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Scorned by reviewers when it came out, this concentrated dose of commando death-dealing to legions of Nazi machine-gun fodder has acquired a cult over the years. In 1968 Clint Eastwood was just getting used to the notion that he might be a world-class movie star; Richard Burton, whose image had been shaped equally by classical theater training and his headline-making romance with Elizabeth Taylor, was eager to try on the action ethos Eastwood was already nudging toward caricature. Alistair MacLean's novel The Guns of Navarone had inspired the film that started the '60s vogue for World War II military capers, so he was prevailed on to write the screenplay (his first). The central location, an impregnable Alpine stronghold locked in ice and snow, is surpassing cool, but the plot and action are ultra-mechanical, and the switcheroo gamesmanship of just who is the undercover double (triple?) agent on the mission becomes aggressively silly. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (156)

A great War Movie
This movie, filled with drama, action, and a complex plot that will make your head spin, has it all. Richard Burton is dashing as the cold plotting secret agent who is leading his team on a mission to save D-Day from disaster. Clint Eastwood, here little more than a teenager, is wonderful as the somewhat befuddled American army ranger who cannot figure out why he is even on the mission.

Any attempt to go into detail about the story would ruin some of the fun. Suffice to say that you will be riveted both by the action and the performances. One note though, Burton's monologue is amazing.

If you like WWII movies and have not seen this one, you don't know what you are missing.

Trashy and absurd, but still fun
This is a campy movie, but enlivened by gorgeous scenery, unintentionally funny dialogue and some of the most unbelievable action scenes ever devised (count how many times Clint Eastwood reloads... never!)

Richard Burton is his usual over-acting self, and he delivers his lines with more bombast that usual. A favorite is when he's pretending to be SS Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler's brother in order to swagger around in a beerhall. Someone gets wise with him and Burton sneers, "My name is Bernard Himmler. Does the name mean anything to YOU? "

The last half hour of the movie is hilarious. Watch particularly the poker-faced Mary Ure, who hangs out of the back of a ski bus, machine gun in hand. She effortlessly mows down 10 German divisions single-handedly and never so much as twitches one facial muscle. Talk about a blase killer. Mary knocks off more German tanks, trunks and motorcycles in this movie than the Allied and Soviet forces achieved in all of World War II.

This is an enjoyable, escapist movie with plenty of laughs. Those of you who appreciate campy humor and enjoy ridiculing movies that take themselves too seriously will have a field day.

One of the Greatest War Films of All Time !
Quite simply one of the greatest war movies ever made. A top notch thriller loaded with action, espionage and double crosses, "Where Eagles Dare" is the kind of movie that Hollywood just doesn't make anymore. This isn't some politically correct drama steeped in reality. No, this is good guys vs. bad guys. This is pure unabashed fantasy which keeps the audience on the edge of its seat. This is just darn good entertainment!

Richard Burton is absolutely cunning as the British agent who leads an elite group of soldiers behind enemy lines and into a seemingly unpenetrable German castle to rescue an imprisoned American General. A young Clint Eastwood is the only American on the mission. Clint is his usual cool and calm self. However he, like the audience, isn't sure who to trust. Somebody's a double agent, but exactly who is anyone's guess. Don't worry about figuring it out, just sit back and enjoy the drama. You'll love the growing tension and suspicion between Burton and Eastwood.

The journey into the castle is classic heart-stopping drama. Even better is Burton's fight with a German soldier high atop a ski lift -- truly one of the most riveting action sequences ever filmed. Bullets are flyin' and bombs are blastin' throughout. In the end, heroes emerge while evil perpetrators get their just due. Classic, absolutely classic!

And yes, as several reviewers have noted, the stunning scenery and beautiful cinematography in this film would greatly benefit from a widescreen DVD treatment. So, how 'bout it, I want my DVD!

Commando raid at its most ludicrous
OK. Stellar star cast. I'll give you that and no dearth of action as well. But to portray the German Fallschirmjaeger and alpine troops as a bunch of bungling flat footed idiots is a little far fetched. It is history at its worst portrayal and hollywood action at its golden peak. Some dumbass marine from New Jersey might fall for this drivel but not well read students of history. It gets failing grade for portrayal of reality based fiction but gets high marks for choice of location and choice of cast. If you want a better war flick, pick Operation Daybreak.

