... 1968's 'Where Eagles Dare' hauled the studio up by it's jackboot straps and scored a massive hit all over the globe.
Produced by the British production arm of MGM based at the now defunct Borehamwood Studios, Alistair Macleans original screenplay leapt onto the screen boasting an accomplished ... Read review
Scorned by reviewers when it came out,Where Eagles Darehas acquired a cult following over ... more
the years for its unashamed and highly concentrated dose of commando death-dealing to legions of Nazi machine-gun fodder. In 1968 Clint Eastwood was just getting ...
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Scorned by reviewers when it came out,Where Eagles Darehas acquired a cult following over ... more
the years for its unashamed and highly concentrated dose of commando death-dealing to legions of Nazi machine-gun fodder. In 1968 Clint Eastwood was just getting ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The classic World War II thriller from the acclaimed master of action and suspense. Now ... more
reissued in a new cover style. One winter night seven men and a woman are parachuted onto a mountainside in wartime Germany. Their objective: an apparently inaccessible castle headquarters of the Gestapo. Their mission: to rescue a crashed American general before the Nazi interrogators can force him to reveal secret D-Day plans.
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One winter night, seven men and women are parachuted onto a mountainside in wartime ... more
Germany. Their objective: an apparently inaccessible castle, headquaters of the Gestapo. Their mission: to rescue a crashed American general before the Nazi regime interrogators can force him to reveal secret D-Day plans.
Production Year: 1970 - War - Director: Brian G. Hutton - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Carroll O'Connor, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles, Gavin MacLeod
Advantages: Slam bang actioner with a great cast Disadvantages: Incomprehensible plot...slack direction...
...Instead of reaching the Mediterranean where he would help to plan the Allied invasion of Europe, however German fighters brought his aircraft down over the motherland.
Fearful of the secrets he may reveal under interrogation, the Allies decide he must be rescued at all costs, and so a small team are dropped into the mountains surrounding the Schloss Adler, the Bavarian headquarters of the SS and home to an American General.
... ...it. Well, it does, but where one hand giveth, another yanks away. Where it scores with action, it loses marks with some pedestrian and uninspired direction. Where the leads succeed, then some of their glory is snatched away as they are forced to play out some overly contrived scenes. Where the screenplay rattles along efficiently, well, round the next mountainous bend lies some inconsistencies and illogical holes that a Tiger Tank could drive through, ... more
As MGM finished the 60s they watched their competitors scoring large hits, while all of their big budget releases faltered at the box office. 1968's 'Where Eagles Dare' hauled the studio up by it's jackboot straps and scored a massive hit all over the globe.
Produced by the British production arm of MGM based at the now defunct Borehamwood Studios, Alistair Macleans original screenplay leapt onto the screen boasting an accomplished cast, a tonne of hardware, and locations and setpieces to set the hair on end.
For all of the above though, 'Where Eagles Dare' is far from being a great film. Director Brian G Hutton, who would reteam with Eastwood and World War II for 'Kelly's Heroes', struggles with the epic length of the film, and fails to unravel the absurd complexities of Macleans screenplay.
A crack team of allied soldiers is despatched to rescue an American General, downed while flying to a crucial conference in Greece. Instead of reaching the Mediterranean where he would help to plan the Allied invasion of Europe, however German fighters brought his aircraft down over the motherland.
Fearful of the secrets he may reveal under interrogation, the Allies decide he must be rescued at all costs, and so a small team are dropped into the mountains surrounding the Schloss Adler, the Bavarian headquarters of the SS and home to an American General.
Perched atop a towering column of rock, the Castle seems accessible only by the air, but somehow the Allied rescue mission must storm the Castle of Eagles, and rescue General Carnaby.
A running time of 158 minutes suggests that all is not going to be that simple, and Maclean has delivered a story that boasts triple and quadruple crosses, and a plot so convoluted that one wonders what the point of it all was come the end. It is a good excuse for some rollicking action, but try and examine the logic of the movie and it will unravel before you. I advise you to have a pen and piece of paper ready about midway through the movie, or to make sure that you have friends and family with you in order to play the 'Whos working for who' game.
