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The Birdmen

  • TV Movie
  • 1971
  • 1h 14m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
355
YOUR RATING
The Birdmen (1971)
DramaHistoryWar

During World War II, American soldier Harry Cook is sent to Norway to aid in the defection of a scientist working on the atomic bomb for the Germans. Before they can escape Europe, they are ... Read allDuring World War II, American soldier Harry Cook is sent to Norway to aid in the defection of a scientist working on the atomic bomb for the Germans. Before they can escape Europe, they are captured and sent to a POW prison camp in a high alpine castle on the German-Swiss border.... Read allDuring World War II, American soldier Harry Cook is sent to Norway to aid in the defection of a scientist working on the atomic bomb for the Germans. Before they can escape Europe, they are captured and sent to a POW prison camp in a high alpine castle on the German-Swiss border. Cook must find a way to escape with the scientist before the Gestapo discover the Norwegi... Read all

  • Director
    • Philip Leacock
  • Writer
    • David Kidd
  • Stars
    • Doug McClure
    • Rene Auberjonois
    • Richard Basehart
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    355
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Philip Leacock
    • Writer
      • David Kidd
    • Stars
      • Doug McClure
      • Rene Auberjonois
      • Richard Basehart
    • 20User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos64

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    Top cast19

    Edit
    Doug McClure
    Doug McClure
    • Major Harry Cook
    Rene Auberjonois
    Rene Auberjonois
    • Halden Brevik…
    Richard Basehart
    Richard Basehart
    • Schiller
    Max Baer Jr.
    Max Baer Jr.
    • Tanker
    Chuck Connors
    Chuck Connors
    • Colonel Morgan Crawford
    Don Knight
    Don Knight
    • Focus Flaherty
    Greg Mullavey
    Greg Mullavey
    • Sparrow
    Paul Koslo
    Paul Koslo
    • Davies
    Barry Brown
    Barry Brown
    • Donnelly
    Tom Skerritt
    Tom Skerritt
    • Orville Fitzgerald
    Charles Aidman
    Charles Aidman
    • Opening Narration
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Genadii Biegouloff
    • Bridski
    • (uncredited)
    Karl Bruck
    Karl Bruck
    • Chef
    • (uncredited)
    Bob Harks
    Bob Harks
    • Mourner
    • (uncredited)
    Peter Hellman
    • Konrad
    • (uncredited)
    Steve Ismay
    • German Soldier
    • (uncredited)
    Norbert Meisel
      Rolf Niehus
      • Helmut Weber
      • (uncredited)
      • Director
        • Philip Leacock
      • Writer
        • David Kidd
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      User reviews20

      6.6355
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      Featured reviews

      7robert_coburn

      The song that was sung.

      I loved the movie, but always wanted to know what was the song the the prisoners sung and why it so bothered the guards. Here is the song with the translation and explanation.
      9chrisjones-5

      an amazing film full of information and knowledge

      Colditz Castle has always been considered a place of high security. However, if Chuck Norris had been present it would have surely ensured that more men would have escaped form this famous prison.

      Set high on a hill above the small town of Colditz, the sleepy village was unaware of the tensions and drama that lived within the dark and cold walls of the castle. The lessons learned within those hallowed walls held both prisoners and guardians in good stead in the free world till this day.

      Chuck Connors, a master character actor, plays a believable portrait of a man fighting against the forces of evil. His flight from the castle was quite inspiring and must be used for all future Colditz films.

      Be sure to view "The Colditz Story" which can only pale against this epic.

      I highly recommend it to all collectors of serious war movies.
      9lalara

      I've Found You At Last !

      I saw this movie twice on TV in the 70's when I was only ten years old and it became my favorite movie of all time. It also made me fall in love with Rene Auberjonois. I've been searching for any news on it for THIRTY years. I even wrote to Rene to see if he could give me any info. Now here you are. People just like me who love this movie. I thought I was all alone. I've found you at last. It's been a long time to wait.For 15 years I didn't even have the name of the movie correct which made it very difficult. When people ask me what my favorite movie is and I reply "The Birdmen", they look at me like I've got a banana growing out of my ear. When all alone I've been one of a chosen few. It must be a classic movie to have endured all these years and still have an active fan base.
      5ma-cortes

      story of a group of Allied POWs who have been sent to the most heavily guarded prison camp in Germany and attempting to escape

      Passable warlike movie with a memorable escape and outstanding acting by well-known TV faces .This is an acceptable film set in Germany 1943 about a daring breakout from inescapable Nazi concentration camp in a high alpine castle ,with all-Television-star-cast and professionally realized . Here troublesome allied Pows are thrown by the Nazis into a stirring and breathtaking breakout . As the only tool they had were their hands , yet they beat the Nazi's escape-proof fortress by building an airplane inside their prison . The film shows how the POWs had to live in Colditz, during World War II . It deals with an American soldier Harry Cook (Doug McClure) is sent to Norway to aid in the defection of a scientist (Rene Auberjonois) working on the atomic bomb for the Germans. Before they can escape Europe, they are captured and sent to a POW prison camp on the German-Swiss border. Cook must find a way to escape with the scientific before the camp commander Schiller (Richard Basehart) and the Gestapo find out the Norwegian's true identity. The continuous escapes have caused the Nazi staff ordered 'putting all the rotten eggs in one basket' as the prisoners are reunited into this special concentration camp . It concerns about the hard preparatives of a diverse group formed by rebel officers and soldiers mounting a dangerous getaway from an impregnable and strongly controlled camp . The most part of the film concerns on the elaborated process of secretly carry out the manufacturing a glider and the last one deals with spectacular breakout . The race is on to complete the glider before the German guards discover the plane, and the Gestapo catch up with Cook and the scientist . The prisoners in Colditz Castle make many attempts to escape captivity from the arrival of the first prisoners until the liberation of the castle by the Americans in 1945 . Set in Colditz , it was a "special" camp, designed by the Nazis to hold high-risk and politically important prisoners . Although the flight of the Colditz glider did not happen as originally planned, two full-sized replicas of the glider were built and flown to discover if the plan would have worked . They used to boast there were only two ways to escape from Hitler's Beckstadt prison... to die...or to sprout wings .

