicate the setting authentically. Exteriors at the operational were filmed on-site, capitalizing on its historical significance while navigating logistical constraints of a still-active facility guarded by Allied powers. Urban sequences, including an opening assassination pursuit, were captured in London's and districts, with additional shooting in areas like Harrow for supporting scenes. The production relied on practical effects for action elements, including real explosions and stunt work, reflective of mid-1980s filmmaking before widespread CGI adoption. One early sequence involving a sniper rifle—intended for Munich but shot in Berlin—featured a stunt performer doubling for lead actor Edward Fox, as Fox joined after the first day of principal photography. These hands-on techniques contributed to the film's gritty realism, though they demanded precise coordination amid location-specific challenges, such as securing access to divided Berlin sites. Director Peter Hunt, leveraging his background in James Bond productions for dynamic action sequencing, maintained a lean shooting pace to accommodate the film's limited budget, estimated in the low millions and resulting in streamlined operations without extensive reshoots. This efficiency was essential, as the narrative's raid sequences required synchronized stunts and under time pressures from international location permits and weather variability in . Hunt's editorial experience ensured tight coverage, prioritizing causal flow in combat depictions over elaborate setups.

Synopsis

Plot Outline

A leader is commissioned by executives of an American television network to assemble a team and extract , the imprisoned Nazi deputy leader, from in , motivated by the prospect of an exclusive interview exposing wartime secrets that could destabilize governments. The operation targets a window during the rotation of guard duties among the Four Allied Powers—, , , and —which jointly administer the facility housing Hess as the sole remaining defendant. The team comprises specialists with relevant expertise, including a British intelligence officer driven by a vendetta stemming from his father's execution by Nazis during , alongside other operatives handling logistics, infiltration, and security. Planning emphasizes exploiting the prison's isolation and guard shifts, with preparations involving reconnaissance, equipment procurement, and contingency measures against potential interference from adversaries. Execution unfolds through covert entry into , navigation of divided-city checkpoints, and the assault on , complicated by neo-Nazi factions intent on assassinating Hess to prevent disclosures and internal sabotage from a Soviet-embedded traitor within the group. These betrayals trigger chain reactions of ambushes and pursuits, escalating personal stakes and forcing adaptive decisions amid ideological crosscurrents, culminating in an evasion sequence toward a rendezvous point in .

Release

Distribution and Premiere

Wild Geese II held its world premiere on 23 May 1985 at in as a charity event. The film opened theatrically in the on 31 May 1985, followed by releases in Ireland on 14 June 1985 and on 12 July 1985. In the United States, it received a limited theatrical rollout on 18 October 1985 through . Distribution in other markets included on 12 1985 and on 27 1985. Promotional efforts positioned the film as a direct to the original, capitalizing on its established action formula while spotlighting the plot's provocative premise of extracting from . Theatrical trailers prominently featured the Hess rescue operation, underscoring high-stakes infiltration and geopolitical intrigue to draw audiences amid the controversy of fictionalizing Nazi history. This approach aimed to generate buzz through the narrative's blend of historical sensitivity and thriller elements. Post-theatrical distribution expanded via , with a VHS edition released in September 1985. Availability later grew through subsequent formats, including a 2021 Blu-ray by , and streaming on platforms like . Television syndication further broadened access, with airings documented on services such as listings.

Box Office Results

The Wild Geese II earned $69,342 in the United States and Canada during its theatrical release on October 18, 1985, with worldwide gross matching that amount due to limited international distribution. This figure represented a fraction of its reported $14.2 million , confirming the film's status as a under 1985 industry benchmarks where typically required grosses at least double the budget after distributor shares. By comparison, the 1978 original succeeded commercially, particularly in the UK where it debuted at number one on July 7, 1978, with an opening gross of £603,200 and sustained top rankings over 13 weeks, contributing to overall profitability estimated at over $3.6 million domestically. The sequel's failure highlighted risks in mercenary-themed follow-ups amid 1985's blockbuster-dominated market, including Rambo: First Blood Part II (which grossed $150 million domestically) and other action hits that overshadowed mid-tier releases lacking comparable star appeal.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Upon its 1985 release, Wild Geese II received predominantly negative reviews from critics, who criticized the film's departure from the original's high-adventure exploits in to a slower-paced thriller centered on intrigue and the fictional rescue of . Variety described the script, adapted from Daniel Carney's The Square Circle, as lacking depth despite a promising premise involving mercenaries hired to extract Hess from , noting structural issues that undermined the abundance of incidents like attempts and kidnappings, resulting in uneven follow-through and pacing problems. Critics highlighted plot implausibilities, including a substituted car ambush for the core jailbreak and Hess's refusal to divulge contrived secrets, which contributed to a sense of diffusion. Laurence Olivier's brief cameo as Hess was seen as unintentionally comedic rather than substantive, underutilizing the actor in a role that failed to add . While some acknowledged strong stunt work and bursts of action, such as a major , the overall execution was faulted for diluting tension through overly serious treatment of a lightweight script. Aggregate critic scores underscored this consensus, with compiling an 18% approval rating from seven reviews, emphasizing the film's dullness compared to its predecessor. User sentiment echoed these views, as evidenced by IMDb's 4.9/10 average from over 1,700 ratings, though isolated praise emerged for Scott Glenn's intense lead performance as mercenary John Haddad and Edward Fox's comic energy as Colonel Faulkner, suggesting pockets of cast chemistry amid the flaws.

