SYNOPSICS
The Birdmen (1971) is a English movie. Philip Leacock has directed this movie. Doug McClure,Rene Auberjonois,Richard Basehart,Max Baer Jr. are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1971. The Birdmen (1971) is considered one of the best Drama,History,War movie in India and around the world.
During World War II, American soldier Harry Cook is sent to Norway to aid in the defection of a scientist working on the atomic bomb for the Germans. Before they can escape Europe, they are captured and sent to a POW prison camp in a high alpine castle on the German-Swiss border. Cook must find a way to escape with the scientist before the Gestapo discover the Norwegian's true identity. Cook convinces the other prisoners to build a two person glider that can fly to Switzerland. The race is on to complete the glider before the German guards discover the plane, and the Gestapo catch up with Cook and the scientist.
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The Birdmen (1971) Reviews
Historical perspective
This movie's not bad for a TV movie, but it's interesting to note it's historical basis. Colditz Castle was 'Supermax'; the German repository for Allied 'Escape Experts'. Every prisoner in residence had at least one close-to-successful escape attempt from another facility under his belt. Colditz had the distinction of being the only German POW camp where the guards outnumbered the prisoners. Even so, successful escapes were made. The most daring plan involved the building of the glider in this movie. It was actually built, but never used. They were ready to go a month or two before the end of the war, but all prisoners were ordered through the intelligence network by London to sit tight because the Germans had begun shooting escapees. The Colditz gang decided to follow their orders and save the glider to be used in case the Germans starting murdering prisoners and a quick, sure way was needed to get someone 'over the wire' to alert the oncoming Allied forces. The camp was liberated without incident and the glider was shown around for a few weeks as a morale booster to repatriates of other camps. It was then boosted back up into the attic, but disappeared over the winter of 1945-46; probably destroyed by Russian officers billetted there and used as firewood against the unusually severe winter. For more info read P.R. Reid's "ESCAPE FROM COLDITZ".
Great movie.
It has been over 30 years since I've seen the movie "The Birdmen." I only remember bits and pieces---one scene that comes to mind is a song one of the captured POWs sing that really bothered the Germans. Even after all these years, I still remember that melody. I'm hoping to try and find it on VHS or DVD-now that I know what the title is. (Thank you IMDb.com). When it first aired, I remember my brother and I watching it. Since neither of us really cared about history-we only watched it for our own reasons. I was a fan of Chuck Connors and my brother liked Richard Baseheart. And of course; we both knew who Max Baer, Jr was. It would make a welcome addition to anyones video/DVD library.
story of a group of Allied POWs who have been sent to the most heavily guarded prison camp in Germany and attempting to escape
Passable warlike movie with a memorable escape and outstanding acting by well-known TV faces .This is an acceptable film set in Germany 1943 about a daring breakout from inescapable Nazi concentration camp in a high alpine castle ,with all-Television-star-cast and professionally realized . Here troublesome allied Pows are thrown by the Nazis into a stirring and breathtaking breakout . As the only tool they had were their hands , yet they beat the Nazi's escape-proof fortress by building an airplane inside their prison . The film shows how the POWs had to live in Colditz, during World War II . It deals with an American soldier Harry Cook (Doug McClure) is sent to Norway to aid in the defection of a scientist (Rene Auberjonois) working on the atomic bomb for the Germans. Before they can escape Europe, they are captured and sent to a POW prison camp on the German-Swiss border. Cook must find a way to escape with the scientific before the camp commander Schiller (Richard Basehart) and the Gestapo find out the Norwegian's true identity. The continuous escapes have caused the Nazi staff ordered 'putting all the rotten eggs in one basket' as the prisoners are reunited into this special concentration camp . It concerns about the hard preparatives of a diverse group formed by rebel officers and soldiers mounting a dangerous getaway from an impregnable and strongly controlled camp . The most part of the film concerns on the elaborated process of secretly carry out the manufacturing a glider and the last one deals with spectacular breakout . The race is