Underrated Adventure: The Wind and the Lion (1975)

There's two things you have to accept in order to enjoy The Wind and the Lion. The first is that though the film is based on a true historical events it has been very loosely adapted by the writer/director John Milius. Some of the alterations are minor changes, other are very large. For instance, the main character in the film Eden Pedecaris, played by the beautiful Candice Bergen, was in real life a 66 year old man called Ion Perdecaris. The second thing you have to accept is that Sean Connery is playing a Moroccan outlaw called Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli. I'll say that again Sean Connery is playing a Moroccan outlaw and just like every other role he's played from The Hunt for the Red October to The Untouchables, he doesn't make any alterations to his thick Scottish accent. You've just got to go with it.

The Wind and the Lion begins in 1904 with the Raisuli and his men kidnapping Eden Pedecaris along with her son and daughter from their house in Morocco. With Eden being an American citizen, President Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Keith) is forced to take the matter seriously. He's up for re-election and how he deals with the kidnapping situation could make or break him as a politician. Meanwhile, it turns out the Raisuli has actually staged the kidnapping purely in the hope that it will cause a major public embarrassment for the Sultan of Morocco and incite a civil war in the country. The Raisuli has no hostile intentions with Eden, he has no hostility towards her and purely needs her as a pawn in his plans. As the kidnapping goes on Roosevelt is forced to turn to ever more desperate measures to mount a rescue effort and eventually set out his decree "Pedecaris alive or Raisuli dead!"

Despite the odd casting choices and liberal approach to history The Wind and the Lion is a masterpiece of cinema. I absolutely love this film. The acting is top notch across the board. Though Connery is exceedingly charismatic as the Raisuli, it's Brian Keith's wonderfully stiff and mannered portrayal of Roosevelt that sticks in your mind after the credits roll. What's brilliant about the film is that it has several layers. On the surface you have an exciting kidnap and rescue story with all the usual trappings like the kidnappee slowly coming around to the kidnapper's point of view. But underneath there's a lot more going on. The film is really a character study of the Raisuli and Roosevelt. Two powerful men from very different worlds who are trying to show their strength to the rest of the world.

The two men never meet at any point in the film and their only communication is via a letter at the very end of the film in which the Raisuli perfectly sums up their differences. "I, like the lion, must stay in my place, while you, like the wind, will never know yours." That's such a perfect metaphor for both their countries and their characteristics. The Raisuli is a descendant of the Barbary Pirates, he is expected to be dangerous and unpredictable. While Roosevelt is a civilised man from the still quite young United States. Roosevelt is trying to win an election, Raisuli is trying to incite war. Very different ways of becoming rulers of countries. And yet, there is a commonality I think that Milius wants us to see between them. They both do cowardly things during the course of the film. The Raisuli, obviously, kidnaps an innocent woman. Roosevelt shoots a grizzly bear and has it stuffed for a museum. Despite being at opposite ends of the battlefield they are not so different. 

Anyway, that's enough metaphorical musings I've got to talk about Jerry Goldsmith's stunning score as well. It's a wonderfully epic, soaring, bombastic piece. I don't know why it's not more well known among his work. Yes, it sounds a little bit like Maurice Jarre's score for Lawrence of Arabia in places but I think that was intentional. There's no doubt that Milius was inspired by David Lean's earlier film. Anyway, it perfectly compliments the film and works particularly well during the intense action scenes. I don't think I've seen another film that had so many horses falling over (which is also possibly why it's not been released on DVD in the UK - our censors always cut out horses falling over!)

So was it bad idea to cast Connery? Should Milius have changed Pedecaris to a woman? In answer to the first question, apparently Omar Sharif was intended to take the role of the Raisuli but dropped out. As much as I like Sharif, I'm glad Connery was cast instead. He's a superior actor and brilliant at playing likable rogues. As for changing Pedecaris to woman I can see Milius' reasoning. Firstly, there's no other female characters in the film, it needed at least one. Secondly, having Pedecaris be a woman allows for a hint of romance and this is mostly definitely a Romantic adventure.

Bottom line is if you haven't seen this film go see it now.