Long-Term Assessment

In the decades following its release, Wild Geese II has maintained a modest presence through and streaming availability, rather than achieving widespread cult status or theatrical revivals. As of 2025, the film streams on platforms including , , , and MGM+, reflecting accessibility for niche audiences but limited mainstream promotion. No major remakes, reboots, or re-releases have materialized for the sequel, unlike the original 1978 film, which inspired development of an updated version announced in 2017. Retrospective analyses since the portray the film as a flawed but entertaining entry in mercenary cinema, appealing primarily to fans of era-specific action tropes and ensemble casts. A highlighted its shift toward over outright action compared to the predecessor, while a 2021 assessment criticized plot inconsistencies yet noted its formulaic thrills as a "" for genre enthusiasts. These views underscore enduring interest among retro action aficionados, though the film lacks the original's broader fanbase or critical reevaluation. Composer Roy Budd's score remains a standout element, with its funky, orchestral tracks drawing collector attention via limited reissues. The , originally on LP in 1985, received a restored CD edition from Caldera Records in 2017, featuring expanded cues that have appealed to film music archivists. This release has sustained minor interest in Budd's contributions, separate from the 's narrative reception.

Controversies

Historical Depiction Issues

The film's depiction of a successful mercenary-led rescue of from in 1985 starkly contrasts with established historical facts, as Hess remained incarcerated there until his confirmed on August 17, 1987. An conducted by British military authorities determined the as asphyxiation from hanging with an electrical cord, with no evidence of external intervention. This event occurred two years after the film's fictional timeline, underscoring the narrative's invention of an escape that never materialized. Spandau Prison's administration by the Four Allied Powers—United States, United Kingdom, France, and Soviet Union—with monthly guard rotations and stringent protocols, imposed insurmountable causal barriers to any clandestine extraction. As the sole prisoner since 1966 in a facility originally housing seven Nuremberg defendants, Hess was under perpetual multinational surveillance, rendering the portrayed operation implausible given the prison's fortified design and oversight mechanisms. Contemporary assessments described Spandau as impregnable, highlighting the logistical impossibilities overlooked in the script. Such fictional liberties have drawn scrutiny for sensationalizing Nazi-era figures, portraying Hess as a repository of undisclosed secrets amenable to rather than the diminished, isolated he had become. Historians note that while Hess's 1941 flight to fueled postwar speculation, empirical records confirm his continuous detention without interruption, and a 2019 DNA analysis of his remains definitively ruled out doppelganger theories, affirming the continuity of his identity from capture through death. This media normalization of escape scenarios, though not endorsing conspiracies, risks amplifying unsubstantiated narratives detached from verifiable security constraints and biographical closure.

Ideological Criticisms

Critics have pointed to The Wild Geese II's pro-British as a hallmark of producer Euan Lloyd's output, with the 1985 film incorporating a Cold War-era lens that depicts Soviet guards at as primary obstacles to the mercenaries' mission. This framing, amid heightened East-West tensions, positions communist authorities antagonistically against Western private operatives, a dynamic some outlets have critiqued as embedding right-leaning that prioritizes anti-Soviet narratives over nuanced . Such portrayals align with Lloyd's prior works, like The Final Option (1982), which faced similar accusations of conservative bias for glorifying British against terrorists. Counterarguments emphasize the film's depiction of mercenaries as pragmatic, results-oriented actors who bypass the inefficiencies of state intelligence agencies like , which in the plot hinder rather than aid the operation through bureaucratic or self-interested motives. This contrasts idealistic tropes with the causal effectiveness of contract-based military action, reflecting real-world precedents where private groups executed high-risk extractions amid official inaction during the . Left-leaning dismissals of these elements as mere often overlook the narrative's critique of media , as the TV network's hiring of the team underscores how profit-driven can provoke violence for spectacle, rather than endorsing it uncritically. Mainstream critiques, potentially influenced by prevailing institutional biases toward anti-Western , tend to underplay this media while amplifying labels on pro-Western themes.

References

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