Castle Keep (1969)

During the Battle of the Bulge, an anachronistic count shelters a ragtag squad of Americans in his remote 10th Century castle hoping a battle there against the advancing Germans will not lead to its destruction and all the heritage within.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

William Eastlake (based on the novel by), Daniel Taradash (screenplay)

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Patrick O'Neal, Jean-Pierre Aumont

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Lancaster	...	Maj. Abraham Falconer
Patrick O'Neal	...	Capt. Lionel Beckman
Jean-Pierre Aumont	...	Henri Tixier, Count of Maldorais
Peter Falk	...	Sgt. Rossi
Astrid Heeren	...	Therese de Maldorais
Scott Wilson	...	Cpl. Clearboy
Tony Bill	...	Lt. Amberjack
Al Freeman Jr.	...	Pvt. Allistair Piersall Benjamin
James Patterson	...	Elk
Bruce Dern	...	Lt. Billy Byron Bix
Michael Conrad	...	Sgt. DeVaca
Caterina Boratto	...	Red Queen
Olga Bisera	...	Baker's Wife (as Bisera)
Elizabeth Teissier	...	Red Queen Girl
Anne Marie Moskovenko	...	Red Queen Girl

Storyline

Toward the end of World War II, a small company of American GI's occupy an ancient castle. Their commander has an affair with the countess in resident. One guy falls in love with a Volkswagon. A baker among them moves in with another baker's wife. A group of shell shocked holy rollers wander the bombed out streets. A GI art historian tries vainly to protect the castle and its masterpieces.

---

Plot Keywords:

u.s. soldier | castle | battle of the bulge | german army | belgian | 

---

Taglines:

The major took the castle and then he took its mistress!

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Romance | War

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Burt Lancaster intended the film to be an anti-Vietnam war allegory.

---

Goofs

Despite the fact that the Americans capture a German tank and drive away in it; although how they did so after hitting with a bazooka is another point; the tank is never used in the defense of the castle.

---

Quotes

Sfc. Rossie Baker: If we get caught, can they shoot us for wearing a German tank?

---

Connections

Referenced in The Directors: The Films of Sydney Pollack (2000)

User Reviews

Surreal, amusing, disturbing--and brilliant.

War is hell and war is insane, we've been told many times before, but rather than a bitter, angry polemic, this film is a surreal, dark-humored allegory that is as light as a fairy tale at times but ends up being the movie 'Apocalypse Now' wanted to be. It's set in a time and place that lend themselves to unreality. Toward the end of World War II the Germans are defeated yet continue on with their destructive fighting. A motley group of war-weary Americans comes upon a 10th century castle somewhere in the wintry countryside of France. Their commander (Burt Lancaster) stubbornly decides to fortify the ancient treasurehouse and put up resistance to the enemy rather than passing it by, risking the castle's destruction along with a millennium's worth of acquired art.

It's impossible to imagine this movie being made even five years before it was, but by 1969 the Vietnam War had done a number on a lot of people's thinking and provided some different perspectives. A brilliant job is done by director Sydney Pollack along with writers David Rayfiel and Daniel Taradash of adapting a novel by William Eastlake into this funny, horrifying and strangely beautiful film.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 1969 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Castle Keep

Filming Locations:

Novi Sad, Serbia

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmways Pictures, Avala Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1