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Birdman of Alcatraz

"Inside the rock called Alcatraz they tried to chain a volcano they called 'The Bird Man'!"

1962-07-04 Drama 2hr 27m

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.

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Birdman of Alcatraz
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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.

  • Released
    1962-07-04
  • Revenue
    $3,100,000
  • Budget
    $2,650,000
  • Runtime
    2hr 27m
  • Genre
    Drama, Crime
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    7.8
  • Production
    Norma Productions, United Artists

Crew

Guy Trosper
Screenplay
Stuart Millar
Producer

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Cast

Burt Lancaster

Burt Lancaster

Robert Stroud
Karl Malden

Karl Malden

Harvey Shoemaker
Thelma Ritter

Thelma Ritter

Elizabeth Stroud
Neville Brand

Neville Brand

Bull Ransom
Betty Field

Betty Field

Stella Johnson
Telly Savalas

Telly Savalas

Feto Gomez
Edmond O'Brien

Edmond O'Brien

Tom Gaddis
Hugh Marlowe

Hugh Marlowe

Roy Comstock
Whit Bissell

Whit Bissell

Dr. Ellis
James Westerfield

James Westerfield

Jess Younger
Robert Bailey

Robert Bailey

Reporter on Dock (uncredited)
Nicky Blair

Nicky Blair

Inmate (uncredited)
Mushy Callahan

Mushy Callahan

Inmate (uncredited)
James J. Casino

James J. Casino

Inmate (uncredited)
Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Noble 'Kid' Chissell

Inmate (uncredited)
John Indrisano

John Indrisano

Inmate (uncredited)
Pete Kellett

Pete Kellett

Inmate (uncredited)
David McMahon

David McMahon

Inmate (uncredited)
Pat Moran

Pat Moran

Inmate (uncredited)
Ben Roseman

Ben Roseman

Inmate (uncredited)
Frankie Van

Frankie Van

Inmate (uncredited)
Robert Burton

Robert Burton

Sen. Ham Lewis (uncredited)
Lewis Charles

Lewis Charles

Chaplain Wentzel (uncredited)
Nick Dennis

Nick Dennis

Crazed Prisoner (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney

Mike Mahoney

Bit Part (uncredited)
Raymond Greenleaf

Raymond Greenleaf

Judge (uncredited)
William Hansen

William Hansen

Fred Daw (uncredited)
Wayne Heffley

Wayne Heffley

Guard (uncredited)
Michael Masters

Michael Masters

Guard (uncredited)
Joe McGuinn

Joe McGuinn

Guard (uncredited)
Victor Romito

Victor Romito

Guard (uncredited)
Anton von Stralen

Anton von Stralen

Guard (uncredited)
Robert B. Williams

Robert B. Williams

Guard (uncredited)
William Hoehne Jr.

William Hoehne Jr.

Guard Kenny (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel

Dale Van Sickel

Alcatraz Guard (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard

Kermit Maynard

Alcatraz Captain of Guards (uncredited)
Harry Holcombe

Harry Holcombe

Editor (uncredited)
Fred Libby

Fred Libby

Reporter (uncredited)
Len Lesser

Len Lesser

Burns (uncredited)
Edward Mallory

Edward Mallory

John Clary (uncredited)
Adrienne Marden

Adrienne Marden

Mrs. Woodrow Wilson (uncredited)
George Mitchell

George Mitchell

Father Matthieu (uncredited)
Leo Penn

Leo Penn

Eddie Kassellis (uncredited)
Chris Robinson

Chris Robinson

Logue (uncredited)
Michael Ross

Michael Ross

Convict Qualen's Friend (uncredited)
Phil Schumacher

Phil Schumacher

Detective (uncredited)
Ray Spiker

Ray Spiker

Appleton - Murdered Guard (uncredited)
Harry Jackson

Harry Jackson

Reporter (uncredited)
Raoul Freeman

Raoul Freeman

Guard (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

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Birdman of Alcatraz

Movie Reviews

Reviews for Birdman of Alcatraz
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 8

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2024-07-20

It's barely the start of the twentieth century when Stroud (Burt Lancaster) starts his long career in jail. He is already guilty of murder b... read more

It's barely the start of the twentieth century when Stroud (Burt Lancaster) starts his long career in jail. He is already guilty of murder before he loses the plot with a malevolent guard and adds to his crimes. Sentenced to swing, it's only the direct intervention by his mother with the President himself, that sees his punishment commuted and him returned to the prison run by the psychologically brutal Harvey Shoemaker (Karl Malden) who rules his empire like it were a fiefdom - and Stroud is never to leave solitary confinement. On his brief daily wander round the prison yard he discovers a sparrow that has broken it's wing falling from it's nest. He decides to try and help it and after some extensive study becomes a bit of an expert in avian medicine and manages to help his new wife "Stella" (Betty Field) run a specialist business. The a transfer comes. To Acatraz he must go - and shortly after his arrival, he finds himself under the command of his old antagonist. Shoemaker is no thug, though - he does begin to develop a bit of a grudging respect for "Stroud" all while he starts from scratch with his bird business and, as the title suggests, begins to work on a plan even more audacious. Lancaster is super here. He plays the part to perfection with a balance of the violent, the calculating and the delicate that I think is pretty much unmatched in cinema. Malden also serves as an effective foil as the intellectual cat and mouse game becomes more attritional, sophisticated and powerfully portrayed. If there ever was a film about imprisonment offering lack of opportunity and purpose, this is it - and what's clear is that the authorities would have actively encouraged Stroud's gradual decline into cerebral morbidity had he not been astute enough to galvanise his friends on the outside and keep his wits sharp - and that's equally well presented by Guy Trosper's potent screenplay. The supporting cast is also strong with powerful efforts from Whit Bissell, Edmond O'Brien and Neville Brand helping to deliver classic big screen cinema that allows the star to be undeniably that.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by CinemaSerf

It's barely the start of the twentieth century when Stroud (Burt Lancaster) starts his long career in jail. He is already guilty of murder before he loses the plot with a malevolent guard and adds to his crimes. Sentenced to swing, it's onl...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 8

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2024-07-20

It's barely the start of the twentieth century when Stroud (Burt Lancaster) starts his long career in jail. He is already guilty of murder before he loses the plot with a malevolent guard and adds to ...

read more