      Bland actioner that pretends to be a thrilling movie but spends a lot of time retelling poorly and in middle budget the difficult preparatives until the exciting final escape . This moving story contains thrills, intrigue, tension, excitement galore, entertainment and impressive finale . Suspenseful WWII packs exceptional plethora of prestigious actors incarnating the motley group of POWs , giving good acting and a great support cast , until an intriguing conclusion with lots of excitement at its end . The film was loosely based on a true story. Allied prisoners-of-war held at Colditz Castle constructed a similar glider under the noses of their captors , but did not complete the aircraft until after D-Day . Set almost entirely within a reconstruction of the now-famous castle-fortress prisoner-of-war camp during WWII, there is little in the way of physical action . Instead we're treated to some of the best form of "mind games" and psychological manoeuvring and competition you can hope to see on TV, as the two sides constantly strive to get one over on the other. It dispenses with usual protocol , a good Nazi : Richard Basehart and Nazi bad guys : the Gestapo men . The Allied prisoners are determined not to be beaten mentally by their surroundings and look for every possible means of escape, while the Germans are always on their toes, looking for clues about possible break-outs and ways in which the Allied prisoners are trying to outsmart them . During their captivity a few went insane some died while trying to escape and some made a succesful escape . Doug McClure, the famous ¨Trampas¨ gives a compelling acting as Cook who convinces the other prisoners to build a two person glider that can fly to Switzerland . His contender is the veteran Richard Basehart as the tough but understanding Nazi commandant Schiller . They are well accompanied by a superb ensemble support cast such as : Max Baer Jr. , Chuck Connors , Don Knight , Paul Koslo , Barry Brown , Tom Skerritt , Charles Aidman and Karl Swenson. The motion picture was profesional , though regularly directed by Philip Leacock . He was a good craftsman who made all kinds of geners : Drama , thriller , Film Noir ,comedy , Terror, Wartime , and working as TV as cinema , such as : 3 sovereigns for Sarah , Angel city , The curse of King Tut's tomb , Killer on board , Baffled , Shattered silence , War lover , Let no man write my epitaph , Wild and whooly , Dying room only , The Spanish gardener , Escapade , among others . Rating : passable and aceptable . 5.5/10 .

      This one belongs to popular sub-genre about life and escapes from concentration camps , such as : ¨Stalag¨ 17 by Billy Wilder with William Holden , ¨Colditz¨ (original title) 1972 with David MacCallum , Jack Hedley , Robert Wagner , Edward Hardwicke , ¨Victory¨ by John Huston with Sylvester Stallone , Michael Caine , Max Von Sidow , and the best of all them : ¨The great escape¨ (1963) by John Sturges with Steve McQueen , Donald Pleasence , James Coburn , James Garner , James Donald ; followed by an inferior sequel : ¨The great escape : the untold story¨1988 by Jud Taylor and Paul Wendkos with Christopher Reeve , Jud Hirsch , Ian MacShane .
      8ejmc111

      Where are these movies today?

      What a great movie and story. A story based on the Colditz Castle Prisoners of war tale. Believable characters because they are based on real people. This isn't your average escape movie, as it highlights the inventiveness of the human spirit when held captive. This is a prime example of how to tell a story through a movie, No "reimagined" tales, no artsy representations of what happened... just a solid telling of a story that is amazing, and at the same time unbelievable. A good ensemle of actors that play very well as a group of men thrown together in a dire situation, and end up striving toward a common selfless goal. This is a movie that still stands up today, and I only wish there were a remastered copy of this movie out there. Great fodder for a remake...and I mean "REMAKE" not a reimagined story full of unnecessary fluff. I am just not sure that there are actors today who could be put in a film together and not have their egos ruin the production. This is one of those films that you watch familiar stars all "play nice" together, and it made a great movie that I was happy to find on DVD after first seeing it almost 50 years ago as a little kid. I love movies, and I must say that this move is one of my favorites from yesteryear. Beyond this being a great film it is a great story. Ingenuity, planning, and the inventiveness to overcome insurmountable odds and successfully accomplish the impossible is the theme that stands the test of time. This is a story of a time when men were men, and thses men would put others before themselves without hesitation for a cause.

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      Related interests

      Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
      Drama
      Liam Neeson in Schindler's List (1993)
      History
      Band of Brothers (2001)
      War

      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        The film was loosely based on a true story. Allied prisoners-of-war held at Colditz Castle constructed a similar glider under the noses of their captors, but did not complete the aircraft until after D-Day. Rather than use the glider to escape, the prisoners determined to use it to coordinate their actions with Patton's forces. As it turned out, the German garrison surrendered to the Americans without firing a shot.
      • Goofs
        Before the wing snaps on the model glider, a quick shot shows the plane to have wing struts. The model glider had none.
      • Quotes

        Schiller: Major, I'm afraid we are both in a great deal of trouble.

        Cook: Why don't you break out the scotch first? My leg is killing me!

      • Connections
        Referenced in Chicken Run (2000)
      • Soundtracks
        Die Gedanken Sind Frei
        (uncredited)

        Nineteenth Century German Folk Song

        Sung by the Cast

        Performed at the funeral of a slain prisoner of war

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      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • September 18, 1971 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Escape of the Birdmen
      • Production companies
        • Silverton Productions
        • Universal Television
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Tech specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        • 1h 14m(74 min)
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.33 : 1

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