Whats up with the dubbing
I happened to think that this was a cool movie.
Being a ex-marine I understand that alot of this
if not all of it is fantasy but hey its a movie not a documentary its suppose to be fun. My main concern was the dubbing was this an american movie or european ? it was Burtons and Eastwoods voices on the film but it was advanced meaning the sound occured before the action now I dont know if it was my dvd player I dont think so but man that was annoying ... Read more

Reviews (156)

A great War Movie
This movie, filled with drama, action, and a complex plot that will make your head spin, has it all. Richard Burton is dashing as the cold plotting secret agent who is leading his team on a mission to save D-Day from disaster. Clint Eastwood, here little more than a teenager, is wonderful as the somewhat befuddled American army ranger who cannot figure out why he is even on the mission.

Any attempt to go into detail about the story would ruin some of the fun. Suffice to say that you will be riveted both by the action and the performances. One note though, Burton's monologue is amazing.

If you like WWII movies and have not seen this one, you don't know what you are missing.

Trashy and absurd, but still fun
This is a campy movie, but enlivened by gorgeous scenery, unintentionally funny dialogue and some of the most unbelievable action scenes ever devised (count how many times Clint Eastwood reloads... never!)

Richard Burton is his usual over-acting self, and he delivers his lines with more bombast that usual. A favorite is when he's pretending to be SS Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler's brother in order to swagger around in a beerhall. Someone gets wise with him and Burton sneers, "My name is Bernard Himmler. Does the name mean anything to YOU? "

The last half hour of the movie is hilarious. Watch particularly the poker-faced Mary Ure, who hangs out of the back of a ski bus, machine gun in hand. She effortlessly mows down 10 German divisions single-handedly and never so much as twitches one facial muscle. Talk about a blase killer. Mary knocks off more German tanks, trunks and motorcycles in this movie than the Allied and Soviet forces achieved in all of World War II.

This is an enjoyable, escapist movie with plenty of laughs. Those of you who appreciate campy humor and enjoy ridiculing movies that take themselves too seriously will have a field day.

One of the Greatest War Films of All Time !
Quite simply one of the greatest war movies ever made. A top notch thriller loaded with action, espionage and double crosses, "Where Eagles Dare" is the kind of movie that Hollywood just doesn't make anymore. This isn't some politically correct drama steeped in reality. No, this is good guys vs. bad guys. This is pure unabashed fantasy which keeps the audience on the edge of its seat. This is just darn good entertainment!

Richard Burton is absolutely cunning as the British agent who leads an elite group of soldiers behind enemy lines and into a seemingly unpenetrable German castle to rescue an imprisoned American General. A young Clint Eastwood is the only American on the mission. Clint is his usual cool and calm self. However he, like the audience, isn't sure who to trust. Somebody's a double agent, but exactly who is anyone's guess. Don't worry about figuring it out, just sit back and enjoy the drama. You'll love the growing tension and suspicion between Burton and Eastwood.

The journey into the castle is classic heart-stopping drama. Even better is Burton's fight with a German soldier high atop a ski lift -- truly one of the most riveting action sequences ever filmed. Bullets are flyin' and bombs are blastin' throughout. In the end, heroes emerge while evil perpetrators get their just due. Classic, absolutely classic!

And yes, as several reviewers have noted, the stunning scenery and beautiful cinematography in this film would greatly benefit from a widescreen DVD treatment. So, how 'bout it, I want my DVD!

Commando raid at its most ludicrous
OK. Stellar star cast. I'll give you that and no dearth of action as well. But to portray the German Fallschirmjaeger and alpine troops as a bunch of bungling flat footed idiots is a little far fetched. It is history at its worst portrayal and hollywood action at its golden peak. Some dumbass marine from New Jersey might fall for this drivel but not well read students of history. It gets failing grade for portrayal of reality based fiction but gets high marks for choice of location and choice of cast. If you want a better war flick, pick Operation Daybreak.