That said, the twists and turns do enliven a lengthy feature, whether they work or not is entirely up for debate, but it's difficult to imagine 'Eagles' running to just under three hours as a pure actioner.
Going in it's favour are a couple of top notch lead performances. Burton actually seems interested in the project and is all trademark snarls and contempt. Eastwood delivers the usual Eastwood role, and yes he may as well be in a poncho clasping a cigar between his lips, but it works, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Mary Ure and Ingrid Pitt both get to provide strong female support roles, and it must be said that Miss Pitt has alot to need supporting, ahem, but they are unusually strong roles for both an action picture and one made in the 1960s. Scattered about Burton and Eastwood are a mixture of familiar British character actors, who while entertaining are given little to do other than sit about in sets while Burton and Eastwood destroy acre after acre of Austrian countryside.
Destruction is key to 'Where Eagles Dare's success, because, should you dare think about becoming bored or turning away, Maclean and Hutton will contrive to introduce something else that needs blowing up. They do it so well too. Some of the most breathtaking scenery committed to film gets used as a backdrop to Burton and Eastwood's two man mission against the entire German Army. It is undoubtedly exciting stuff, and the literal high point of the film, the break into the high security high altitude castle is edge of the seat stuff.
Hutton is clearly at his best with the action material, occasionally shines with the characters interplaying, but mostly captures events like we're watching a live storyboard. It is often possible to sit and imagine the pencil lines on screen as Hutton ponderously blocks out his next sequence. That's the story with 'Eagles' though, a wildly hit and miss affair. The locations are as mentioned wonderful, but when not being nicely lit and photographed by Arthur Ibbetson, we are subjected to some dreadful day for night shooting. Murky blues, the action difficult to pick out, huge sharp shadows, and let us not forget that other staple of 60's cinema. Back projection. There's plenty of that, and considering the dangerous nature of most of the stunts, well, they had little alternative. In line with the rest of the film, some works marvellously, some fails miserably.
Consistently good is the work of Ron Goodwin, who created one of his signature scores for 'Eagles'. No straightforward military soundtrack this, and there is some lovely work to be heard on this score, lots of powerful ascending minor chords that add to both the bombast and edge of the seat antics onscreen.
Production design is simply superb, with massive chunks of the castle, interior and exterior, being recreated on the sound stages of Borehamwood. Peter Mullins would never get a budget like this again, and his design work makes the most of every penny available to him.
Costume design comes up trumps with plenty of Nazi regalia on display and we must thank Arthur Newman for all of those low cut traditional Alpine dresses that Miss Pitt gets to heave her bosom in.
The stunt team do themselves proud with all manner of Bond-worthy sequences, the best probably being a nail-biting fight atop a cable car, something 007 would fail to better, or even equal, in the 1979 outing Moonraker.
So, it would seem that 'Eagles' has much to commend it. Well, it does, but where one hand giveth, another yanks away. Where it scores with action, it loses marks with some pedestrian and uninspired direction. Where the leads succeed, then some of their glory is snatched away as they are forced to play out some overly contrived scenes. Where the screenplay rattles along efficiently, well, round the next mountainous bend lies some inconsistencies and illogical holes that a Tiger Tank could drive through, without the aid of wing mirrors.
Entertaining hokum, that was never going to be Richard III, but still has to be marked down for not quite delivering on all fronts. It stormed the box offices though, and ensured that MGM could splutter away for a few more years until the 1970s began to start banging the nails into the coffin.
Borehamwood closed its doors shortly after completion of 'Eagles' and became a studio for rent until it was allowed to just become a studio and backlot crumbling to the ground.
'Eagles' is now available as part of the Clint Eastwood collection of Warner Brothers titles. As ever Warners pull out none of the stops, and we get a nasty snappy card case, no liner notes, 1 extra in the form of a hilarious contemporary featurette which seems designed to frighten mainland Europe by constantly proclaiming that the Nazis are back. The picture is presented in it's original ratio though, and sound is remastered into a hit and mix surround mix.