on to complete the glider before the German guards discover the plane, and the Gestapo catch up with Cook and the scientist . The prisoners in Colditz Castle make many attempts to escape captivity from the arrival of the first prisoners until the liberation of the castle by the Americans in 1945 . Set in Colditz , it was a "special" camp, designed by the Nazis to hold high-risk and politically important prisoners . Although the flight of the Colditz glider did not happen as originally planned, two full-sized replicas of the glider were built and flown to discover if the plan would have worked . They used to boast there were only two ways to escape from Hitler's Beckstadt prison... to die...or to sprout wings . Bland actioner that pretends to be a thrilling movie but spends a lot of time retelling poorly and in middle budget the difficult preparatives until the exciting final escape . This moving story contains thrills, intrigue, tension, excitement galore, entertainment and impressive finale . Suspenseful WWII packs exceptional plethora of prestigious actors incarnating the motley group of POWs , giving good acting and a great support cast , until an intriguing conclusion with lots of excitement at its end . The film was loosely based on a true story. Allied prisoners-of-war held at Colditz Castle constructed a similar glider under the noses of their captors , but did not complete the aircraft until after D-Day . Set almost entirely within a reconstruction of the now-famous castle-fortress prisoner-of-war camp during WWII, there is little in the way of physical action . Instead we're treated to some of the best form of "mind games" and psychological manoeuvring and competition you can hope to see on TV, as the two sides constantly strive to get one over on the other. It dispenses with usual protocol , a good Nazi : Richard Basehart and Nazi bad guys : the Gestapo men . The Allied prisoners are determined not to be beaten mentally by their surroundings and look for every possible means of escape, while the Germans are always on their toes, looking for clues about possible break-outs and ways in which the Allied prisoners are trying to outsmart them . During their captivity a few went insane some died while trying to escape and some made a succesful escape . Doug McClure, the famous ¨Trampas¨ gives a compelling acting as Cook who convinces the other prisoners to build a two person glider that can fly to Switzerland . His contender is the veteran Richard Basehart as the tough but understanding Nazi commandant Schiller . They are well accompanied by a superb ensemble support cast such as : Max Baer Jr. , Chuck Connors , Don Knight , Paul Koslo , Barry Brown , Tom Skerritt , Charles Aidman and Karl Swenson. The motion picture was profesional , though regularly directed by Philip Leacock . He was a good craftsman who made all kinds of geners : Drama , thriller , Film Noir ,comedy , Terror, Wartime , and working as TV as cinema , such as : 3 sovereigns for Sarah , Angel city , The curse of King Tut's tomb , Killer on board , Baffled , Shattered silence , War lover , Let no man write my epitaph , Wild and whooly , Dying room only , The Spanish gardener , Escapade , among others . Rating : passable and aceptable . 5.5/10 . This one belongs to popular sub-genre about life and escapes from concentration camps , such as : ¨Stalag¨ 17 by Billy Wilder with William Holden , ¨Colditz¨ (original title) 1972 with David MacCallum , Jack Hedley , Robert Wagner , Edward Hardwicke , ¨Victory¨ by John Huston with Sylvester Stallone , Michael Caine , Max Von Sidow , and the best of all them : ¨The great escape¨ (1963) by John Sturges with Steve McQueen , Donald Pleasence , James Coburn , James Garner , James Donald ; followed by an inferior sequel : ¨The great escape : the untold story¨1988 by Jud Taylor and Paul Wendkos with Christopher Reeve , Jud Hirsch , Ian MacShane .
an amazing film full of information and knowledge
Colditz Castle has always been considered a place of high security. However, if Chuck Norris had been present it would have surely ensured that more men would have escaped form this famous prison. Set high on a hill above the small town of Colditz, the sleepy village was unaware of the tensions and drama that lived within the dark and cold walls of the castle. The lessons learned within those hallowed walls held both prisoners and guardians in good stead in the free world till this day. Chuck Connors, a master character actor, plays a believable portrait of a man fighting against the forces of evil. His flight from the castle was quite inspiring and must be used for all future Colditz films. Be sure to view "The Colditz Story" which can only pale against this epic. I highly recommend it to all collectors of serious war movies.
