The Wilby Conspiracy | Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine | Murder, stolen diamonds, terrorism and...

The Wilby Conspiracy | Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine | Sydney and Michael

DVDs:

The Wilby Conspiracy

	The Wilby Conspiracy Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine MGM (Video & DVD), 2004 average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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OscarÂ(r) winners* Sidney Poitier and Michael Caine ignite the screen as two very differentmen suddenly bound togetherand running for their livesin this 'suspenseful [and] politically pertinent (Los Angeles Times) chase thriller set in South Africa's powder keg of racial strife. When anti-apartheid activist Shack Twala (Poitier) is freed from prison, he quickly runs into trouble with the police. British engineer Keogh (Caine) helps Twala elude a sadistic government official (Nicol Williamson), but as both men, now fugitives, race 900 miles to cross the border to safety, they are drawn into a conspiracy much bigger and deadlier than they realize.

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Murder, stolen diamonds, terrorism and fugitives on the run

When anti-apartheid activist Shack Twala (Sidney Poitier) is freed from prison after being acquitted on a charge of terrorism, he soon gets into trouble with the police who intend that his freedom is going to be very short lived.

In fact they intend that also will be very short lived too. Persuaded by his girlfriend who is a lawyer, British engineer Keogh (Michael Caine) helps Twala flee from a ruthless government official (Nicol Williamson) who is hell bent on Twala's distruction, and very soon both men become fugitives from the law.

Handcuffed together the men who at first dislike each other intensely, form a strong bond of friendship based on mutual respect and a desire to survive their ordeal.

Persis Khambatta of Star Trek the Movie fame plays the love interest for Twala, and there are more twists in the tale of this movie than you can shake a stick at.

Quite brutal at times, I flinched at the scene were Keogh is beaten during a brutal interogation, along with the murder of the sympathetic Scottish farmer who helps the fugititives also gives the film a sense of stark realism, portraying a time in which South Africa could get away with murder.

A surprisingly good film which has dated reasonably well, its not too cliched, the photography is cxcellent, it doesn't have a happy ending, and we are treated to early performances from the likes of Rutger Hauer and Saeed Jaffrey.

A stonking good film for a pop-corn and soda night in.

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Sydney and Michael

What a dynamic duo from the 70s. I'd seen this a long time ago when I was a child, but didn't remember until I purchased the DVD this year. And the pair reminded me of Denzel and Russell. They really played good together.

The suspense was great. They were on the run the entire time. If you don't appreciate how movies from the 70s were created, I wouldn't suggest it unless you understand there's a huge difference in plots, lingo and attitudes between the 70s and the 2k years. I would suggest this to those who appreciate African movies such as Cry Freedom, Bopha.

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Enjoyable, mostly forgotten thriller from 70's

Title: "The Wilby Conspiracy"
Released: 1975
Rated: PG
Running Time:1 hour and 41 minutes
Directed by: Ralph Nelson
Starring: Sidney Poitier-as Shack Twala
Michael Caine-as Jim Keogh
Nicol Williamson-as Major Horn
Prunella Gee-as Rina van Niekirk
Rutger Hauer-as Blane
Rijk de Gooyer- as van Heerden

This is a good little movie about Poitier and Caine fleeing South African police while being tailed by South African State Security Bureau agents (Williamson and Gooyer). The film begins with Poitier being released from prison (having just served 10 years for political activism against the apartheid government) through the efforts of his lawyer (Gee)after a hearing in the South African Supreme Court in Capetown. Immediately following his release, Poitier, Gee and Caine-who plays Gee's boyfriend, a British mining engineer-decide to go to her office to celebrate. En route, they are stopped at a police checkpoint and Poitier is assaulted by the two officers. Gee comes to his aid and is in turn assaulted, which leads Caine to become involved. The policemen are seriously injured and Poitier and Caine decide to head for a safehaven in Johannesberg, 900 miles away.
Little do the duo know that Poitier's release and subsequent ease in evading the police are the result of the Security Bureau's intervention. It seems that the Bureau want to follow Poitier in the hopes that he will lead them to Wilby, the leader of the anti-apartheid forces. What follows is an entertaining chase across South Africa and a related quest for missing diamonds which all lead to a violent finale (despite its PG rating).
Poitier and Caine are great in the primary roles. They have to rely on each other, while not exactly always getting along. The movie is further helped by a strong supporting cast, including Gee and Williamson (in a standout performance as the lead Bureau agent following the fugitives). Rutger Hauer has a small role as Gee's estranged bush pilot husband.
The movie, which is based on the novel of the same name by Peter Driscoll, was filmed in Kenya and at Pinewood Studios in England. I recommend this film to fans of Poitier and Caine, as well as anyone looking for a good 1970's thriller/action movie.

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More Defiant Ones

Admirable attack on the hateful South African regime of the 70s is couched in a picture that's more caper than political thriller. The two leads are good, but seem to grapple with the film's jarring shifts in tone. Nicol Williamson is outstanding as the heavy and plays the self righteous Afrikaner with complete conviction and without any ironic commentary. (Like all his film roles he's intensely compelling, but has a distractingly awkward presence.)
Worth watching and the picture does include what may be Sydney's hottest love scene.

reviews: page 1, 2

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