''Commando Leopard'' (german: Kommando Leopard) is a 1985

Euro War Euro War, also known as Macaroni Combat, Macaroni War, Spaghetti Combat, or Spaghetti War, is a broad subgenre of war film that emerged in the mid-1960s. The films were named ''Euro War'' because most were produced and directed by European co-pr ...

film directed by Antonio Margheriti and starring Lewis Collins,

Klaus Kinski Klaus Kinski (, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski 18 October 1926 – 23 November 1991) was a German actor, equally renowned for his intense performance style and notorious for his volatile personality. He appeared in over 130 film roles in a c ...

, and Manfred Lehmann.

Plot

In an unnamed Latin American dictatorship, a group of rebel freedom fighters fight to bring about a less oppressive society. The rebels, led by the enigmatic Enrique Carrasco (

Collins Collins may refer to: People Surname Given name * Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat * Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration * Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...

) who has returned to his native land to fight, attack a

hydro-electric dam Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

. Along with Carrasco's native fighters are Smithy ( Steiner), a British mercenary, and Maria, a native ex-medical student turned freedom fighter. After killing the security guards, Carrasco's men place explosives at a crucial point in the dam wall; when they detonate, the resulting tidal surge destroys a nearby bridge that is carrying a Government convoy. On hearing the news, the President demands the head of the secret police, Colonel Silvera (

Kinski Kinski may refer to: People and groups *Klaus Kinski né Nakszynski (1926–1991), German actor **Pola Kinski (born 1952), German actress, daughter of Klaus **Nastassja Kinski (born 1961), German-born model and actress, daughter of Klaus **Kenya Ki ...

), to eliminate the rebels. Carrasco's group arrive at an impoverished village to gain medical supplies for their wounded, unfortunately the village leader informs Carrasco that there is none, but there are nearby priests that looks after the sick and wounded. Splitting his force in two, Maria leads a group including the wounded to seek out the priests while Carrasco, Smithy and the rest of the group return to the dam. After leaving the village Government forces led by Silvera's deputy ( Leutenegger) attacks the village with flame thrower armed helicopters. At the site of the destroyed dam, Carrasco finds that the Government forces have already built a pontoon bridge and are recovering the sunken supply convoy. Using scuba diving equipment, Carrasco and Smithy plant time bombs on some of the still submerged trucks that carried explosives. But the two rebels can exit the river the bombs explode, the pressure wave knocks Smithy unconscious and he surfaces and is captured. Carrasco is more fortunate and escapes with the help of an elderly friend ( Pigozzi) and his men, who turn up in a truck in the nick of time. In a prison located in the country's capital, Smithy is being held with other political prisoners when he learns of a plot to free them.

Cast

* Lewis Collins as "Leopard" Carrasco *

as Silveira *

Manfred Lehmann ''Manfred: A dramatic poem'' is a closet drama written in 1816–1817 by Lord Byron. It contains supernatural elements, in keeping with the popularity of the ghost story in England at the time. It is a typical example of a Gothic fiction. B ...

as Don Julio * John Steiner as Anrade *

Hans Leutenegger Hans Leutenegger (born January 16, 1940 in Bichelsee-Balterswil) is a Swiss bobsledder who competed in the early 1970s. He won the gold medal in the four-man event at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. Leutenegger also founded his own cons ...

as Leutnant Ortiz *

Thomas Danneberg Thomas Danneberg (2 June 1942 – 30 September 2023) was a German actor. He is best known as Charles Emerson in the 1967 Edgar Wallace film ''The Blue Hand'' and for dubbing over the actors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terence Hill, Sylvester Stallon ...

as José *

Francis Derosa Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places *Rural Mu ...

as Hidalgo * Alan C. Walker as Emiliano

Production

''Commando Leopard'' was made from many returning cast and film crew members of '' Code Name: Wild Geese'': Director Antonio Margheriti, producer

Erwin C. Dietrich Erwin C. Dietrich (4 October 1930 in GlarusRico Bandle: Das Schweizer Filmwunder' In: ''Die Weltwoche'' vom 4. November 2011. – 15 March 2018 in Zurich) was a Swiss film director, producer and actor, often regarded as one of the most influenti ...

, cinematographer Peter Baumgartner, Lewis Collins,

and Luciano Pigozzi.

Reception

In a contemporary review, Kim Newman of '' The Monthly Film Bulletin'' noted the special effects in the film, stating that the set-pieces "are quite impressively managed through the use of near-perfect miniatures" while stating that "everything else is very lazily slung together". Newman described Lewis Collins acting as "uninvolved" and that only Klaus Kinski as "at least having a presence...he refuses to give any kind of performance."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Commando Leopard 1985 films 1980s action thriller films West German films 1980s Italian-language films Films directed by Antonio Margheriti Films about Latin American military dictatorships Films shot in the Philippines Macaroni Combat films 1980s Italian films