Whats up with the dubbing
I happened to think that this was a cool movie.
Being a ex-marine I understand that alot of this
if not all of it is fantasy but hey its a movie not a documentary its suppose to be fun. My main concern was the dubbing was this an american movie or european ? it was Burtons and Eastwoods voices on the film but it was advanced meaning the sound occured before the action now I dont know if it was my dvd player I dont think so but man that was annoying ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Second string telling of the Custer story.
This is an example of what happens when a British film company tackles American history. The Custer story has been told in many films for many years. The various depictions are generally amusing in their fabrications, half-truths, historical inaccuracies, and outright lies. This film is essentially a B movie given a '60s Cinerama treatment that stresses visual presentation over substance. There is one long scene, for example, of a man escaping danger by riding down a miner's sluice. This segment is protracted, and one suspects it's only there to demonstrate Cinerama's camera technique. Custer (Robert Shaw, with Scottish burr intact) is depicted heroically. Reno (Ty Hardin) is disparaged as a drunken coward who failed to come to Custer's aid. The complexities of Custer's personality and the doubtful integrity of his motivations as an Indian fighter are not explored. The only Indians mentioned are the Cheyenne. The scriptwriters didn't add that the Native Americans at the Battle of Little Bighorn also included a major contingent of Sioux. Historical problems aside, the movie falters as an action-adventure film. The climactic battle is disappointingly lethargic. As Custer movies go, "Son of the Morning Star" is more accurate, and "They Died With Their Boots On" is better as an action-adventure film. ;-)

Excellent Film
Anchor Bay Entertainment comes through again with an exceptional print. What a movie! This is one of the best Western Legends ever filmed. Robert Shaw is Custer giving his own interpretation to this American hero. The photography is thrilling and spectacular and makes this film one of the most underrated movies ever released. Anchor Bay is the best company making DVDs. They are always crisp and clear and better than the major companies. Look for their titles.

MGM, please keep in touch with the times!
It seems hardly acceptable that in 2004 some studios still release widescreen DVDs without 16:9 enhancement. Well, this is the flaw that will bring my rating down to 3 stars. Too bad, because this DVD is otherwise nice-looking. And - oh yes, in case you're wondering - don't let the inaccurate mention on the jacket fool you: the film is presented in its correct 70 mm 2,20:1 aspect ratio, not in 1,85:1. Please MGM, also double-check your jackets!

Good transfer, but where's the stereo soundtrack?
This little-known Western epic from 1968 is flawed as biography, but is an action film first and foremost. Originally presented in 70mm Super Cinerama as a roadshow, this transfer begs the question - what happened to the 6-track stereophonic soundtrack? And, where are the overture and intermission? The picture is from 65mm negative/70mm print and is fairly sharp and clear, as befits the enlarged negative, but without the stereo sound, it becomes a hollow-sounding Western wannabe spectacular. Snaps to MGM/UA for actually releasing the full 141 minute version at all, but why not include all the accoutrements of the original presentation? The film was created for huge screens, and needs the support of the full-bodied original soundtracks to do the visuals justice. And those of us who love film always want the overture and intermission if the film was first presented that way!

Anchor Bay releases another quality product!!!
Anchor Bay has released the ultimate version of this classic movie!!! Presented in both Full and Widescreen versions, this DVD delivers!!! The picture and sound quality is superb!!! A true classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+ ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Second string telling of the Custer story.
This is an example of what happens when a British film company tackles American history. The Custer story has been told in many films for many years. The various depictions are generally amusing in their fabrications, half-truths, historical inaccuracies, and outright lies. This film is essentially a B movie given a '60s Cinerama treatment that stresses visual presentation over substance. There is one long scene, for example, of a man escaping danger by riding down a miner's sluice. This segment is protracted, and one suspects it's only there to demonstrate Cinerama's camera technique. Custer (Robert Shaw, with Scottish burr intact) is depicted heroically. Reno (Ty Hardin) is disparaged as a drunken coward who failed to come to Custer's aid. The complexities of Custer's personality and the doubtful integrity of his motivations as an Indian fighter are not explored. The only Indians mentioned are the Cheyenne. The scriptwriters didn't add that the Native Americans at the Battle of Little Bighorn also included a major contingent of Sioux. Historical problems aside, the movie falters as an action-adventure film. The climactic battle is disappointingly lethargic. As Custer movies go, "Son of the Morning Star" is more accurate, and "They Died With Their Boots On" is better as an action-adventure film. ;-)

Excellent Film
Anchor Bay Entertainment comes through again with an exceptional print. What a movie! This is one of the best Western Legends ever filmed. Robert Shaw is Custer giving his own interpretation to this American hero. The photography is thrilling and spectacular and makes this film one of the most underrated movies ever released. Anchor Bay is the best company making DVDs. They are always crisp and clear and better than the major companies. Look for their titles.

