The Wilby Conspiracy

Political thriller set in South Africa under apartheid. A black revolutionary finds himself on the run with a reluctant British mining engineer, Sidney Poitier and Michael Caine deliver power-house performances in this provocative thriller set in modern South Africa, where racial tension is about to erupt into a full-fledged war., The Wilby Conspiracy is set in South Africa, at a time when Apartheid was the order of the day. Political activist Shack Twala (Sidney Poitier) finds an unlikely — and reluctant — ally in the form of the British Keogh (Michael Caine). Both Twala and Keogh are scrutinized by racist police official Horn (Nicol Williamson), who hopes that they’ll lead him to the hideout of chief activist Wilby (Joe De Graft). Based on the novel by Peter Driscoll, The Wilby Conspiracy abandons its sociological overtones early on in favor of an extended chase. The film reteams Poitier and director Ralph Nelson, who, 12 years earlier, had collaborated on Lilies of the Field., A South African political activist and a Brit team up to keep a leader of the anti-Apartheid movement hidden from a racist police official.