Dove osano le aquile

Clearly one of the best of its genre, Where Eagles Dare, comes across as a powerful espionage drama with a high dose of adrenealin. Although the screenplay is quite convoluted, it is extremely engrossing and keeps the viewer on the toes. In fact the intertwined storyline adds to the vigor and vitality of the film. Its like a guessing game which the director plays with the audience.

Richard Burton charts out of his usual epic and sensitive roles and dons on the mantle of a tough Major. He is ably supported by Clint Eastwood who is impeccable in his little speaking role of of Lt. Schhaffer.

The cinematography and background score catapults the film to new heights. The title music is haunting and remains with you hours after you finishing watching the film.

I feel that maybe a little more deft editing would have enabled the film to be labled as a classic.

Once a year, usually around Christmas time but always in winter, this movie is played somewhere on British TV. Like 'The Great Escape' this movie has become a staple of TV station classic war movies wheeled out once a year to keep the punters happy, and it always delivers.

How can it fail? It has spectacular scenery, great actors, lots of schoolboy WWII style action and even busty wenches in maid uniforms. This film is ingrained in the psyche, you cannot see a mountaintop castle without thinking of Schloss Adler and the cable-car scenes. If I'm trudging through the snow in the woods then I hear myself humming the theme from 'Where Eagles Dare'. If I or anyone from my generation picks up a radio, it's only a matter of time before someone starts sending "Broadsword calling Danny Boy" in an imitation of Richard Burton's plummy tones. It's a given.

I know it's not the most realistic movie ever made, but Richard Burton, Michael Horden, Clint Eastwood and the gang carry it off with great aplomb and we believe every line. The pacing is excellent, leaving similar offerings such as 'Guns of Navarone' feeling like funeral marches. And talk about atmosphere! This movie reeks atmosphere, from the settings in the beautiful mountains to the scenes inside the old caste hallways to the exterior shots of people rapelling down the sides of the viciously cold walls. It's a must see, 8 out of 10 compared to all films, and 10 out of 10 for 'men on a mission' movies.

The movie centers upon a bunch of commandos led by Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood with the mission to free an American General (Robert Beatty) from a Nazi castle . They will take on an evil SS chief (Darren Nesbitt) and Nazi officers (Ferdy Mayne and Anton Driffing) and confronting deal of dangers and adventures . They are helped by two beautiful girls (Mary Ure and Ingrid Pitt) .

Film runtime is overlong , two hours and some but isn't boring and gets lots of amusement for the fast-movement . From the beginning until ending , the action movie is unstoppable. This is one of the best of several movies from novels by Alistair McLean about WW2 . The film gets a certain likeness to ¨Dirty Dozen¨ and ¨Kelly's heroes¨ and group of films that were made regarding to warlike adventures during the 1960-1970 years about special forces in dangerous missions . In the motion picture there are suspense , frenetic action , shootouts , thriller , rip-roaring and a little bit of violence . The final confrontation between the starring and enemies on the air cable funicular is breathtaking . The picture obtained too much success at the box office . Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood are top notch . Ron Goodwin musical score is gorgeous and Arthur Ibbetson cinematography is excellent .

Direction by Brian G Hutton is magnificent , he began with little and prestigious films as ¨Wild seed¨ and ¨The Pad¨. Thereafter, he veered off into big budgeted pictures with all star-cast , proving which he could handle big scale action , such as ¨Kelly's heroes¨ , ¨High road to China¨ and this one . The movie will appeal to second world war buffs and emotions lovers.

Rating: 7,5/10 . Better than average. Well worth watching

It's fictional, as were Alistair MacLean's other great war stories, but what's unique about Where Eagles Dare is that he also wrote the screenplay (in fact prior to writing the novel). Along with director Brian G Hutton, he created the basis of a two and a half hour+ movie which fairly hums along, not just because of the plentiful action scenes, but because of the intriguing plot line, that just keeps unfolding right up to the last couple of onscreen minutes.

We are literally dropped into the action, along with the British/American extraction team shortly after the opening credits. There is only one brief flashback to sketch out the mission details for us, so we gain more narrative information as the movie timeline progresses, just as Clint Eastwood's Lt Schaffer does. Speaking of Eastwood, this was one of 3 films released in 1968, he had major roles in, that really consolidated his accession to the Hollywood "A" list, after he'd made a name for himself in European films. Sharing the lead with Richard Burton was a successful marriage of convenience, as one can't quite imagine Clint pulling off the longish, but necessary expository scenes, such as that around the fire in the Nazi drawing room, quite as well as Burton's Major Smith. That sort of stuff was second nature to the Shakespearian - trained Burton, whilst Eastwood contentedly added to his taciturn, but quietly threatening onscreen persona.

The trademark MacLean twists come thick and fast in the second half of the film, as does the action which ramps up quite a deal, culminating in the extended escape episode from the Schloß Adler, a mountaintop fortress accessible only by cable car or helicopter. And the onscreen action and tensity is only enhanced by Ron Goodwin's well-known soundtrack.

Where Eagles Dare and his follow-up film Kelly's Heroes are the two war films for undoubtedly which director Hutton is most famous. Besides both involving a collaboration with Clint Eastwood, they are generally recognised as being popular modern classics of the genre. Though not necessarily artistically great, they have great entertainment value, which 50 years of time passing, hasn't affected in the least. Definitely worth a look!

This is one of the first real action movies as we know it today, ever made. The movie has lots of explosions and gun- and fist fights. The story is told in a fast pace with lots of cuts, even though the movie itself isn't short at all (158 minutes.).

Even though it is still a war movie, this movie isn't as heavy and or serious as many other WW II movies made in the same period. It is kind of in the same style as "The Guns of Navarone" (Also written by Alistair MacLean.). It's more is adventurous and fun to watch than heavy or realistic. Director Brian G. Hutton later also made the other 'fun'/adventurous/WW II movie "Kelly's Heroes".

Another element that distinct this movie from other movies from the same genre is the story. The story by famous writer Alistair MacLean is just brilliant! It begins as an average WW II rescue-mission movie but as the movie progresses the story takes several twists, until at a certain point you don't even know who to thrust anymore. The ending is really action-movie-like spectacular and features a tense fight an a moving cable-car followed by the perhaps even better car chase, which really reminded of the chase were Indy and his father are escaping the Nazi's on the motorcycle, in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" Even the music sounded kind of similar! I wouldn't be surprised if Spielberg and Williams were inspired by this movie. The same goes for many other movie directors and other persons in the movie business by the way. I see similarities between this movie with 'modern' work quite often, both in story and characters as well as the action, editing and many other elements from this movie. This really is an inspirational movie, that as an action movie, just like as for instance "North by Northwest", was far ahead of its time.

It was a bit strange to see Clint Eastwood in the sidekick role. The main character of the movie is played by the legendary Richard Burton. Both actors really push this movie to an higher level with their profession and expertise and both are very believable in their roles.

An entertaining, action packed adventurous war movie with a splendid story and two wonderful performances from the two main actors.

10/10

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