Director: Richard Brooks
Screenplay: Richard Brooks
Starring: Sean Connery, Robert Conrad, George Grizzard, Katharine Ross, Leslie Nielsen
Country: USA
Running Time: 117 minutes
Year: 1982
Rating: M
Suitcase nukes, nitric acid lightbulb explosives, and suicide bombers opposed to “pantyhose, chewing gum, alcohol and disco dancing,” feature in this Sean Connery Orwellian comic thriller from the early 1980s. This prescient movie follows dogged TV-reporter Patrick Hale caught in the centre of an arms conflict between America and a fictional Middle Eastern country. If it was produced in the last twenty years, it would be viewed as a satire about the Iraq War – but it was released 21 years earlier.
Wrong is Right (1982) has been released in 1080p HD on Bluray by Australian label Imprint. The picture is in crystal clear quality, capturing every wrinkle in Connery’s coarse weather-beaten brown. The Scotsman is in fine form in this darkly comical, and often times explosive, tale that holds an unwavering sombre message.
The ex-Bond actor shows true showmanship, playing a somewhat noble character, amid this nest of vipers, who wants to find the truth, no matter the danger he encounters, literally diving into live conflict zones armed only with his camera.
The film was written and directed by Richard Brooks, known for a wealth of classic movies like Blackboard Jungle (1955), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Elmer Gantry (1960), among plenty others. He also wrote the screenplays for classics like Brute Force (1947) and Key Largo (1948). It was based on 1979 novel The Better Angels which was written by author Charles McCarry.
The movie provides commentary on double-talk, portraying politicians more concerned about retaining plausible deniability in the face of controversy, namely the President of the USA and the CIA, and tabloid news organisations motivated by ratings and ad-revenue. It also skewers Islamic fundamentalism.
The story involves America assassinating a Saddam type figure in an oil rich nation after it’s suspected he’s planning to bomb Jersualem and Tel Aviv with nuclear weapons, in the form of a pair of atom-suitcase bombs. King Awad, played by English actor Ron Moody, bears a striking resemblance to Alec Guinness’ Prince Faisal from Lawrence of Arabia (1962). There’s a tongue-in-cheek references to the epic-historical movie, early ont there’s a sweeping shot of Connery driving through the Arabian desert, his entrance underscored by the Lawrence theme tune.
I found myself captivated with the story, it featured a fast-paced narrative that was easy to follow, no matter how convoluted the plot became as more and more conspiracies unfold. There’s a handful of chuckle-worthy moments that are very dark and take you by surprise. Contemporary reviews weren’t kind to the movie, citing a convoluted plot looking to skewer too many targets – but armed with the knowledge of the Iraq war and recent events that have transpired in history, it’s a fascinating movie to behold.
Imprint released 1,500 limited copies of Wrong is Right (1982) on the 25th of February 2026. The release didn’t feature any special features which was a great shame. Interviews or expert analysis on the themes of the movie would have been fantastic.
Technical Specs:
- 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
- Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
- Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
- Optional English HOH Subtitles