Monday, March 26, 2018

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)



In 1955, Thomas E. Gaddis, a prison consultant, psychologist and writer, profiled the remarkable story of prisoner Robert Stroud in his book Birdman of Alcatraz. A few years after its publication, 20th Century Fox was interested in adapting the biography into a movie. They received pressure by the Federal Beureau of Prisons to abandon the project which they eventually did. It took Burt Lancaster, an actor with the resources and the gumption to make things happen to bring Stroud’s story to the silver screen.

What made Robert Stroud’s story so captivating? Imprisoned for murder, Stroud spent 54 years of his life behind bars, and 42 of those was in solitary confinement. He rebelled against the prison system, killing a prison guard when he was denied a family visit and writing two books which cast doubt on how prisons were being managed. Stroud became famous for his work studying birds earning his name as the Birdman of Alcatraz. He rehabilitated and kept sparrows and canaries and developed medicine to cure a particularly stubborn disease that was killing his canaries en masse. His study contributed to the study of avian pathology in a big way.

With Stroud, Lancaster had an agenda. He admired Stroud’s resilience and said "Stroud will not kowtow. He will not make polite amends for what he has done." According to Lancaster biographer Kate Buford, "[Lancaster] hoped [his film] would galvanize the audience... and came to believe the movie would be the vehicle to free the prisoner."

Karl Malden, Neville Brand and Burt Lancaster in Birdman of Alcatraz
Karl Malden, Neville Brand and Burt Lancaster in Birdman of Alcatraz

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) stars Burt Lancaster as Robert Stroud, a pimp accused of killing a man who beat up one of his prostitutes. He’s sent to Leavenworth Penitentiary and is under the supervision of prison guard Bull Ransom (Neville Brand). The prison warden Harvey Shoemaker (Karl Malden) is a strictly-by-the-book kind of guy. He believes he can rehabilitated even the worst criminal if they follow his rules. Stroud presents a challenge to Shoemaker’s way of thinking. When Stroud is denied a visit by his mother (Thelma Ritter), he kills one of the prison officials. His mother petitions on his behalf, saving him from execution but he must pay the price of his crime with life imprisonment in solitary confinement. We follow his story throughout the decades as he befriends fellow inmate Feto Gomez (Telly Savalas) and as he helps save and raise an abandoned sparrow. Stroud develops a keen interest in birds and uses not only his smarts but also prison regulation loopholes to raise the canaries in his cell. He becomes famous on the outside for his study on the diseases affecting canaries and befriends an aviary enthusiast Stella (Betty Field). The two create a business together and marry so that they can continue their work. We follow Stroud’s story until he his transferred to Alcatraz, lives through the famous prison riot, eventually leaves the island, meets with his biographer Gaddis (Edmond O’Brien) and is transferred to another facility.

There are no spoilers here because the timeline follows closely the events in the real Stroud’s life. However, Lancaster’s Robert Stroud is essentially different from the real man and many elements of the story are fictionalized. While Lancaster had high hopes that the movie would make an impact and help Stroud finally get parole, it ultimately didn’t. The biggest impediment was Stroud's notorious reputation. He was far more violent than the movie depicted and the Federal Bureau of Prisons classified him as a “violent homosexual.” Stroud died the year after the film’s release and never got to see Lancaster’s portrayal of his life.


Burt Lancaster in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
Burt Lancaster in Birdman of Alcatraz

Birdman came after a string of notable films for Lancaster including Elmer Gantry (1960), The Young Savages (1961) and Judgement at Nuremberg (1961). Producer Harold Hecht and Lancaster revived their production company Norma to make Birdman. Initially Charles Crichton was on board as director but it quickly became apparent that this was not the project for him. Hot-tempered Lancaster clashed with Crichton and he was swiftly removed. Although Lancaster had also butted heads with John Frankenheimer on the set of The Young Savages, Lancaster admired his work and he was hired for Birdman. The Federal Bureau of Prisons was uncooperative so filming at actual locations was out of the question. Some exteriors were filmed in San Francisco and you can see Alcatraz in the background. The rest of the film was shot on the Columbia Studio lot. Lancaster spent weeks working with sparrows and canaries to prepare for the part. Unfortunately, as is the case with many early films featuring animals, birds were harmed (and killed) in the making of this movie.

