The Eagle Has Landed

Rating:
Summary: The eagle flies better the first time in print.
Review: Based on Jack Higgin's legendary thriller novel with the same name, the screen version of "The Eagle Has Landed" never quite matches the brilliance of the in-print version. Or perhaps it's just because the premise of the novel and the magnificent twist at the end can only have its magical effect once? The plot is set in the context of the Second World War, and concerns a daring German attempt to kidnap British leader Winston Churchill while he visits a country retreat. The German plot combines the efforts of Nazi paratroopers disguised as Poles, and an eccentric lone IRA killer called Liam Devlin. But the plot goes awry when the Polish disguise wears thin, and when Liam develops a romantic interest with one of the local girls. In addition to the military conflict that ensues as the Germans take over the village, there is the character conflicts between Liam and his girl, and the psychological conflict between love and loyalty. The plot trips along merrily until a spine-tingling conclusion with a huge and satisfying twist at the end. I don't want to spoil the twist for first-time viewers who will probably enjoy this as an adventurous thriller, but those who are already familiar with the story-line will find that the heart of the story has been ripped out for them. It's a great story, but perhaps enjoyed best in print, and once only. The magic is only there once, and this film just doesn't quite have it.

Rating:
Summary: Once you have read the book, see the movie....
Review: Definitely a good movie. However, I think that if you go into it blind (without having read the book), it will be a little confusing for the first 20 minutes or so. However, once the characters and plot are introduced, the movie can stand on it's own.

Michael Caine is very believable as a German officer. Donald Sutherland is a natural for an Irish Rogue.

The only reason I give it four stars instead of five is bacause of the first 15 - 20 minutes.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!! What an adaptation!!
Review: Great work and what a great adaptation from Jack Higgins' bestseller!! I really enjoyed this movie and book so much! It is so much like the book. Nothing changes.

Rating:
Summary: Omissions...
Review: I agree, correct errors and omissions in the listing. For example, this film is ONLY in widescreen format!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent casting lifts War thriller well above average
Review: I always felt this movie was ahead of it's time, and it's a fairly faithful interpretation of the excellent Jack Higgins novel of the same name. Michael Caine plays Col Steiner, a specialist and decorated leader of an elite paratrooper force, recruited by Col Radl (Robert Duvall) on a top secret mission to kidnap Winston Churchill. As hair brained as the scheme appears, Caine and his team appear to have a reasonable chance at success as the movie builds, and the storyline moves nicely with a tension and drama that is often gripping. There is some interesting social comment going on here as well with regard to the portrayal of Caine and his men, in so far as they were brave and honorable, and for the most part following orders, without subscribing to politics. In 1976 Germany was still trying to shrug off it's past and having spent some time there, I know you really didn't have to look far to find members of the now older generation, who were outrightly opposed to the Nazi regime. This side of Caines character (that infuriates his superiors) cleverly puts you the audience almost on his side, and like the more recent, and excellent Movie "Das Boot", you watch, and realise that soldiers were soldiers during this awful conflict, regardless of uniform color, driven more often by patriotism, than fanatiscism. Donald Sutherland is excellent as Devlin, a German / Irish spy sent ahead to the small English village with the help of some local collaboration, to pave the way for Caine and his men. Larry Hagman is intentionally laughably inadeqaute as the Officer in charge of the local American detachment on guard, who seem to be no match for Caines elite band. There are a few twists and turns, and the action flicks between the mission in England, and Duvall's angst in France, knowing he takes the glory OR the blame depending on how the events turn out. This is an excellent war movie, with solid acting, an airtight script and clever direction. Yet another release that drifted away into obscurity after failing to please at the box office, it's a welcome DVD release, and superb entertainment. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: When I was a child...
Review: I only have to say that I hardly remember this film, but I think the scene of the waterwheel is amazing... The probleme is that I'm not able to find it translated into Spanish... Does anuybody outhere where can I find it?

Thank you very much

Please reply me to: [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: A THOUSAND APOLOGIES TO ARTISAN
Review: I wrote a review against this DVD because it was supposed to be presented in pan&scan. The information is WRONG. The Eagle has Landed has a widescreen presentation and surround sound. Therefore, if you like war thrillers, this movie is most certainly a good buy and ARTISAN has restored the full 134 mn version with its proper theatrical aspect ratio. This is what DVD stands for.

