The Dogs of War
Mercenary James Shannon, on a reconnaissance job to the African nation of Zangaro, is tortured and deported. He returns to lead a coup.
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 1h 42m
- Released
- 1980
- Country
- United Kingdom
Details
Release year: 1980
Storyline
Mercenary James Shannon, on a reconnaissance job to the African nation of Zangaro, is tortured and deported. He returns to lead a coup.
Top credits
Christopher Walken — Shannon
Tom Berenger — Drew
Colin Blakely — North- Hugh Millais — Endean
Did you know
• While researching the novel in the early 1970s, author Frederick Forsyth pretended he was actually financing a coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea. The pretense allowed Forsyth access to a number of underworld figures, including mercenaries and arms dealers. Forsyth has since commented that the arms dealers were the most frightening people he has ever met.
• Tom Berenger has said in interviews that around half of his role was omitted from the final release print. When executive producer Norman Jewison asked him to go on a promotional trip to Japan, the angry actor vociferously refused. According to Berenger, Helen Shaver, who played his wife in the film, was totally eliminated from the release print.
• Michael Cimino did an uncredited rewrite on the script.
Box Office
Gross (Domestic): $5,484,132
User reviews
Gritty and violent motion picture in the debut theatrical feature for director John Irvin.
Quite interesting
Perhaps A Difficult Novel To Adapt For Cinema
Technical specs
- Sound mix
- Dolby Stereo
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
- Color
- Color
