THE WIND AND THE LION 1975

Sean Connery, five years after his last Bond role, is the star. Loosely based on a true story, he is a desert leader (Raisuli) fighting for his people’s honor. Set in c.1905, as Teddy Roosevelt ascends to the presidency, the movie was written and directed by John Milius.

At first, and for the most part, the movies seems like a disparaging reflection on the West, which is portrayed as predatory, cold and mechanical as opposed to the soulful Muslims they are up against, and who trust only in Allah. Raisuli kidnaps an American family of three to embarrass his corrupt brother, whose equally corrupt nephew is the sultan of Morocco.

Slowly, the spirited woman, Eden (played by Candace Bergen), and her children grow to like and admire Connery. While he deals harshly with his enemies, he does not kill women and children. When they try to run away, he follows them and single-handedly saves them from slimy desert bandits. He’s alone when we need to see his bravery and nobility. He’s with a band of thousands when we need to see his power as a leader of men. We never see his wives, who are only mentioned when, bemused at having to take counsel from Eden, he complains that she isn’t even one of his wives.

Roosevelt sends in the marines to rescue the Americans, and Connery delivers them at great risk to himself. He is betrayed into the custody of contending European forces and is, in return, rescued by the American family, aided by the marines and the remnants of his band, in a situation that inevitably brings tears to one’s eyes.