The Wind and the Lion Movie Review

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The Wind and the Lion Movie review number one Jose Antonio Carreno History 349 September 20, 2012 Big stick, gun boat diplomacy, emerging global power, these are all themes dramatically displayed in the movie The Wind and the Lion. As an added bonus there are several testosterone raising battle scenes throughout the movie. The movie is loosely based on a historical account of a kidnapping that occurred in 1904 Morocco. A brigand leader known as the Raisuli, played by the dashing Sean Connery, kidnaps Mrs. Pedicaris and her 2 children. There is much entertaining drama between the Raisuli and Mrs. Pedicaris, played by the beautiful Candice Bergen. But the more interesting drama is played out by the then world powers. The Raisuli kidnaps Mrs. Pedicaris mainly to cause embarrassment to the Sultan who has allowed European powers to station troops and peddle their influence on Morocco. But as a pretense for his true grievances, he demands money and weapons as ransom for the Pedicaris family. American President Teddy Roosevelt sees this kidnapping as a challenge and as an opportunity. The challenge to American prestige he will not let go unanswered and the opportunity is in the spin he can put on this situation to benefit his campaign for re-election. This American reaction gives the viewer a lasting impression of America as a strong, young nation full of energy and bravado, ready to prove to the world that it indeed carries a large and powerful stick. This “big stick” is put to use after diplomatic efforts to get the Sultan to obtain the release of Mrs. Pedicaris fail. The “big stick”, in the form of an American naval fleet quickly arrives off the Tangier coast. This fleet is also carrying the deadliest weapon in the American arsenal, United States Marines. A company of Marines make an impressive double time march from the harbor to the

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