*** Welcome to piglix ***

Birdman of Alcatraz (film)

Birdman of Alcatraz
Bird man of alcatraz342.jpg
original film poster by Saul Bass
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
Release date
  • July 3, 1962 (1962-07-03)
Running time
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.


...
Wikipedia

...