Birdman of Alcatraz

Released Jul 3, 1962

2h 28m

Biography

Crime

Drama

List

91%

23 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Sentenced to life in solitary confinement after killing a prison guard, despondent inmate Robert Stroud (Burt Lancaster) combats loneliness and tedium by nursing an ailing bird back to health. Stroud develops an interest in caring for birds and becomes a talented ornithologist. After publishing a book on bird diseases from jail, he meets and marries Stella (Betty Field), a fellow bird enthusiast. When Stroud is suddenly moved to Alcatraz, though, his marriage and work are both threatened.

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A.H. Weiler

New York Times

Birdman of Alcatraz avoids the norm and has been fashioned with subtlety and care for characterization that is memorable and refreshing.

May 9, 2005

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: 4/5

Aug 1, 2002

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Burt Lancaster goes from coiled tension in the first half of this exemplary motion picture to beatific acceptance during the second part.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 31, 2021

Full Review

Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Burt Lancaster plays the role with a newfound subtlety and restraint.

Oct 11, 2019

Full Review

Dwight MacDonald

Esquire Magazine

The drama of his gradually converting his cell into a laboratory for the study of bird diseases is sure-fire material and Mr. Frankenheimer does justice to it; but it tails off at end into more prison melodrama.

Aug 1, 2019

Full Review

Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

It's a wonderful biopic and a lesson in persistence and hope.

Oct 30, 2018

Full Review

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david l

Birdman of Alcatraz is very well written in its dialogue and superbly acted by its talented cast with Burt Lancaster being excellent in the important main role. The movie is also beautifully shot, well directed and solidly scripted. My issue here lies in the slow pace, an overly fictionalized take on this real life story and an extremely bloated runtime, especially so for what is essentially a character study.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Birdman of Alcatraz sets up a fantastic story about an inmate who falls in love with the studies of birds. From the view of a murderer, this tale is an inspiring journey of kindness and forgiveness. This movie is great for anyone looking for a good drama to watch in their free time. Robert Stroud portrays an inmate exceptionally well and really draws out all the right emotions at all the right times. The filming has amazing cinematography, and mixed with the music leads to a gut-wrenching story that will leave you questioning many aspects of life.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wonderfully entertaining. But despite the raves for Lancaster, he is one of the main problems with it. Why does Lancaster always get himself in these movies playing withdrawn men, when the last thing he’s going to do is be withdrawn? He always pops into Lancasterisms. When he does his speech with the line ‘that don’t mean Billy be Damned’, I just role my eyes and say ‘well, there’s the same thing again’. I still rate it highly though, as an engrossing, very misleading biopic).

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/24/22

Full Review

Rich S

The truth about Robert Stroud is probably much different than this movie's portrayal of him. Burt Lancaster takes some steps toward showing some hard edges, but the viewer never loses sight that this was a human being who did some very important research -- and had a genuine love for birds.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/21/20

Full Review

steve d

Not my cup of tea but the acting is great.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This tediously overlong claustrophobic, virtue-signalling talk-fest belongs on a small screen. Why was this psychopathic homosexual killer so strangely sanctified. And why was the English director sacked (just as in 'The Train' two years later)

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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John Frankenheimer

Director

Burt Lancaster

Robert Stroud

Karl Malden

Harvey Shoemaker

Thelma Ritter

Elizabeth Stroud

Betty Field

Stella Johnson

Neville Brand

Bull Ransom

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Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Give Her Up

1:51

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Going Into Business

2:05

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Prison Riot

2:13

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Death of a Canary

2:13

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - A Convict's Rights

2:13

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Stupid Bird Tricks

2:12

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Leaving Alcatraz

1:57

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - I Give You My Word

1:45

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Learning to Fly

2:10

Birdman of Alcatraz: Official Clip - Solitary for Life

2:13

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Synopsis

Sentenced to life in solitary confinement after killing a prison guard, despondent inmate Robert Stroud (Burt Lancaster) combats loneliness and tedium by nursing an ailing bird back to health. Stroud develops an interest in caring for birds and becomes a talented ornithologist. After publishing a book on bird diseases from jail, he meets and marries Stella (Betty Field), a fellow bird enthusiast. When Stroud is suddenly moved to Alcatraz, though, his marriage and work are both threatened.

Director: John Frankenheimer
Producer: Harold Hecht
Screenwriter: Thomas E. Gaddis, Guy Trosper
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Norma
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 3, 1962, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 28m
Sound Mix: Mono

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