Fictional war flick that includes German castle POW camp
This TV film has gone by different titles, among them: "The Birdmen," "Escape of the Birdmen, and "Colditz: Escape of the Birdmen." I have the latter. Nowhere does the name, Colditz Castle, appear in the movie. The film centers around a fictional German camp called Bechstadt or something like that. But, the script refers to it as the German POW camp for Allied officer escapees; so, obviously, it would be Colditz – the only such camp. This film seems to be a mix of two or more wartime movies I've seen. It borrows themes and sub-plots here and there and puts them together in this one movie of action and escape. But it has too many far-fetched situations to be believable. It has a Norwegian scientist posing as a Norwegian pilot who has been on the lamb for a year trying to get over to the Allies. But, the movie takes place in 1943, and the Germans occupied Norway in April 1940. So what was the scientist doing and where was he the first two years of German occupation? Next we have an American major in the OSS (military secret service) who intentionally gets captured so he can help the Norwegian escape. But, how did the two happen to hook up in a northern German POW camp? In the opening scene, a German patrol boat intercepts a radio message to London. The message reads, "Chess board in position," and that is what accounts for the setup for this film. Then we see the hero, American Major Harry Cook (played just fairly by Doug McClure) working in the supply room of a German POW camp near the Baltic Sea. How and where did he get captured? The Norwegian scientist-pilot, Halden Brevik, is a brand new arrival at that camp drawing his supplies. When and where did he get captured? How did the Allies know in advance of Brevik's capture? How could they put one of their own in the very POW camp Brevik would go to – and ahead of him? How did the two know the password to identify each other? Next we see a diversion back in London. Plans are taking shape for a bombing raid. One scene has a phony voice-over of a briefing with an officer pointing to a target on a blackboard. The production quality is terrible. Then, during an Allied bombing raid, Cook and Brevik escape the POW camp together. Soon they are re-captured. Since they are escapees, they are now sent to the special maximum security prison for such Allied officers. That would be Colditz Castle, but they call it Bechstadt here. In reality, Colditz had British, French, Belgian, Dutch and Polish POWs, with a smattering of others. Just a few Americans were sent there near the end of the war. But, most of the main characters in this film are Americans. The ranking POW officer is one – Col. Morgan Crawford, played very poorly by Chuck Connors. Indeed, most of the real British officers from Colditz are made into or replaced by Americans. The film has a number of well-known actors for the period, but no one gives a very good performance. Another big discrepancy is a number of prisoners killed, and a graveyard within the castle. Only one prisoner was killed trying to escape from Colditz during its six years as a prison. One recurring thing in this film has no basis in history. But, I suppose the filmmakers saw in this some great pull with the American TV audience. We see and hear men singing a 19th Century German folk song, "Die Gedanken sind frei." Crawford tells Cook that it's a song about freedom of thought that Jewish prisoners sing in the concentration camps. This is 1943, and the Allied forces knew about the existence of concentration camps but very little more. How in the world would Allied pilots who have been imprisoned since 1940 to 1943 know anything about a song that Jews were singing in concentration camps? I've never read or heard anything like this. Today this seems to be just a piece of gratuitous fiction thrown into the script for this movie. It's a good example of why we shouldn't trust movies for our knowledge of history. The castle in this film is located near the Swiss border. In a couple of scenes, Commandant Schiller (played fairly well by Richard Basehart), admires the view of the Swiss Alps "just 10 miles away." But we don't see it ourselves. In reality, Colditz Castle is located about 25 miles SE of Leipzig in eastern Germany. That's more than 300 miles from the Swiss Alps. It is about 35 miles from the Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) border, and about 45 miles from Poland. At the very end of this movie, Crawford and Brevik escape together in a glider that the prisoners launched from a roof of the castle. The Colditz prisoners actually had built and concealed a glider, with plans to launch it from the roof for an escape in the direction of Poland. But, by that time, the U.S. Army captured the town and liberated the Colditz prisoners in April 1945. This movie has some good early action and bombing scenes. But, I can't rate it higher than five stars. The acting is just fair at best; the production qualities are very poor, and the setup is just too far- fetched. Again, the script and plot imply a location and historical events, but the film hardly resembles the real place and events. For a very good film about the famous Colditz Castle POW camp, see the 1955 British movie, "The Colditz Story." It's based on a book by Patrick Reid, one of the first escapees to get back home to England.