Watch The Wind and the Lion

In 1904, the United States was facing a serious crisis that involved the conflict between the imperialist policies of President Theodore Roosevelt and the nationalist movement in Morocco. The Wind and the Lion directed by John Milius, and starring Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, and Brian Keith, is a historical drama that revolves around this period of turmoil.

The movie opens with a daring raid on the Sultan's palace in the Moroccan city of Tangier by the Berber tribesmen led by Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli (Connery). He kidnaps a young American woman named Eden Pedecaris (Bergen) and her two children, demanding a ransom of one million dollars from the United States government.

The kidnapping attracts the attention of President Roosevelt (Keith), who sees it as an opportunity to demonstrate his power and resolve, especially in the face of opposition from his own party and the growing resistance in Morocco. His military advisers, led by General Samuel R. Scott (Geoffrey Lewis), urge him to use force to subdue the rebels and protect American interests in the region.

In the meantime, the sultan of Morocco (Vladek Sheybal) is facing his own troubles, as he tries to maintain his authority over a country torn apart by tribal conflicts and foreign interference. He sends his emissary, the Pasha (Nadim Sawalha), to negotiate with Raisuli, hoping to resolve the crisis peacefully.

The Wind and the Lion is a story of conflicting interests, cultural clashes, and personal ambitions, set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. The characters are complex and multi-faceted, driven by their own agendas and emotions, yet deeply affected by historical forces beyond their control.

Raisuli is a charismatic and enigmatic figure, a warrior-poet who seeks to restore the dignity of his people and resist the foreign invaders. He is initially portrayed as a savage, ruthless outlaw, but as the story unfolds, we see his human side, his sense of humor, his love for his mother, and his respect for a worthy adversary.

Eden Pedecaris is a strong-willed, independent woman, who refuses to be a passive victim and strives to understand and even sympathize with her captor. She challenges the stereotypical gender roles of her time and culture and develops a mutual attraction with Raisuli, based on mutual respect and admiration.

President Roosevelt is a complex character, torn between his desire for glory and his sense of duty, his paternalistic attitude towards the "lesser races," and his commitment to the values of democracy and freedom. He is a man of contradictions, who tries to use his diplomatic skills and military might to achieve his goals, but often underestimates the complexity of the situation and the risks of unintended consequences.

The Wind and the Lion is also a visually stunning movie, with breathtaking landscapes, exotic costumes, and epic-scale battle scenes. The music score by Jerry Goldsmith is both emotional and dynamic, reflecting the tension and the drama of the story.

Overall, The Wind and the Lion is a gripping and thought-provoking movie, that explores themes of imperialism, nationalism, gender roles, and cultural identity, in the context of a historical event of great significance. It is a timeless classic that still resonates with contemporary audiences and invites us to reflect on our own values and beliefs.

The Wind and the Lion is a 1975 adventure movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 67.