MGM, please keep in touch with the times!
It seems hardly acceptable that in 2004 some studios still release widescreen DVDs without 16:9 enhancement. Well, this is the flaw that will bring my rating down to 3 stars. Too bad, because this DVD is otherwise nice-looking. And - oh yes, in case you're wondering - don't let the inaccurate mention on the jacket fool you: the film is presented in its correct 70 mm 2,20:1 aspect ratio, not in 1,85:1. Please MGM, also double-check your jackets!

Good transfer, but where's the stereo soundtrack?
This little-known Western epic from 1968 is flawed as biography, but is an action film first and foremost. Originally presented in 70mm Super Cinerama as a roadshow, this transfer begs the question - what happened to the 6-track stereophonic soundtrack? And, where are the overture and intermission? The picture is from 65mm negative/70mm print and is fairly sharp and clear, as befits the enlarged negative, but without the stereo sound, it becomes a hollow-sounding Western wannabe spectacular. Snaps to MGM/UA for actually releasing the full 141 minute version at all, but why not include all the accoutrements of the original presentation? The film was created for huge screens, and needs the support of the full-bodied original soundtracks to do the visuals justice. And those of us who love film always want the overture and intermission if the film was first presented that way!

Anchor Bay releases another quality product!!!
Anchor Bay has released the ultimate version of this classic movie!!! Presented in both Full and Widescreen versions, this DVD delivers!!! The picture and sound quality is superb!!! A true classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+ ... Read more

Reviews (4)

When Harry Met Misery
This film is an abomination. I don't fault Burton, Malcolm MacDowell couldn't carry the remake either. The problem is the tireseome cliches of the social realist author, using the characters as mouthpieces for DEEP (and predictably painful) TRUTHS. If there are people who talk and behave as these characters do, one would do everything in one's power to avoid them. Pitiful, angry, self-indulgent, foolish people. The film unintentionally presaged (and was itself an example of) the age of utter self-indulgence and perpetual self-analysis that has eventually swamped us. It belongs with the swill in the self-help section. One can easily imagine Burton's character as the macho leader of a social movement to right all wrongs, while he can barely manage to feed himself.

From a real Osborne fan
First, one of the other reviews for this film seems to be stating that Burton played Jimmy Porter on stage. This is not true. Osborne's autobiography describes Burton as needing a serious career boost after his previous toga films had gotten him nowhere (though, still, Osborne then says it was Burton's name that got the film financed). Burton took on the film for very little money (and, yes, he is too old for the part.) Mary Ure is the only actor from the stage production. (And at this late date it seems a great loss Alan Bates didn't reprise Cliff in the film.) My thanks to the reviewer who mentioned Pauline Kael's review. It certainly makes me reconsider how much power the film had in its time. But still everyone seems to be missing the point of the story. It isn't a conventional triangle. The play greatly upset the establishment in its day because it is an violent assault on class and cultural issues of the time. Jimmy is not a working-class hero. Kenneth Tynan described him as part of the "non-U intelligensia" but this is wrong. The film mentions, though perhaps doesn't make clear, that Jimmy has been to college, a very mediocre college. His working a sweets barrel is part of his rejection of the social order. But it is his marriage that is the central class conflict, as his wife, Alison, is from a very good family, father an old soldier returned from India, brother at Sandhurst, surely some day an MP. Her family instantly rejected Jimmy, and Jimmy resents Alison's inability to decisively choose sides, hates her for even writing letters to her mother. Alison believes Jimmy decided to marry her only after her parents rejected him. In the scheme of the play it is Cliff who is working class, Alison who is ruling class, and Jimmy in-between raging at the world. His rage, his need for a dust-up, is his response to a collapsing England, an England determined to be static, dead. The movie begins in a jazz club, which was wrongheaded, since the central image of a stiffling Sunday morning reading the papers (with no church attendance) is so important to the play. Jimmy wants to eat more and shout more and love more than the world around him affords him. A previous reviewer states Osborne gives us some pop psychology to explain Jimmy ' Jimmy, when a boy, watches his father die ' but one thing Osborne should never be accused of is being faddish. The point is that Jimmy's father died upon returning from fighting in Spain, dying for a cause, while his mother didn't care. It explains Jimmy's sense that there is no cause to fight for. Also it has left Jimmy a deep belief in honoring the dead, and this, in turn, causes him to feel Alison betrays him when she fails to appear at the funeral for Ma Tanner, his surrogate mother, the woman who bought him the sweets stall. (Spoiler warning). This take on death is what makes the ending meaningful when Alison miscarriages. It is why Jimmy cannot just be a bastard who dismisses his wife.