Rating:
Summary: Classic Adventure Film
Review: In spite of an all start cast giving excellent performances, this fanciful, classic WW2 adventure pales in comparison with the book upon which it is based. Having read the novel first, I admit I was sorely disappointed by the film version. However, if you've only seen (and enjoyed) the movie, you will be in for a treat when you read the book!

Rating:
Summary: Classic Adventure Film
Review: In spite of an all start cast giving excellent performances, this fanciful, classic WW2 adventure pales in comparison with the book upon which it is based. Having read the novel first, I admit I was sorely disappointed by the film version. However, if you've only seen (and enjoyed) the movie, you will be in for a treat when you read the book!

Rating:
Summary: "...A simple exercise in logistics."
Review: Last week, as I made one of my "lightning strikes" to my favorite video store, I spied another "must-have" for my DVD collection: "The Eagle Has Landed," a World War II thriller based on Jack Higgins's novel of the same name. I remember the movie vividly because I saw it in 1976, shortly after it hit the theaters. At the time I thought it was a fantastic movie! Now, after viewing it on DVD 25 years later, my enthusiastic admiration for this film is undiminished.

It is 1943. The world is at war. In Europe, the Nazi empire has reached its terrible zenith. The Allies are beginning to cobble together the men and materiel needed to defeat Adolf Hitler and his Nazi hordes. But the time is not yet ripe for the allies to invade Europe; that confrontation is still a year off. Still, there's a sense that the tide has already begun to turn away from Germany. Europe is in a stalemate.

Hitler conjures up in his twisted mind a fantastic idea: kidnap British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and bring him - alive - to Germany. The British, and hence her allies, would be forced to sue for peace.

The mission is to be headed by Colonel Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine), a hard-bitten, highly decorated veteran of the battle of Stalingrad. Steiner and his fanatically loyal band of men have recently been sent to a penal colony on an island in the English Channel. Their crime: attempting to save the life of a Jewish woman. Radl offers Steiner and his men clemency if they undertake the mission to kidnap Churchill. Also a part of the plot: an Irish Republican Army "soldier" named Liam Devlin (played by Donald Sutherland)

The mission gets underway with great aplomb. The kidnapping is to take place in a little town on the north Norfolk coast, which Churchill is due to visit that autumn. Devlin takes his place as a "marsh warden," and another agent, Joanna Gray (Jean Marsh), is already living in the area. Steiner and his men disguise themselves as Polish paratroopers on maneuvers. It looks like nothing can stop them...

...Until one of Steiner's men tries to save the life of a little girl, and his Polish uniform gets torn, revealing his Nazi uniform underneath.

How will Steiner react once his "cover" is blown? What will happen once the American troops billeted in the area, under the command of the inept, "Colonel Blimp"-like Colonel Pitts, get wind of the fact that German commandos are in the area? Will word get to Churchill in time to stop him from making his visit? I guess you'll have to watch the movie and find out!!

The first one-third of the film is a little slow as details of the plot emerge. However, once the scene shifts from Germany to Britain, and the mission gets underway, the movie really takes off. Director John Sturges and writers Jack Higgins and Tom Mankiewicz do a masterful job of building tension throughout the second half of "The Eagle Has Landed." There are numerous plot twists to keep viewers guessing as to what will happen next. Just about when you think you have things figured out...

Lots of excellent performances here... most notable are Larry Hagman, who played the burly, blustering, pompous Colonel Fitts; Robert Duvall as Colonel Max Radl, Michael Caine as Colonel Steiner; Donald Plesance as Himmler; and Donald Sutherland as Devlin. Duvall, Caine, and Himmler imbue their characters with an appropriate level of malignancy, without resorting to stereotype. I did find Sutherland's woeful attempt at an Irish accent to be a bit annoying at times.

All of these fine actors bring great credibility to their diverse roles. None of the performances are particularly "deep" or challenging, but then again, neither is the film...

The DVD is pretty good. Video quality is a little suspect, with several faded scenes and a bit of pixellization. Audio is also about average for a 1970s-vintage film.

"The Eagle Has Landed" isn't a historical drama. a "biopic," or a movie that conveys a deep message about the evils of war. With a strong ensemble cast, excellent screenplay, and well executed action sequences, it's part action-packed war film, part spy thriller, and just plain, good old-fashioned, top-notch entertainment.