BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ

(July 1962, U.S.)

The one interesting thing I've noticed about prison films over the years is that the protaganist of the film is always either innocent of the crime that put them in prison, or the crime they're guilty of was a sympathetic one. The viewer cannot feel any heart or sympathy for an inmate who's guilty of rape, child molestation or anything else considered hideous by society. The real life subject of this film, Robert Stroud, allegedly killed a man who had viciously beaten his girlfriend. It's up to view to decide if he/she can find sympathy in a crime like that. Persoanally, I can.

Robert Stroud was known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz" because of his life with birds. In spite of the film's 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. Burt Lancaster plays Stroud and he was one of our most gifted actors, right up until his last appearance in FILED OF DREAMS (1989). He plays a hardened criminal, for sure, but there is such a gentleness to his mannerisms, his relationship with his birds and his longing for knowledge that you have to remind yourself of his incarceration. As the years pass, Stroud becomes an expert on bird diseases and even publishes a book on the subject. His writings are so impressive that a doctor describes him as a "genius". So why is it that all the geniuses in life are either convicts or schizophrenic nutcases (remember A BEAUTIFUL MIND?)?

Let me now talk about director John Frankenheimer for a moment, who was always hit and miss with me. He made some incredible films in his lifetime, but for as many hits as he had (THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, BLACK SUNDY, RONIN), there were just as many misses (FRENCH CONNECTION II, PROPHECY, THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU remake). I have to say, also, that it's a real fucking shame that his final theatrical "swan song" had to be the Ben Affleck movie, REINDEER GAMES (1999). Oh man, why did he have to go out like that??

Favorite line or dialogue:

Robert Stroud: "Tom? You know what they used to call Alcatraz in the old days?"
Tom Gaddis: "What?"
Robert: "Bird Island."
Tom (narrating): "Robert Stroud's petition for parole has been denied annually for 24 years. Age 72, he is now in his 53rd year of imprisonment."