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The Wilby Conspiracy

  • 1975
  • PG
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.5K
YOUR RATING
Michael Caine and Sidney Poitier in The Wilby Conspiracy (1975)
A black anti-Apartheid activist and a British engineer are forced to run from South African Secret Police.
Play trailer2:16
1 Video
52 Photos
ActionAdventureDramaThriller

A black anti-Apartheid activist and a British engineer are forced to run from South African Secret Police.A black anti-Apartheid activist and a British engineer are forced to run from South African Secret Police.A black anti-Apartheid activist and a British engineer are forced to run from South African Secret Police.

  • Director
    • Ralph Nelson
  • Writers
    • Rod Amateau
    • Harold Nebenzal
    • Peter Driscoll
  • Stars
    • Sidney Poitier
    • Michael Caine
    • Nicol Williamson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    2.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ralph Nelson
    • Writers
      • Rod Amateau
      • Harold Nebenzal
      • Peter Driscoll
    • Stars
      • Sidney Poitier
      • Michael Caine
      • Nicol Williamson
    • 36User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    Trailer

    Photos52

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    + 45
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    Top cast17

    Edit
    Sidney Poitier
    Sidney Poitier
    • Shack Twala
    Michael Caine
    Michael Caine
    • Jim Keogh
    Nicol Williamson
    Nicol Williamson
    • Major Horn
    Prunella Gee
    Prunella Gee
    • Rina Van Niekirk
    Saeed Jaffrey
    Saeed Jaffrey
    • Anil Mukerjee
    Persis Khambatta
    Persis Khambatta
    • Persis Ray
    Rijk de Gooyer
    Rijk de Gooyer
    • Van Heerden
    • (as Ryk De Gooyer)
    Rutger Hauer
    Rutger Hauer
    • Blane Van Niekirk
    Patrick Allen
    Patrick Allen
    • District Commissioner
    Joe De Graft
    • Wilby Xaba
    Archie Duncan
    Archie Duncan
    • Gordon
    Abdulla Sunado
    • Village Headman
    Helmut Dantine
    Helmut Dantine
    • Prosecuting Counsel
    Peter Pearce
    • Highway Policeman
    Freddy Achiang
    • Shepherd Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Bryan Epsom
    • Judge
    • (uncredited)
    Oliver Litondo
    Oliver Litondo
    • Minor Role
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Ralph Nelson
    • Writers
      • Rod Amateau
      • Harold Nebenzal
      • Peter Driscoll
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews36

    6.42.5K
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    Featured reviews

    8mdewey

    Caine and Poitier playing the dozens while on the run!

    A fun politically charged, fast-paced action drama. No politically correct dialog here, as the principals give no quarter when the name calling and racial badgering ensues. A White man and a Black man are thrown together on a political twist of fate and have to overcome their mutual disdain for one another if either of them is to survive. Caine and Poitier, in my humble estimation, do a bang-up job of fulfilling the requirements of their respective roles. Neither widely known nor often mentioned, Prunella Gee does a nice job as Caine's sweetheart and Poitier's legal/political confidant, especially as it pertains to her keeping the peace between them so that they can achieve the task at hand.

    What is also interesting is to see that even though Indian people and indigenous Blacks were similarly discriminated against in S. Africa (esp. during apartheid), there is still racial friction between those two groups. Not particularly earth-shattering news to many people, but a subject not often underscored in most modern cinematic fare.

    If you like political melodrama with good plot development and plenty of action, you should like this one.
    7Michael-166

    Surprisingly tasty

    I've seen many of the movies of this era. As remarked elsewhere, it is a fast-paced action film but has fetching little vignettes along the way that point out the characters' humanity.

    Superb performances by Nicol Williamson and Michael Caine. Poitier plays his usual role to perfection. Many good supporting performances -Persis Khambatta is a revelation and there is really not a weak link in the cast. Not often remarked, this movie deserves a solid 7 out of 10. The Rutger Hauer sequence is worth the price of admission.
    8kvanclief

    good chase film

    This is a real gem of a chase thriller.I think this film isn't well known.Oscar winners Michael Caine and Sidney Poitier are well matched together.Nicol Williamson is quite a scene stealer and a wonderful actor.Available from MGM.and also stars Persis Khambatta from "Star Trek original movie" and Rutger Hauer,known for "Blade Runner". This film reminded me of the film "Defiant Ones" 1958.Pairing Tony Curtis and Poitier together. Sidney Poitier won Oscar for Lillies in the field 1963. Michael Caine won supporting actor for Cider House Rules 1999. So watch this movie and see if you agree with me that it is a gem! If you liked this film you might watch Shoot to Kill 1988.
    8Nikos7

    A pleasant surprise

    This was really a surprise for me since I had never even heard of this film before. It takes a hard look at apartheid-run South Africa (remember this was 1975) in the form of an interesting action thriller with very good acting from all actors/actresses and with a plot that keeps you glued to your seat. This, even though (or because) it is not the typical "action-packed" kind of movie of this sort. You won't miss if you watch this.
    8honesty

    Fast paced action mystery thriller with Poitier and Caine

    This is definitely a sleeper. Not much is said about this film and yet it is one of my favorite movies starring Michael Caine. Sidney Poitier is on the lam with his new non-friend Caine who by mutual agreement have to escape. Prunella Gee plays the glue that for a while gets and keeps them together. The movie moves along quickly from cricis to crisis ending in a complete surprise. You are going to like this although there are some slow sections.

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    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Most of this movie is set in South Africa, in Johannesburg and Cape Town, but due to the political sensitivity of anti-Apartheid, no attempt was made to film there.
    • Goofs
      While hiding the car in a village on the way to Johannesburg, Twali speaks Swahili with the villagers. Swahili is only spoken in East and Central Africa, for example in Kenya, the location of the shooting, but not in South Africa.
    • Quotes

      Major Horn: Mukarjee could swear by the beard of the prophet or the nails of the true cross and it wouldn't mean a thing. Because Mukarjee is a goddamned, godless, atheist Marxist. And the only thing that he holds sacred is Che Guevara's foreskin.

    • Connections
      Featured in In Darkest Hollywood: Cinema and Apartheid (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      All the Wishing in the World
      (uncredited)

      Music by Stanley Myers

      Lyrics by Don Black

      Sung by Diane Solomon

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    FAQ14

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 1975 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Wilby-Verschwörung
    • Filming locations
      • Kenya
    • Production companies
      • Baum/Dantine Productions
      • Optimus Productions Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 45m(105 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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