Released-12 March 1969 (USA)
Released by- MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
Color or b/w- Color
Language- English
Runtime- USA- 148 min
Directed by-Brian G Hutton
Story And Screenplay By-Alistair Maclean
Music-Ron Goodwin
Actors-Richard Burton(Major John Smith)
Clint Eastwood( Lieutenant Morris Schaffer)
Ingrid Pitt( Heidi Schmidt)
During WW2 a British aircraft is shot down and crashes in Nazi held territory. The Germans capture the only survivor, an American General, and take him to the nearest SS headquarters;Schloß Adler.
Unknown to the Germans the General has full knowledge of the D-Day operation. The best way to deal with such a problem would have been to bomb the castle and kill the general before he could ’’squeak’’.However his loss would mean no second front for the allied that year! Besides, no plane can get near the castle before it gets shot down.
Major John Smith is asked to lead a crack commando team to rescue him. Amongst the team is an American Ranger, Lieutenant Schaffer, who is puzzled by his inclusion in an all British operation. When one of the team dies after the parachute drop, Schaffer suspects that Smith’s mission has a much more secret objective. Soon double and triple agents begin to appear in the ranks of the rescue team. Good Eagles Seem To be Turning Bad.
Richard Burton is awesome in the movie and he is only helped by Clint Eastwoods presence. Burton, in a switch from the heavy dramatic roles that made him famous, is excellent as an action hero, but Eastwood is the one who makes it all worthwhile. The setting of the movie is in Burg Hohenwerfen, Werfen (Austria) which serves the purpose of the castle high on top of the Bavarian Alps. A castle accessible only by a tramway.
Explosions, gunplay, and wartime treachery; WHERE EAGLES DARE is also a lengthy film, though there is more than enough action to keep it moving along. Of course, it’s all a bit hard to credit (especially since the Germans can’t seem to hit anything with their machine guns), but that’s part of the fun. Of course there are numerous goof ups to this movie since Alistair MacLean was very bad at research...but considering the sheer brilliance of the story, acting and set...it can all be pardoned!!
Trivia-there are actually three different endings to Where Eagles Dare. The one in the original movie. Then there is the ending in the book where it ends with a kiss between Lieutenant Schaffer and Heidi. And there is a third one-The scene when Heidi and Lieutenant Schaffer got married was actually shot, but, as you already now, not used. It’s now a very sought after piece for collectors.
This movie is a sure bang for the buck and should be seen for the ’’jerry bashing’’.Despite its body-counts the movie has a rating of PG.So it means that you might need your parent?s guidance to see it-that?s if you cant see it alone!!