Where Eagles Dare

 One of the most thrilling and fun action films I have seen in a long time, "Where Eagles Dare" is for the war buff fan that is tired of the psychological war drama's that have been a fad for a while. It's the anti "Saving Private Ryan" film that let's you enjoy the gun play and violence while providing the thrills and the stylish action sequences that have served as later influence for other war films like Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds".

The film stars Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood, written by Alistair Maclean and directed by Brian G. Hutton who would go on to direct Eastwood again on another war film  "Kelly's Heroes".

 The film starts off in the winter of 1943-44, an important Brigadier General was captured by the Nazis and is being held prisoner at Schloß Adler, a formidable fortress located high above the Alps that the people said only eagles can reach.

A team of elite British Commando's are immediately assembled to retrieve the General before important information is extracted from him that will involve plans for the D-day invasion. The team is lead by a Major John Smith (Burton) and a US Army Ranger Lieutenant Morris Schaffer (Eastwood), their mission along with Smith's Commandos is to parachute into enemy lines and infiltrate the fortress disguised as Nazi Officers and rescue the General. As the mission starts 2 of their members wind up dead, the first member killed after the parachute drop and the second killed after leaving the bar that the group was trying to hide in.

The group split into 2 as Smith and Schaffer makes contact with the spy they planted at the fortress Mary Elison (Mary Ure) and blow up a supply depot, while the other 3 commandos Thomas (William Squire), Christiansen (Donald Houston) and Berkeley (Peter Backworth) are captured by the Germans.
This film sets off spectacular action sequences complete with killings and massive explosions but also provides an exhilarating espionage plot that made it more interesting.

 Real life Lady Killers Mr. Eastwood and Mr. Burton

Though I had problems believing the commandos capabilities, mainly Richard Burton who was probably the most out of shape commando I have seen on film and Eastwood who never said a single word until the start of the adventure.

The director was able to cover these faults with dangerous stunts and action packed sequences that made it more fun and made me forget that I was watching an almost 3 hour long film. I also loved Burton's show of duplicity and cunning particularly the scene where they burst into the interrogation of the General (who turned out to be fake) and made them believe Smith was a spy himself.

It's also amusing to see Eastwood playing second fiddle to Burton because I hardly see him take orders from anybody on film, in fact on this film he looked more like the Frankenstein monster rarely talking and just taking orders from the Mad scientist but he becomes interesting when he shoots people when the action starts. Although the story and action sequences are rather outrageous, the film is more fun than other war films that I have seen because it doesn't take itself too seriously, the characters instead are more focused on getting the job done rather than trying to inject a sense of morality and humanity in the chaos of war. This film is definitely a must see with both guns blazing.

 You can bet Mr. Eastwood gave it to this chick

Grade: B