Sadly Over-hyped
If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.
View MoreThe movie really just wants to entertain people.
Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
Well acted film from a cast of excellent character actors who only add to Burt Lancaster's fine performance. If you give a man an inch he will often take a mile. Indeed a man who commits murder only to find a purpose of being curious and eventual caring for birds; shows how fulfillment can bring out the best in a human being. Enjoyable film with the directors close ups giving much flavor to the performances.
View MoreIf you make a list of the most memorable biopics in history, very few of them come from before 1970. Films like "Life of Emile Zola" "Sergeant York" "Day for Night" and even Elia Kazan's "Viva Zapata" feel rather dry despite the efforts of their actors. Perhaps it's the Hollywood code that prevents the juicy dark parts of these characters' lives from coming to the forefront in these narratives. Or perhaps Hollywood felt more comfortable with fictional characters whose lifespans they can depict like the title characters of "Johnny Belinda" or "Goodbye Mr. Chips". "Birdman of Alcatraz" is a rare exception. It follows the entire adult lifespan of a man and remains faithful to much of his life story so that the emotional effect really feels authentic and packs punch.The film's subject, Robert Stroud (played by the never disappointing Burt Lancaster), is a lifer at Leavenworth Penitentiary (and later Alcatraz) who transforms from an anti-social rebel to an elder statesman (within the confines of his prison walls) when three birds enter to his cell and his senses of empathy and curiosity are awakened. In caring for his birds, he begins to care and form friendships with those around him and finds a purpose to devote his time. When his birds get sick and the local veterinarian tells him it's a routine epidemic and doesn't offer a solution, he exhaustively researches and finds his own and in publishing his results, he becomes one of the leading ornithologists in the country.The degree to which Stroud was a spiteful man or simply misunderstood (many inmates described him as psychopathic even in his "reformed" stage) is debatable, but both Burt Lancaster and the author of the film's source material, Tom Gaddis (played by Edmond O'Brien in a somewhat odd fourth-wall-breaking narration), have an affection and admiration for the man and that shines through.Because the character of Stroud is in every frame of the film and in many of these moments, it's just him and the birds. Similar to films like "Cast Away", "All is Lost", or "Wild" the challenges on the part of Lancaster and director John Frankenheimer to make these quiet passages work are met extraordinarily.Similarly, Telly Savalas, Karl Malden, Neville Brand, Thelma Ritter, and Betty Field do great work in supporting parts. In particular, Karl Malden makes the case for being one of the most consistently great actors of his generation with this understated role as a straight-laced prison warden is what Robert Stroud's anti-hero persona is defined against. The two share a begrudging respect for each other after spending over half their lives on opposite sides and it's a relationship with a lot of depth.This is a film that one should see not just because Robert Stroud was a fascinating character but because Frankenheimer and Lancaster bring his story to life so well.
View MoreBIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ is a biographical drama about the life of a federal prison inmate.Robert Stroud is imprisoned as a young man for committing a murder in Alaska. He is a rebellious prisoner who is in a frequent conflict with a rigid prison system and its staff. Soon, he stars an open conflict with a strict warden of Leavenworth Prison. Stroud is sentenced to death, due to a fatal incident in prison, but his mother runs a successful campaign and he is commuted to life in prison. To break the monotony, Stroud adopts an orphaned baby sparrow as a pet. Soon, the birds have become the most important part of his everyday life. When they fall ill, he conducts experiments and comes up with a cure. The killer and conflicted character becomes a genius...It's very easy to draw the line between the real and the fictional part of the story. This is, perhaps, the most obvious weakness of this film. However, this is a very striking portrait of a prisoner, which stimulates the emotions. A kind of manipulation of the true facts led to the results, after which the birds have completely changed the character of a wicked prisoner. There is too much coincidence, I think that one part of the true event, which would likely have a powerful effect on the audience, is set aside. A rehabilitation of a semi-literate prisoner, taking into account the fact that this prisoner fell rescued from certain death, is simply amazing.The love between the main character and his pets is fascinating, at the same time his relationship with other people is vague and inarticulate. People have taken his liberty, dignity and later his love and intimacy. Scenery is realistic and characterization is very good.Burt Lancaster as Robert Stroud is a vital, conscientious and temperate character. A prisoner, who has found a way out of his despair and loneliness. This is, perhaps, his best performance. Karl Malden as Harvey Shoemaker is a frustrated antagonist, which is driven by his own passion. The passions sometimes blind a man.Their support are Thelma Ritter (Elizabeth McCartney Stroud) as a persistent and passionate Robert's mother, Betty Field (Stella Johnson) as a bit desperate wife, who can not tolerate tightness of a brilliant mind and Neville Brand (Bull Ransom) as the voice of reason and compassion in this film.Well, we have saw the bright side of this story, some might know the other side.
View MoreA surly convicted murderer (Burt Lancaster) held in permanent isolation seemingly redeems himself when he becomes a renowned bird expert.I added the word "seemingly" to IMDb's plot summary because I think whether or not he redeems himself is a matter of opinion. In fact, it is something worth discussing -- does he redeem himself? Does he rehabilitate himself? I think it unclear; while he surely finds a passion for something and achieves a level of respect, does this justify his crimes? I would also like to single out Karl Malden. Malden is not as well-known as Burt Lancaster (and even Lancaster is not as well known today). Malden showed a great range of emotion here and I think the transformation of the warden is every bit as remarkable as Stroud's growth. And Malden's career is quite impressive... people should make more of an effort to see his work.
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