GRADE: A+

Music Month: 10 favourite movie scores

As a bit of break from reviewing movies I thought I'd lay down some of my favourite movie scores. I'm a complete sucker for buying the soundtracks to movies I've just watched. It kind of prolongs my enjoyment of the film. I can put it the score on in the background while I work and (assuming it's a great score) it instantly takes me back to those feelings I had when I first watched the film.

The Wind and the Lion (1975) - Jerry Goldsmith
I know Jerry Goldsmith has done a ton of stuff that is way more famous than this but I absolutely love this score. It's so rich and sweeping. The definition of a bombastic score. Okay, it owes a bit of debt to Maurice Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia but it's just so damn catchy. I think I've probably only seen the film once but I must have listened to this collection of tunes hundreds of times.

Tron Legacy (2010) - Daft Punk
I think everyone can agree that Daft Punk were an obvious choice for the Tron sequel. Their back catalogue of electronic dance tunes made them seem perfectly suited but I certainly didn't expect them to mix it with a proper orchestral score. There's a definite 50/50 split in terms of the tracks but them meld so well. No disrespect to Wendy Carlos but I far prefer this to her abstract, experimental score for the original.

Dune (1984) - Toto

I love how in the 1980s a lot of filmmakers experimented with using bands rather than composers. Toto seem a odd choice for a sci-fi epic given that their most famous hit was the cheesy yacht rock hit 'Africa' but they really pulled it out the bag with this one. Though the actual film may have a lot of structural problems the laid back, progressive, synth-heavy score really pulls it together as a whole.

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) - John Carpenter

I couldn't go without including one score my favourite director/composer. I'd love to put his whole back catalogue on this list but if I had to pick one this is my favourite. Sure there's a lot of repetition - a lot of ambient effects - but I love the little hooks he comes up with. They're so simple but so effective, capturing the horror and suspense of the film. Also, he's the only people on this list who can't read music! (Hats off).

Conan the Barbarian (1982) - Basil Poledouris
Much like the title character Poledouris' score pounds you over the head repeatedly (but in a good way). I love this score for the same reasons as Goldsmith's Wind and the Lion. It's so damn epic and evocative. I've read a few of Robert E Howard's short stories since buying this and I can't help but have this music running in the background while I read. It so perfectly fits alongside his words.
 

Legend (1985) - Tangerine Dream

I know a lot of people complain that this score ruins Ridley Scott's otherwise timeless film but for me it gives it an otherworldly feel. Famously, Jerry Goldsmith wrote a full orchestral score but Scott had it chucked out because he felt it needed something more commercial. I feel bad for Goldsmith but this is a better score and I love the two accompanying songs by Brian Ferry and Jon Anderson.

Trancers (1985) - Mark Ryder and Phil Davies

As I've said many times I absolutely love this silly little b-movie from Charles Band. Tim Thomerson's performance is half of what makes it so good and the score is the other half. Like Carpenter's work, it's all synth-based, full of simple hooks and utterly 80s sounding but, hey, there's nothing wrong with that! It's never been officially released so here's a link. You're welcome. www.rapidshare.com/files/283878344/Tr_ncers.rar

Blade Runner (1982) - Vangelis

Such a wonderful score. I've now played it so many times I need to take long breaks in between listens in order for it to retain its power. I love how the score fits the complex world Scott created. The electronic background hum, for instance, becomes the opening of the track 'Blade Runner Blues'. If you can, skip buying the official version and try and track down the more complete Esper Edition bootleg.

Judge Dredd (1995) - Alan Silvestri

Always feel its a shame Silvestri never got a full score album and had to share the soundtrack with some forgettable rock songs. Still, those seven released tracks are awesome. Again, another heavy bombastic score, this time with a recurring military marching motif. If you're a fans of Silvestri's Predator score will most likely also enjoy this as well.

Princess Mononoke (1997) - Joe Hisaishi

I wanted to pick at least one Studio Ghibli score for this list and this one is probably my favourite. Joe Hisaishi's somber and moving compositions perfectly compliment the ethereal tone of the film. Heavy on the violins and other stringed instruments. There's also a definite mix of western and eastern influences. I'm no classical music buff or anything but there's some definite hints of Debussy and Chopin.