Birdman of Alcatraz (film)
| Birdman of Alcatraz | |
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original film poster by Saul Bass
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| Directed by | John Frankenheimer |
| Produced by |
Harold Hecht Stuart Millar Guy Trosper |
| Written by |
Thomas E. Gaddis (book) Guy Trosper |
| Starring |
Burt Lancaster Karl Malden Thelma Ritter Neville Brand Edmond O'Brien |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein |
| Cinematography | Burnett Guffey |
| Edited by | Edward Mann |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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143 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,650,000 |
Birdman of Alcatraz is a 1962 biographical drama film starring Burt Lancaster and directed by John Frankenheimer. It is a largely fictionalized version of the life of Robert Stroud, a federal prison inmate known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz" because of his life with birds. In spite of the title, much of the action is set at Leavenworth Prison, where Stroud was jailed with his birds. When moved to Alcatraz he was not allowed to keep any pets.
The film was adapted by Guy Trosper from the 1955 book by Thomas E. Gaddis. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Burt Lancaster), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Telly Savalas), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Thelma Ritter) and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.
Robert Stroud (Lancaster) is imprisoned as a young man for committing a murder in Alaska. He is shown as a rebellious inmate, fighting against a rigid prison system: on his way to jail by train he breaks open the window to allow the suffocating inmates to breathe. His rebellious attitude puts him in conflict with Harvey Shoemaker (Malden), the warden of Leavenworth Prison.
While in jail, Stroud learns that his mother (Ritter) tried to visit him but was denied and told to return later in the week. Outraged, he attacks a guard over the issue and the man is killed. Stroud is sentenced to death, but his mother runs a successful campaign and he is commuted to life in prison. The terms of the sentence require that he be kept in solitary confinement for the rest of his life.
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