Or maybe it's all just Osborne's attack on his first wife in a very autobiographical play (his attacks on second wife Mary Ure in his autobiography can be equally savage).

On whole I find the film a disappointment. Burton's unconvincing performance cannot be saved by good work by Mary Ure and Claire Bloom. Worse, the film eliminates many of the most biting and relevant rages from Jimmy in the play, perhaps the best parts of the play. Nigel Kneale, who wrote some great science fiction, should never have been allowed to rewrite Osborne. The whole teddy bear/toy squirrel metaphor from the play makes no sense whatsoever in the film. I do like the scenes with Edith Evans, which Osborne at least in part wrote especially for the film, the character not ever actually appearing on stage in the play (Evans, priding herself on being Cockney, bought her own wardrobe for the role in second-hand shops). In some ways I prefer the filmed version of the play done years later by Lindsay Anderson with Malcom McDowell (though he too was too old for Jimmy). Oh, and reviewers please note, you won't find the phrase "angry young man" in the play. It was never a phrase Osborne liked. It was invented by the promotions man at the Royal Court Theater.

A Great (sorry, Mr. Burton) Classic
Richard Burton - who started a legendary career (first on stage, later on screen) with playing Jimmy Porter - would probably have hated the description "classic". But it can't be helped: This movie adaptation of a theatre hit of the London Westend IS a classic by now. And that is mainly due to his wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime performance as Jimmy.
When John Osborne tried to put into words - and he indeed succeeded! as the great theatre critic Kenneth Tynan so rightly pointed out - the deep frustration, sadness and sometimes furious rebellion of the young generation of the 50s (not so far away from the frustration and rebellion of the young generation of today, mind you!), he was incredibly lucky to find a hitherto unknown, rebelliously minded young Welsh actor to play the lead! Burton's tremendously energetic performance became a legend in no time, - and it was and is great to see that he managed to transfer most of that energy into the film version.
It is also great that the wonderfully subtle performance of Mary Ure lost nothing of its riveting intensity in the film, and how convincingly she succeeded in playing up to her partner! Miss Ure (who in my eyes until today is only being matched by Meryl Streep, Jessica Lange and Kate Blanchett) was an actress of great beauty and tremendous talent. Above all, she radiated humaneness and vulnerability, but also great inner strength, in her parts.
Claire Bloom does not quite match the leading performances, but is also very good as the intervening guest who at first hates, and later is fascinated by the husband of her best friend.
It seems unlikely that this superb film version of a great play - after all, it does not seem accidental that Osborne's "angry young man" (Jimmy Porter) has long since become a figure of speech - will impress 'cool' young people as Peter Shelley from Australia who talks about "dull Ure" and finds it appropriate to refer to a wonderful supporting performance of the great Dame Edith Evans as "mention is made of Edith Evans in a nice turn". However, there is hope that a timelessly brilliant production as this will always and everywhere find its admirers - be they 19 or 90!

