Commander, Der (1988)

Director:

Antonio Margheriti

Writers:

Tito Carpi (writer)
Arne Elsholtz (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 April 1988 (West Germany)

Genre:

Action | War

Plot:

Cast

Lewis Collins	...	Major Colby
Lee Van Cleef	...	Col. Mazzarini
Donald Pleasence	...	Henry Carlson
Manfred Lehmann	...	Mason / Hiccock
Brett Halsey	...	McPherson
Chat Silayan	...	Ling
Hans Leutenegger	...	Gutierrez
Christian Brückner	...	Frank Williams
Frank Glaubrecht	...	Lennox
Thomas Danneberg	...	Gustafson
Anita Lochner	...	Mrs. Mason
Wolfgang Kühne	...	Krüger
Paul Muller	...	Carbalo
Bobby Rhodes	...	Kongo Klaus
Romano Puppo	...	Angelo

Also Known As:

The Commander
Triangolo della paura, Il (Italy)

Runtime:

UK:84 min (video version) | Norway:105 min

Country:

West Germany | Italy

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 (f) | UK:15 | Norway:18

Filming Locations:

Amalfi, Salerno, Campania, Italy

Company:

Ascot Film

Trivia:

In the German version Thomas Danneberg dubbed Lewis Collins and therefore himself had to be dubbed by another actor, Rainer Brandt.

Movie Connections:

Follows Geheimcode: Wildgänse (1984)

Enervated

OK, this is confusing. In 1984, the Italian director Anthony Dawson (AKA Antonio Margheriti) made "Codename:Wildgeese", an action film about a commando squad that goes to Southeast Asia to attack a drug lord's stronghold. It starred Lewis Collins, Lee Van Cleef, Klaus Kinski and Ernest Borgnine. In 1988, he made "The Commander", an action film about a commando squad that goes to Southeast Asia to attack a drug lord's stronghold. It starred Collins and Van Cleef again, but no Kinski and Borgnine this time; in their place, there was Donald Pleasence. To further confuse matters, the version of "The Commander" I saw was actually titled "Commando:Wildgeese"! It took me about 10 minutes to realize that I wasn't watching the 1984 film! Anyway, all you need to remember is that "The Commander" / "Commando:Wildgeese" is a low-grade action film, to be avoided at all costs. A low point in the careers of Van Cleef and Pleasence; all the others involved never had much of a career to begin with. The only character who piqued my interest was a beautiful female fighter, but she didn't get to do much. (*)