Good concept, poorly executed.

Excellent, smart action film.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

I watched this again the other day for the first time since my original viewing about 40 years ago.As it so happens, I toured Alcatraz about 6 months ago and none of the scenes supposedly inside the prison were actually filmed at Alcatraz. This isn't surprising since Alcatraz was still an active prison at the time of filming.As far as the movie, Lancaster was superb and deserved his Oscar nomination. All of the other actors were also very fine except for Telly Savalas who was rather hammy as Feto Gomez. Lancaster had the mannerisms and gait a man might have who had spent 50 years in prison, nearly all of it in solitary. One of Lancaster's finest roles, if not his finest.I haven't read the book by Tom Geddis that this film is supposedly based on, but if the film was a faithful adaptation, then Geddis should have been paid as a novelist not as a nonfiction author.Stroud was not a nice man and did not appear to be rehabilitated or mellow as he aged - even though he became a renowned expert on birds while at Leavenworth. According to the National Park Service sources at Alcatraz, Stroud was a difficult, violent person almost until the end. Only his deteriorating health "mellowed" him, not his bird work.In the film Stroud (Lancaster) complains to Warden Shoemaker (Karl Malden) that the prison system was "repressive" and robbed men of their individuality. Oh, boo-hoo: murder is even more repressive and permanently robs the victims of their rights to individuality. In real life, Stroud continually demonstrated that he was a menace to others when he was in and out of prison. The film's attempts to soften or lessen the severity of Stroud's crimes and psychopathic personality was one of the things I found most disappointing in this treatment.There were other fabrications or omissions that detracted from the film for me: Stroud was an ardent homosexual (he often wrote homosexual erotica while in prison) who several times attempted to rape other prisoners. This aspect of his personality was not even remotely hinted at in the film. In addition, Stroud had no role whatsoever in the 1946 so-called "Battle of Alcatraz". This film paints him as someone who tried to make peace and who was instrumental in ending the assault. In fact, the weapons Stroud is shown dropping out the window in the movie were found on the dead inmates when authorities finally restored order.In summary, this movie is a fine example of a great director at the peak of his powers. The story is compelling and the acting is first rate. However, the plot is largely fictional and the viewer will learn almost nothing about Stroud himself. It is no more enlightening on Stroud than JFK was about the Kennedy assassination, which is why I gave this film a 7 instead of 8. As long as the viewer is aware that it is almost completely sanitized, they are encouraged to view and appreciate this excellent film.

Based on the true story of Robert Stroud, a convicted murderer who educated himself to the point of being a renowned ornithologist in jail, this prison drama offers a glimpse into human perseverance under adverse conditions. The hopelessness in lead actor Burt Lancaster's eyes is heartfelt as he is told that he ought to get used to his cell walls since he has been sentenced to isolated imprisonment for life, and there is much tension soon afterwards as he trains a bird for the first time before making this a newfound life ambition. Lancaster does well handling the gradual softening of his character, progressing realistically from angry and rude to polite, humble and serene. Karl Malden also offers a surprisingly three dimensional turn as his warden; while he initially seems like evil incarnate, his every insecurity breaks through brilliantly when he discovers Lancaster's intention to write a book about his perceived mistreatment. The film misses a good opportunity for complexity though by covering up some of the more unsavoury details of what Stroud was like. He seems a saint, an almost martyr at the end, constantly denied parole for apparently no reason (in reality, there were very good reasons). And yet, while a portrait of a more deeply flawed Stroud, for all his reforming, would have been more fascinating, 'Birdman of Alcatraz' is never less than totally enthralling as it is. Minutes fly by quite quickly for such a lengthy film and the glorious black and white photography produces some great images with the shadows of all the prison bars falling across the characters' faces.

Interesting and often heartwarming true story. A convicted double-murderer finds solace and peace through caring for birds in his prison cell. Well directed by John Frankenheimer: good use of camera angles to convey the isolation, and subsequent changes to the Birdman. Only negatives are that the story is quite linear, and a bit long-winded.Good performance by Burt Lancaster in the lead role, a performance for which he received an Oscar nomination. Telly Savalas and Thelma Ritter received Best Supporting Actor/Actress Oscar nominations for their performances. Good performance too from Karl Malden as the warden.

The Director is Well Known for his Social Commentary in Films and is at His Best when Exercising such Personal "Crusades". This is one of His most Popular Movies (but nowhere near his best). Mainly because it is a Reclamation of Redemption Perching Itself on top the Moral High Ground of Rehabilitation versus Capital Punishment.It takes a Goodly Amount of Liberties on the Real Life Robert Stroud, but the Movie is Nothing if not Inspirational. Not much really Happens Outside the Transformation of Killer to a Kinder Gentler Soul except His On-Going Sparring with the Toe-the-Line Warden. The Power of the Movie is how a Third Grade Dropout, with Nothing but Sheer Dedication, could become a World Renowned Ornithology Expert and Bestselling Author.In the Final Act it does have an Attempted Prison Break from Alcatraz, with The Birdman Watching from His Elevated Cage most of the Time. But this seems Tacked On and is of Little Consequence.After being Denied His Feathered Friends at Alcatraz the Prisoner turns His Attention to the History of the Cruel Prison System and even Writes a Book on the Subject that is Confiscated and Suppressed, but not Before Stroud makes a Compelling Speech about it to His Long Time Warden Nemesis, Played by Karl Malden. This again seems to be an Afterthought and not much is made of it.Overall it is a Thoroughly Likable Film, unlike the Real Life Birdman of Alcatraz. From all Reports He was not only a Double Murderer but a Wholly Unlikeable Person.