Code Name: Wild Geese

Code Name: Wild Geese

Year: 1984

Runtime: 101 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Antonio Margheriti

Action

Commander Robin Wesley leads a tight‑knit band of mercenaries into the treacherous Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia, tasked with toppling a ruthless dictator who runs one of the world’s largest opium manufacturing and distribution networks, threatening regional stability.

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Timeline & Setting – Code Name: Wild Geese (1984)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Code Name: Wild Geese (1984). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Hong Kong, Golden Triangle

The story shifts between the neon-drenched streets of Hong Kong and the dense jungles of the Golden Triangle. Hong Kong serves as the operational hub where Fletcher coordinates the mission and funds flow, while the Golden Triangle provides the perilous terrain for the mercenary strike. The jungle and quarry bases become hostile theaters of operation, filled with sentries, hideouts, and improvised bases. The setting emphasizes covert warfare against the opium trade.

🗺️ Action 🧭 Espionage 🎬 Thriller

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:05

Main Characters – Code Name: Wild Geese (1984)

Meet the key characters of Code Name: Wild Geese (1984), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Frank Fletcher (Ernest Borgnine)

A seasoned DEA operative based in Hong Kong who orchestrates anti-opium operations. He is pragmatic and mission-focused, willing to work with mercenaries to cut off the drug trade. Fletcher balances authority with the need for covert collaboration, often navigating murky alliances to achieve strategic goals.

🧭 Strategy 💼 Law Enforcement 🤝 Alliance

Archie 'China' Travers (Lee Van Cleef)

A veteran mercenary leading part of the field team. China is cool under pressure, highly capable in combat and stealth, and instrumental in coordinating the assault on the quarry and base. He piloted the helicopter and often acts as a stabilizing, resourceful presence among diverse teammates.

🪖 Mercenary 🌍 Multinational Operator

Charleton (Klaus Kinski)

A fellow ex-mercenary aligned with Brenner. Charleton is calculating and opportunistic, leveraging the opium project for profit. He engages in strategic planning and displays a willingness to push other actors into risk for the mission’s broader goals.

🗡️ Mercenary 🌐 International

Arbib (Thomas Danneberg)

A ruthless operative who executes infiltration and kills with precision. He moves through sleeping quarters and sentry posts with cold efficiency, contributing to the team’s effectiveness in securing bases and capturing assets.

🗡️ Assassin 🧰 Field Specialist

Stone (Frank Glaubrecht)

A mercenary who participates in the capture and firefights, and who sustains injuries during the base assault. He remains part of the mission’s core team, supporting the demolition of laboratories and ensuring teammates’ safety.

🛡️ Veteran 🧭 Frontline

Klein (Manfred Lehmann)

A tough team member who handles explosives and demolition tasks. Klein’s contributions are essential to destroying opium silos and labs, highlighting his aggressive and decisive nature.

💥 Demolition 🎯 Precision

Baldwin (Wolfgang Pampel)

Another mercenary in the operation, contributing to the field strategy and combat. Baldwin embodies the pragmatic mercenary persona—efficient, tough, and willing to take risks.

🪖 Mercenary 🧭 Strategy

Brenner (Hartmut Neugebauer)

A wealthy American businessman funding the operation. Brenner represents the corporate-driven motive behind the mission, shaping the plan with financial and strategic interests rather than personal loyalties.

💼 Money & Power 🤝 Alliance

Kathy Robson (Mimsy Farmer)

A North American woman encountered during the mission who behaves in an unusual manner. It is later revealed she is a heroin addict, highlighting the unpredictable human costs entwined with the opium trade.

💊 Addiction 🤔 Mystery

Priest (Luciano Pigozzi)

A minor character encountered at the base area, embodying the quieter, human elements present among frontline operatives. His role is not central to the main action but adds texture to the mission's world.

⛪ Minor Background

Cmdr. Robin Wesley (Lewis Collins)

A grieving father who leads the assault as part of Brenner and Charlton’s plan. Wesley is driven by the loss of his son to heroin, channeling personal pain into a focused, relentless pursuit of opium destruction. He is disciplined, capable in combat, and morally complex as he balances vengeance with mission objectives.

🧭 Commander 💔 Grief

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:05

Major Themes – Code Name: Wild Geese (1984)

Explore the central themes of Code Name: Wild Geese (1984), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Covert Ops

The plot centers on clandestine missions run by a mix of law enforcement and mercenaries. Operations are planned from a secure base, with news and intelligence transmitted from the field to a distant command. Trust is transactional, built on expediency rather than loyalty. The characters navigate double-dealings and hidden agendas to dismantle the opium supply chain.

💔 Grief & Vengeance

Cmdr. Robin Wesley is driven by the death of his heroin-addicted son, fueling a personal motive beneath a professional exterior. His grief shapes his decisions and adds a layer of moral conflict to the mission. The pursuit of justice clashes with the personal cost of loss and flashpoints of anger. The story uses his pain to question whether ends justify means.

🔥 Destruction & Aftermath

The operation culminates in the targeted destruction of heroin labs and silo facilities, using explosives and careful maneuvering to minimize collateral damage. The team destabilizes the supply chain, triggering a cascade of consequences for local players in the triangle. After the detonations, the survivors confront the physical and psychological wreckage left behind. The act of destroying the opium network is presented as a hard, costly victory.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:05

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