It's £9.99 from WHSmiths, Woolworths, and the same online from Play.com. It's certified PG, and when the violence and gore does crop up, it's of the Kensington variety, a red syruppy concoction that not even the most sensitive of youngsters would believe for a second!
Advantages: Great mix of action, adventure, and mystery Disadvantages: Long
...done anyway) of films, can Where Eagles Dare stand out from the crowd?
Deep in the heart of Nazi occupied territory an allied plane has crashed, allowing the forces of evil to capture one of the few men who knows the plans for the D-Day landings. Aware of the danger, British Intelligence sends Major Smith and his squad of crack commandos to rescue the General. But who is the mysterious Lt. Schaffer who Smith insists accompany them? Who is leaking ... ...the 'simple' tales like U-571 where we all know what's going to happen (almost to the minute), Where Eagles Dare manages to keep you guessing. This isn't a simple war film, it's also a great spy/mystery to boot. But it also has action aplenty. Ok maybe it might not compare to the modern day bullet fests that we've grown accustomed to but this action has an edge - Those are Nazi troops out there shooting at the heroes, and the film's air of suspense ...
TheNeil 21.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Where Eagles Dare (DVD)
Advantages: Great action, plot full of twists, Burton and Eastwod Disadvantages: Dont Expect a Classic
...am speaking about is Where Eagles Dare the 1968 WW 2 movie starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood . Right from the opening scene to the climax, the viewer never gets a chance to relax, as he is drawn into a maze of conspiracy, action, intrigue and twists.
The Plot Based on Alistair Maclean's novel of the same name, the movie centers around a British General George Carnaby who has been captured by the Nazis and held in their impregnable Schloss ... ...Allies hit upon a plan where seven agents are picked to infiltrate the castle and get the General out from there. These 7 men will be headed by Major John Smith (played by Richard Burton ) and assisted by Lt Morris Schaeffer ( Clint Eastwood) . Only the mission is not an easy one, as the only means to reach the castle is by cable car, and the entire area is swarming with Germans. They enlist the help of a local German girl Heidi Schmidt and John ...
cyberian1969 17.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Where Eagles Dare (DVD)
Where Eagles Dare is a classic, suspenseful war movie that everyone should watch at least once. It stars Richard Burton (the one that kept marrying Elizabeth Taylor) and Clint Eastwood. This film tells the story of an operation by MI6 in WW2 to rescue an American general held captive in a castle in Germany, following a plane crash. The British team (plus Clint Eastwood) have to get the general back before he can be tortured into telling the Germans ... ...room somewhere on British soil, where the team is told about the missing general and how important he is to the Allied strategy to win the war. This part of the film I find particularly clever (just the first five minutes!) because you have the contrast of the calm briefing room sandwiched between the scenes in the cold, noisy, disguised plane. The minor-key, military soundtrack is introduced in the beginning as well, and runs as a theme throughout ...
Vixterbelle 28.03.2009 (27.03.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Where Eagles Dare (DVD)
Advantages: Great entertainment Disadvantages: Only for the Germans
With the book written by Alistair MacLean you have to expect an action movie and in this case you would not be mistaken. Although in this case Alistair MacClean wrote the screen play first and then the book.
With the cast of Robert Beatty, Patrick Wymark, and Mary Ure led by Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood you know that the acting will be good and the story well told and the cinema goer or TV viewer will not be disappointed.
Released in 1969 ... ...in the film was actually a police training camp called Schloss Hohenwerfen.
A group of elite commandos led by Major John Smith (Richard Burton) with Lieutenant Morris Schaffer (Clint Eastwood) in tow are parachuted into enemy territory with the mission to rescue a high-ranking American officer from under the noses of the Vermacht in their almost impregnable mountainside fortress. After the commandos leap out of the plane a mystery woman is guided ...
jimbuck 02.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Where Eagles Dare (DVD)
Advantages: Brilliant story forged with Burton and Eastwood Disadvantages: none
An excellent, all-star cast make this one of the best war movies of all time. It's also on TNT alot so don't miss it!
Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood make a fine pair in this action pic with breathtaking stunts, excellent storyline that, although a little slow to start, fairly speeds up to a steamrolling crescendo; some breathtaking scenery and a quite majestic castle.
The story concerns a group of British commandos sent in to deepest Bavaria ... ...for the start of the Second Front (D-Day landings in other words). Of course, that's what we are told but as the film progresses, we soon realise that that is not quite the case. There is a hidden agenda, and a pretty complicated one at that.
Burton and Eastwood give impressive performances as does the rest of the cast. The Alistair McLean penned script and book are equally as good if not better.
This film has a gritty quality to it with some instantly ...
rvb13 25.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Where Eagles Dare (DVD)
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Advantages: 3 great films Disadvantages: no special features
The Dirty Dozen: lee marvin , charles bronson, donald sutherland are just some of the great actors in this war classic. the story is basically about lee marvin as a middle ranked soldier who gets the opportunity to offer 12 inprisoned soldiers a lifeline from there soon to happen death sentences. The lifeline being a suicide mission to german held territory! overall viewing is great, not too long winded and generally a very satisfying war film 8/10
WhereEaglesDare: richard burton, clint eastwood star in this well plotted war flick. The storyline is a rescue mission for a captured american general. good action through the film and also a very good twist near the end of the film. breathtaking scenes with old german castles and mountains, good costume and stunts all through. 9/10
Kellys Heroes: clint eastwood, telly savalas(ko jack ...
Advantages: Clint at his best Disadvantages: If you are an avid Eastwood fan like me.......NONE
Hi I was just browsing in a local DVD store when I saw this DVD box set at a special price.
I have always liked Clint Eastwood so I bought the box set,and it really is one of the best box sets I have ever purchased
Clint Eastwood at his very very best in WhereEaglesDare, a favourite film of mind which I can never tire of watching
The other films on this DVD set are also good ones, though some are little heard of, but having said that, Clint Eastwood is in my opinion at his best in all five. So if you are looking for a good clutch of films to buy then this may well be the one for you
I can thoroughly recommend this to any avid Eastwood fan ...
Advantages: Curiously enjoyable Disadvantages: Some dodgy acting and editing, too long
, but I really enjoyed watching this, in a curious way. The film is over 2 hours long, and this is perhaps not in its favour, as it can drag at times and I felt there were some unnecessary extensive scenes which could have been considerably less to make the whole thing smoother. However, I still recommend watching the film as it is an enjoyable miltary action film, with hints of WhereEaglesDare and The Guns Of Navarone about it.
If you're interested in buying the DVD, it is currently available from amazon.co.uk for around the £3 mark, and a bit less for a second hand copy. As I said before, the DVD I have launches straight into the film, with Armatrading singing The Wild Geese, and it is rather apt that her voiced ends the film as well - it fits perfectly and ends a rather curiously enjoyable film. ...
Two soldiers are parachuted into the Bavarian Alps to rescue an American General from an almost impregnable Nazi fortress, which can be reached only by cable car. Based on the successful Alistair MacLean novel.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
WARNER HOME VIDEO; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date
01/04/2005
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
D 065186
Barcode
7321900651868
Screenwriter
Alistair MacLean
Director of Photography
Arthur Ibbetson
Author
Alistair MacLean
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
On Location Where Eagles Dare Featurette, Theatrical Trailer
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
DVD Description
Richard Burton stars as Major John Smith, a British agent during WWII who is in charge a group of six Allied soldiers given the task of rescuing an American general--who is reportedly in possession of the plans for D-Day--from a seemingly impregnable German fortress located high in the Bavarian Alps. Assisting Smith is the sole American in the operative, Lieutenant Morris Schaffer (Clint Eastwood), a fierce soldier skilled with an array of deadly weapons. As the men penetrate the fortress, facing an endless supply of German soldiers, it becomes apparent that some members of the small Allied team may not be who them seem to be. Full of thrilling action set pieces, the screenplay was written by Alistair MacLean, adapted from his own best selling novel.
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