he learned to be angry early and never looked back
Perhaps Tony Richardson's film of the John Osborne play needs to be assessed at the time it was first released. In I Lost it at the Movies, Pauline Kael describes it as "bursting onto the screen, delivering some of the most electrifying dialogue of it's era". However seen today, it comes across as basically a conventional triangle, with Richard Burton's Jimmy Porter, known as an "angry young man", simply a frustrated cruel soul. Considering Burton's eloqution, it's hard to accept him as a working class hero, someone with lofty ambition but no means to achieve. He's the kind who settles for an income as a lolley seller in a street stall. When he does his "The Entertainer" vaudeville routines, one is more likely to be aghast than amused at the incompetence, since Burton is not the Archie Rice type. His Jimmy Porter famous rantings sound more like psychotic episodes, coming in reaction to some perceived blunder by his wife (Mary Ure), and one only wishes he could find the right medication to control his mood swings. Osborne gives us some pop psychology reasons for his anger and mysogyny - that he watched his father die when Jimmy was merely a boy, a death that his mother was indifferent to - but he remains a neurotic enigma. When Claire Bloom as a friend of Ure's, slaps him, he withdraws like a coward, confirming the earlier accusation when he had pushed Ure into an iron - though I suppose being a coward by not being aggressive is preferable to physical confrontation. Even when we see that perhaps his view of people can be true, in relation to Ure's middle class conservative parents, it doesn't make Burton any more likeable. Occassionally he gets a funny line eg he calls Bloom "a saint in Dior clothing", and at times is youthfully handsome. This film was made before his American success with Camelot, and his celebrity with Liz and Cleopatra. Richardson provides a nice cut from Burton crying for help to a group of running schoolchildren, and I liked how Bloom's slap leads to an embrace - the affair may not be a surprise since it's the usual animosity-hiding-desire, but Bloom is a welcome change to the dull Ure. Richardson actually gets an unintentional laugh when Ure is shown like a drowned rat to prefigure a loss. Mention is made of Edith Evans in a nice turn as a friend of Burton's. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Second string telling of the Custer story.
This is an example of what happens when a British film company tackles American history. The Custer story has been told in many films for many years. The various depictions are generally amusing in their fabrications, half-truths, historical inaccuracies, and outright lies. This film is essentially a B movie given a '60s Cinerama treatment that stresses visual presentation over substance. There is one long scene, for example, of a man escaping danger by riding down a miner's sluice. This segment is protracted, and one suspects it's only there to demonstrate Cinerama's camera technique. Custer (Robert Shaw, with Scottish burr intact) is depicted heroically. Reno (Ty Hardin) is disparaged as a drunken coward who failed to come to Custer's aid. The complexities of Custer's personality and the doubtful integrity of his motivations as an Indian fighter are not explored. The only Indians mentioned are the Cheyenne. The scriptwriters didn't add that the Native Americans at the Battle of Little Bighorn also included a major contingent of Sioux. Historical problems aside, the movie falters as an action-adventure film. The climactic battle is disappointingly lethargic. As Custer movies go, "Son of the Morning Star" is more accurate, and "They Died With Their Boots On" is better as an action-adventure film. ;-)

Excellent Film
Anchor Bay Entertainment comes through again with an exceptional print. What a movie! This is one of the best Western Legends ever filmed. Robert Shaw is Custer giving his own interpretation to this American hero. The photography is thrilling and spectacular and makes this film one of the most underrated movies ever released. Anchor Bay is the best company making DVDs. They are always crisp and clear and better than the major companies. Look for their titles.

MGM, please keep in touch with the times!
It seems hardly acceptable that in 2004 some studios still release widescreen DVDs without 16:9 enhancement. Well, this is the flaw that will bring my rating down to 3 stars. Too bad, because this DVD is otherwise nice-looking. And - oh yes, in case you're wondering - don't let the inaccurate mention on the jacket fool you: the film is presented in its correct 70 mm 2,20:1 aspect ratio, not in 1,85:1. Please MGM, also double-check your jackets!

Good transfer, but where's the stereo soundtrack?
This little-known Western epic from 1968 is flawed as biography, but is an action film first and foremost. Originally presented in 70mm Super Cinerama as a roadshow, this transfer begs the question - what happened to the 6-track stereophonic soundtrack? And, where are the overture and intermission? The picture is from 65mm negative/70mm print and is fairly sharp and clear, as befits the enlarged negative, but without the stereo sound, it becomes a hollow-sounding Western wannabe spectacular. Snaps to MGM/UA for actually releasing the full 141 minute version at all, but why not include all the accoutrements of the original presentation? The film was created for huge screens, and needs the support of the full-bodied original soundtracks to do the visuals justice. And those of us who love film always want the overture and intermission if the film was first presented that way!

