Victory at Entebbe (1976)
Studio: A David L. Wolper Production for the ABC Television Network
Running time: 146 minutes
“Minutes after departing Athens on June 27, 1976, Air France Flight 139 was commandeered by militant German and Palestinian terrorists. On board were 256 passengers and crew, 106 of whom were Jewish. Their new destination: Entebbe Airport in Uganda, the African nation ruled by ruthless strongman Idi Amin. Their only hope: a desperate rescue by Israeli commandos.
“From a trio that would collaborate again the following year on Roots — executive producer David L. Wolper, writer Ernest Konoy and director Marvin J. Chomsky — comes the story of one of the most dramatic adventures in modern history. And, like Roots, the ensemble is stellar. The world held its breath while heroes did their work; Victory at Entebbe thrillingly recounts the result.” [From the DVD]
Cast
German Tourist: Helmut Berger
Yakov Shlomo: Theodore Bikel
Chana Vilnofsky: Linda Blair
Hershel Vilnofsky: Kirk Douglas
Col. Yonatan “Yonni” Netanyahu: Richard Dreyfuss
Mordecai Gur: Stefan Gierasch
Benyamin Wise: David Groh
President Idi Amin: Julius Harris
Mrs. Wise: Helen Hayes
Yitzhak Rabin: Anthony Hopkins
Shimon Peres: Burt Lancaster
Capt. Dukas: Christian Marquand
Edra Vilnofsky: Elizabeth Taylor
Nomi Haroun: Jessica Walter
Gen. Dan Shomron: Harris Yulin
Nathan Haroun: Allan Miller
German Woman: Bibi Besch
Aaron Olav: David Sheiner
Moshe Meyer: Severn Darden
Crew
Director: Marvin J. Chomsky
Executive Producer: David L. Wolper
Producer: Robert Guenette
Screenwriter: Ernest Kinoy
Cinematographer: James Kilgore
Production Designer: Edward Stephenson
Music: Charles Fox
Editors: Jim McElroy and Mike Gavaldon
Supervising Editor: David Saxon
Did You Know?
Elizabeth had quietly offered herself as hostage in exchange for the safe release of the more than 100 Jewish and Israeli hostages being held at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport. “The Jewish people will always remember Taylor’s offer,” said Simcha Dinitz, Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
Airing just over five months after the Entebbe raid, Victory at Entebbe was the first of three films to dramatize the events of June and July 1976. NBC’s Raid on Entebbe followed three weeks later, and Operation Thunderbolt was released theatrically in March 1977.
Although Victory at Entebbe was shot for television, it was released theatrically outside of the United States.
