Where Eagles Dare, the 1968 war film starring Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton, is set to air on BBC4 tonight, Thursday 22 October, at 7pm.
The adventure war film, directed by Brian G. Hutton, also features Mary Ure in a stellar cast. Set during the Second World War, it centres on a British Special Operations Executive team tasked with rescuing a captured American general from a fortress.
Mission to Schloß Adler
The fortress, known as Schloß Adler, which translates to Castle of the Eagles, is concealed within an alpine mountaintop and is only reachable by cable car. The team must employ cleverer tactics to reach the summit, first involving a disguise and, secondly, parachutes.
As the mission unfolds, it becomes far more complicated than anticipated, with a series of unexpected developments. Burton portrays Major John Smith, who helps lead the mission and arranges a clandestine meeting with his lover, British agent Mary Ellison, played by Mary Ure.
Critical and audience reception
Contemporary audiences continue to post glowing reviews online. One viewer on Rotten Tomatoes wrote: "Good action movie with a nice twist at the end. Worth viewing. Eastwood plays his usual Eastwood, but Burton is very good. The escape was very unrealistic but definitely Hollywood."
Another review said: "More plot twists in the last 20 minutes than a year's worth of movies! Still remember being on the edge of my seat during Clint and Richard's ride atop the lift to get to the castle when I first watched this in the early 70s. It's still exciting today."
Heaping praise on Burton's performance, one fan wrote: "Wow Richard Burton is a Badass! ! ! As cool as Clint is, this is 100% Burton's film. He is awesome in this. Never seen him like this before. The stunt work is top-notch along with a great soundtrack. The plot is so witty and clever with twists and turns the entire way."
Box office success and legacy
Where Eagles Dare was met with enormous success upon its 1968 release, raking in $6,560,000 at the North American box office, while also going on to become one of the most celebrated films of the year in the UK. One of the few criticisms levelled at it upon release was that some viewers found the plotline difficult to follow, which only further reinforces the notion that it is packed with plot twists.
One viewer commented: "Well paced movie with a solid plot, stellar cast, strong and smart dialogue, amazing stunt work and coordination. Modern movies could learn a lot from this one." The film is due to air on BBC4 tonight, Thursday 22 October, at 7pm.