Anchor Bay releases another quality product!!!
Anchor Bay has released the ultimate version of this classic movie!!! Presented in both Full and Widescreen versions, this DVD delivers!!! The picture and sound quality is superb!!! A true classic!!! Five Stars!!! A+ ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A simple story with excellent performances
"The Luck of Ginger Coffey" stars real-life couple Robert Shaw and Mary Ure as Irish immigrants in Montreal. A simple story of luck, love and tough times, Shaw especially gives a phenomenal performance as the somewhat escapist Coffey. Though the film's sound quality is somewhat lacking (you can't even understand the French Canadians speaking English!) this is an excellent film for students and fans of Shaw. ... Read more

Reviews (156)

A great War Movie
This movie, filled with drama, action, and a complex plot that will make your head spin, has it all. Richard Burton is dashing as the cold plotting secret agent who is leading his team on a mission to save D-Day from disaster. Clint Eastwood, here little more than a teenager, is wonderful as the somewhat befuddled American army ranger who cannot figure out why he is even on the mission.

Any attempt to go into detail about the story would ruin some of the fun. Suffice to say that you will be riveted both by the action and the performances. One note though, Burton's monologue is amazing.

If you like WWII movies and have not seen this one, you don't know what you are missing.

Trashy and absurd, but still fun
This is a campy movie, but enlivened by gorgeous scenery, unintentionally funny dialogue and some of the most unbelievable action scenes ever devised (count how many times Clint Eastwood reloads... never!)

Richard Burton is his usual over-acting self, and he delivers his lines with more bombast that usual. A favorite is when he's pretending to be SS Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler's brother in order to swagger around in a beerhall. Someone gets wise with him and Burton sneers, "My name is Bernard Himmler. Does the name mean anything to YOU? "

The last half hour of the movie is hilarious. Watch particularly the poker-faced Mary Ure, who hangs out of the back of a ski bus, machine gun in hand. She effortlessly mows down 10 German divisions single-handedly and never so much as twitches one facial muscle. Talk about a blase killer. Mary knocks off more German tanks, trunks and motorcycles in this movie than the Allied and Soviet forces achieved in all of World War II.

This is an enjoyable, escapist movie with plenty of laughs. Those of you who appreciate campy humor and enjoy ridiculing movies that take themselves too seriously will have a field day.

One of the Greatest War Films of All Time !
Quite simply one of the greatest war movies ever made. A top notch thriller loaded with action, espionage and double crosses, "Where Eagles Dare" is the kind of movie that Hollywood just doesn't make anymore. This isn't some politically correct drama steeped in reality. No, this is good guys vs. bad guys. This is pure unabashed fantasy which keeps the audience on the edge of its seat. This is just darn good entertainment!

Richard Burton is absolutely cunning as the British agent who leads an elite group of soldiers behind enemy lines and into a seemingly unpenetrable German castle to rescue an imprisoned American General. A young Clint Eastwood is the only American on the mission. Clint is his usual cool and calm self. However he, like the audience, isn't sure who to trust. Somebody's a double agent, but exactly who is anyone's guess. Don't worry about figuring it out, just sit back and enjoy the drama. You'll love the growing tension and suspicion between Burton and Eastwood.

The journey into the castle is classic heart-stopping drama. Even better is Burton's fight with a German soldier high atop a ski lift -- truly one of the most riveting action sequences ever filmed. Bullets are flyin' and bombs are blastin' throughout. In the end, heroes emerge while evil perpetrators get their just due. Classic, absolutely classic!

And yes, as several reviewers have noted, the stunning scenery and beautiful cinematography in this film would greatly benefit from a widescreen DVD treatment. So, how 'bout it, I want my DVD!

Commando raid at its most ludicrous
OK. Stellar star cast. I'll give you that and no dearth of action as well. But to portray the German Fallschirmjaeger and alpine troops as a bunch of bungling flat footed idiots is a little far fetched. It is history at its worst portrayal and hollywood action at its golden peak. Some dumbass marine from New Jersey might fall for this drivel but not well read students of history. It gets failing grade for portrayal of reality based fiction but gets high marks for choice of location and choice of cast. If you want a better war flick, pick Operation Daybreak.

Whats up with the dubbing
I happened to think that this was a cool movie.
Being a ex-marine I understand that alot of this
if not all of it is fantasy but hey its a movie not a documentary its suppose to be fun. My main concern was the dubbing was this an american movie or european ? it was Burtons and Eastwoods voices on the film but it was advanced meaning the sound occured before the action now I dont know if it was my dvd player I dont think so but man that was annoying ... Read more