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75% Critic Match
Birdman of Alcatraz
“Inside the rock called Alcatraz they tried to chain a volcano they called 'The Bird Man'!”
7.5 / 10• 1962• 2h 27m•NR• English
DramaCrimeHistory
Storyline
After killing a prison guard, convict Robert Stroud faces life imprisonment in solitary confinement. Driven nearly mad by loneliness and despair, Stroud's life gains new meaning when he happens upon a helpless baby sparrow in the exercise yard and nurses it back to health. Despite having only a third grade education, Stroud goes on to become a renowned ornithologist and achieves a greater sense of freedom and purpose behind bars than most people find in the outside world.
Cast & Crew
Burt Lancaster
Robert Stroud
Lead
Karl Malden
Harvey Shoemaker
Thelma Ritter
Elizabeth Stroud
Neville Brand
Bull Ransom
Betty Field
Stella Johnson
Telly Savalas
Feto Gomez
Edmond O'Brien
Tom Gaddis
Hugh Marlowe
Roy Comstock
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. John Frankenheimer's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. Birdman of Alcatraz is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
