Now the world will know the story of the most defiant man alive!

Starring: Burt Lancaster, Karl Malden, Thelma Ritter, Neville Brand, Betty Field, Telly Savalas, Edmond O'Brien, Hugh Marlowe, Whit Bissell, Crahan Denton, James Westerfield, Robert Bailey, Nicky Blair

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Now, listen to me. Listen carefully. You fought your heart out for me. You fought your heart out for me, but the sun's gone down. And don't look for it to rise again. I want you to pretend that I'm a dead man. I want you to pretend... that you're standin' on my grave" - Robert Stroud to Stella

Why watch this? Jailed for life for murders he committed - a determined man finds a way to channels his energy. 

Plot Summary: This poignant prison drama focuses on the life of Robert Stroud, a man sentenced to life in solitary confinement at Leavenworth Prison for killing a prison guard. During his incarceration, he rescues a sparrow, then began a lifetime studying birds, becoming somewhat of an expert. He is a difficult man who never fully adjusts to prison authority, and he constantly protests his treatment. He is eventually transferred from Leavenworth to the island prison of Alcatraz, but he must leave his birds behind.

Dad's Preview:  This film is based on a true story, however, much of its depiction of Stroud is not true to the real man, who was not heroic in any manner. That said, critics and fans loved both Frankenheimer's direction and Lancaster's portrayal - his intense, brooding performance captures the essence of the slow torture of prison life, and how it is possible, even there, to occupy your time toward mental enrichment.

Norma Productions; United Artists