I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

What a story! What interpretative performances! Burt Lancaster is better than in any other film. Karl Malden the same. And Telly Savalas is a super delight. All three are competing themselves. A true masterpiece of director John Frankenheimer. And Neville Brand, Thelma Ritter, Betty Field, Edmond O'Brien, Whit Bissell, all are excellent. Movies with action in prison they have something special and this one has a very special charm. The scene after Harvey Shoemaker (Karl Malden) finds the manuscript of Robert Franklin Stroud's (Burt Lancaster) is the most important, what Stroud says to Shoemaker is the quintessential injustice in all prisons of the world.

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.

Thought-provoking studio of a prisoner , Robert Stroud , who during many years in prison became a world-renowned bird authority . At one point, the real Robert Stroud had over 400 birds in his cell . Burt Lancaster plays Stroud , in one of his best acting as the convict murderer and according to the biography of Robert Stroud , he killed the prison guard because he was denied a visit from his brother, not his mother as portrayed in the film. However , Robert Stroud really should be known as the "Birdman of Leavenworth," since it was there that he kept his birds and did his research , he was not actually allowed any birds during his time at Alcatraz. Due to this popular movie, the real Robert Stroud became one of the most famous inmates of the federal prison at Alcatraz, second only to mob boss 'Al Capone . The real Stroud was an extremely difficult and demented inmate who, though highly intelligent, was a vicious killer and a psychopath , spending 53 years in prison. Robert Stroud died the day before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; therefore news of his death was not well publicized. This is a pensive examen of an inmate and contains emotion , imaginative sidelights , interesting dialog ; though overlong and sometimes static . Very good acting by Burt Lancaster as a surly convicted murderer held in permanent isolation who redeems himself when he becomes a renowned bird expert .Well produced by the same Lancaster and United Artists . In fact , Burt Lancaster was forced by United Artists to make four films for $150,000 a picture in the 1960s: The young savages , The Alcatraz Birdman , The train and The Hallelujah trail rather than his normal fee of $750,000, because of cost overruns at his production company, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, for which he was personally responsible . Extraordinary support cast gives magnificent performance such as Karl Malden as Harvey Shoemaker , Thelma Ritter as Elizabeth Stroud , Neville Brand as Bull Ransom , Telly Savalas as Feto Gomez , Edmond O'Brien as Thomas Gaddis , Hugh Marlowe as Albert Comstock , Whit Bissell as Dr. Ellis and Betty Field as Robert Stroud's wife and business partner, whom he married while in jail, she was actually called Della Mae Jones . Atmospheric cinematography by Burnet Guffey , one of the main cameraman of Noir Film along with cinematographer John Alton , the latter was fired two weeks into production and replaced by Guffey . Evocative as well as sensitive musical score by Elmer Bernstein . The motion picture was stunningly directed by John Frankenheimer , though Charles Crichton was fired several weeks into production to be replaced . At the beginning Frankenheimer worked for TV and turned to the cinema industry with The Young Stranger (1957) . Disappointed his with first feature film experience he came back to his successful television career directing a total of 152 live television shows in the 50s . He took another opportunity to change to the big screen , collaborating with Burt Lancaster in The Young Savages (1961) and Birdman of Alcatraz (62) ending up becoming a successful director well-known by his skills with actors and expressing on movies his views on important social deeds and philosophical events and film-making some classics as ¨The Manchurian candidate¨, ¨Seven days of May¨ and ¨The Train¨ and , in addition , ¨Grand Prix¨ also with great car races . Later on , he went on directing nice films such as ¨I Walk the line¨, ¨The gypsy moths¨, ¨Black Sunday¨ ,¨French Connection 2¨, ¨Ronin¨, among others . Rating : Better than average and well worth seeing . The flick will appeal to Burt Lancaster fans .

In 1912, the notorious and violent prisoner Robert Franklin Stroud (Burt Lancaster) is transferred to the Leavenworth Prison convicted for murdering a man. When a guard cancels the visit of his mother Elizabeth Stroud (Thelma Ritter) due to a violation of the internal rules, he stabs and kills the guard and goes to trial three times. He is sentenced to be executed by the gallows, but his mother appeals to President Woodrow Wilson that commutes his sentence to life imprisonment. However, the warden Harvey Shoemaker (Karl Malden) decides to keep Stroud in the solitary for the rest of his life.One day, Stroud finds a sparrow that has fallen from the nest on the yard and he raises the bird until it is strong enough to fly. Stroud finds a motivation for his life raising and caring birds and becomes an expert in birds. He marries Stella Johnson (Betty Field) and together they run a business, providing medicine developed by Stroud. But a few years after, Stroud is transferred to Alcatraz and has to leave his birds behind. "Birdman of Alcatraz" is an impressive film based on a true story of a prisoner that finds a purpose of life raising and caring birds and becoming a recognized ornithologist by himself. Burt Lancaster has a top-notch performance in the role of Robert Franklin Stroud and the footages with birds are impressive. However, it seems that Stroud did not have the glamour of the character performed by Burt Lancaster and was actually a psychopath. My vote is nine.Title (Brazil): "O Homem de Alcatraz" ("The Man of Alcatraz")