Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)

A surly convicted murderer held in permanent isolation redeems himself when he becomes a renowned bird expert.

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writers:

Guy Trosper (screenplay), Thomas E. Gaddis (book)

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Karl Malden, Thelma Ritter

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Burt Lancaster	...	Robert Franklin Stroud
Karl Malden	...	Harvey Shoemaker
Thelma Ritter	...	Elizabeth Stroud
Neville Brand	...	Bull Ransom
Betty Field	...	Stella Johnson
Telly Savalas	...	Feto Gomez
Edmond O'Brien	...	Thomas E. 'Tom' Gaddis
Hugh Marlowe	...	Albert Comstock
Whit Bissell	...	Dr. Ellis
Crahan Denton	...	Kramer
James Westerfield	...	Jess Younger

Storyline

In 1912, the notorious and violent prisoner Robert Franklin Stroud is transferred to the Leavenworth Prison convicted for murdering a man. When a guard cancels the visit of his mother Elizabeth Stroud due to a violation of the internal rules, he stabs and kills the guard and goes to trial three times. He is sentenced to be executed by the gallows, but his mother appeals to President Woodrow Wilson that commutes his sentence to life imprisonment. However, the warden Harvey Shoemaker decides to keep Stroud in the solitary for the rest of his life. One day, Stroud finds a sparrow that has fallen from the nest on the yard and he raises the bird until it is strong enough to fly. Stroud finds a motivation for his life raising and caring birds and becomes an expert in birds. He marries Stella Johnson and together they run a business, providing medicine developed by Stroud. But a few years after, Stroud is transferred to Alcatraz and has to leave his birds behind.

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Plot Keywords:

bird | prison | convict | solitary confinement | murderer | 

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Taglines:

Inside the rock called Alcatraz they tried to chain a volcano they called "The Bird Man"!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 July 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Gefangene von Alcatraz

Filming Locations:

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Norma Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

147 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Stroud is shown ending the Battle of Alcatraz of 1946 by throwing the guns seized by the inmates out to the authorities and ensuring them that they can re-enter the premises without risk. In fact the guns were still in the possession of two of the would-be escapees when their bodies were found in a corridor.

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Goofs

During the 1946 escape attempt from Alcatraz, inmates are shown obtaining a revolver and a lever-action rifle from a gun gallery. The firearms kept (and subsequently stolen from the gallery) were a Colt .45 automatic pistol and a 30.06 Springfield Bolt-Action Rifle.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Tour guide: ...during which you will see all of the man-made and natural beauties, the most spectacular bay in the world. You'll pass beneath the famous Golden Gate Bridge, considered by most authorities to be one of the most striking structures ever erected by man. From the bay, you will thrill to the magnificent San Francisco skyline. Your cruise ship, the Harbor King, will circle Alcatraz, a maximum security prison containing the most dangerous criminals in America. It has been the home of ...

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Connections

Referenced in Beetlejuice: The Birdbrain of Alcatraz (1991)

User Reviews

Who cares about truth! Birdman Of Alcatraz 1962 is fabulous.

This is a loose telling story of Robert Franklin Stroud (Burt Lancaster) who became known as The Birdman Of Alcatraz.

Have to say I have avoided this film for years purely because of its leading man, but before you Burt Lancaster fans jump on me let me say here and now that I'm now very much a convert these days. A dear on line friend of mine convinced me to check out some of his work last year after they found out I wasn't all that impressed with him, so after watching Atlantic City and his supreme film noirs, I was quickly back in line. This one landed from the rental folk strangely after me enjoying Lancaster in The Unforgiven only last week.

A strange thing with prison films is that few of them actually capture the oppressive feel of incarceration, so when I see one that does, then I'm very over the moon. Director John Frankenheimer manages to put the viewer in with Stroud because the pace is perfect, it's meant to be slow, prison time is slow time, the film is always close and intimate to give you the feel of being there. This film, much like two other greats from the genre in Papillon & Escape From Alcatraz, needs its lead actor to be restrained yet brood with menace, and Lancaster delivers from the top draw here. How unfortunate for him that he should turn in a fantastic turn in the same year that Atticus & Lawrence were dazzling cinema goers. The film never veers into over sentimental slumber because there is much more going on with Stroud, be it his Mother, business acumen, or the political fall out of this murderous man's time in prison.

Watching such macho men like Lancaster & Savalas grow fond of our feathered friends is priceless and brings about scenes that are both touching and poignant at the same time. Whatever the distortion of the facts as regards Robert Stroud's penal life, one thing we do know is that he made an official impact and it makes for one hell of a story. Added bonus here is that you've got Frankenheimer directing deftly in his black & white style, aided considerably by the smart cinematography from Burnett Guffey. And of course from a memorable performance from Big Bad Burt.

I was so impressed I ordered it for my own collection. 9/10