This was my first time watching Birdman and I was quite taken with this marvelous movie. It’s long, clocking in at 2 hours and 28 minutes, but it never feels like it outstays its welcome. The audience is given time to live in Stroud’s world and to get to know him and the circumstances he’s living in. Nothing ever feels rushed as is the case with many biopics. I quite enjoyed Lancaster’s more muted performance as the quiet but rebellious Stroud. This film features many of my favorite actors including Karl Malden, Telly Savalas, Neville Brand, Edmond O’Brien and Thelma Ritter. I wish O’Brien had more to do. He’s only in two quick scenes at the very beginning and end.

There are several scenes scenes that really stood out for me in Birdman.

Opening scene – Stroud (Lancaster) and several other criminals, supervised by prison guard Bull Ransom (Neville Brand). Everyone is sweating profusely from the heat. Lancaster removes his prison cap, places his hands inside to protect them and shatters the glass with his fists letting some much needed air in. This is Stroud’s first act of defiance and sets up his character beautifully.

Feto Gomez at Alcatraz – During their time at Leavenworth, Stroud and Gomez (Telly Savalas) become friends. They are reunited at Alcatraz where Stroud is a new prisoner. Gomez has worked up the ranks, gaining the trust of officials and is now responsible for serving the prisoners their meals. The two have a wonderful moment reminiscing about the past and Gomez generously gives Stroud second helpings of food. Stroud asks Gomez how many years he’s been behind bars. As Gomez works through the math we realize why Stroud asked him this and the impact of spending so much of their lives imprisoned.

Prison guard says goodbye to Stroud – Ransom (Brand) and Stroud (Lancaster) were on opposite ends of the prison system and Ransom was always quick to have the upper hand. But after more than a decade together at Leavenworth, Ransom begins to feel a friendly affection for Stroud. He watches him progress in his study of birds. When the two part ways as Stroud is transferred to Alcatraz, Ransom’s eyes wells up with tears, they shake hands and part ways. This is a brilliantly nuanced performance by Brand who adeptly shows tenderness in a pivotal scene.

Rehabilitation Argument – This is by far my favorite scene int he movie. Warden Shoemaker (Malden) and Stroud (Lancaster) never see eye-to-eye. And it’s never more clear than in this moment in the film. Stroud has just written a manuscript criticizing the prison system and Shoemaker blocks it’s publication. Malden’s Shoemaker delivers a speech about his frustration with Stroud for resisting his efforts for rehabilitation. Lancaster’s Stroud comes back with a powerful rebuttal. He presents Shoemaker with the etymology of “rehabilitation” which means to restore someone to their former condition with dignity. It’s a powerful political statement for prison reform if I ever heard one.

In 1963, Birdman was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Actor (Lancaster), Best Supporting Actor (Telly Savalas), Best Supporting Actress (Thelma Ritter) and Best Cinematography - Black and White (Burnett Guffey). This was Lancaster's third Academy Award nominated performance and he and Frankenheimer worked on a total of five films together.




Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) is available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Olive Films. The discs feature film commentary from Lancaster biographer Kate Buford. My Blu-Ray disc unfortunately was faulty and when I stopped the movie it started over from the beginning. I hope that Olive Films has corrected this by now.

Many thanks to Olive Films for sending me a Blu-Ray copy of Birdman of Alcatraz for review!

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (10)


My Summer Reading Challenge starts in just a couple of months! You have plenty of time to work on your to-be-read-list and maybe to check out some new books to include in your challenge. You'll want to stock up now so you'll have plenty to read on vacation! Need some suggestions? I’ve got you covered with a brand new list of upcoming classic film books. Publication dates range from March to July.

Are you new to my list? Here are the details. Books include biographies, memoirs, scholary texts, coffee table books and more from a variety of publishers. All publication dates are subject to change.

Links lead to Goodreads and three different shopping sites: Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Powell's. If no link is included it means that book is not available at that particular shop. Using my buy links helps support this site! Thanks!

This is a MONSTER of a list. Hope you find your next new read. Enjoy!



Modernisms, Hollywood, and the Cinema of Nicholas Ray
by Will Scheibel
SUNY Press
258 pages – Available Now



Women and Comedy in American Silent Film
by Kristen Anderson Wagner
Wayne State University
314 pages – Available Now



Romancing Performance in Classical Hollywood
by Steven Rybin
SUNY Press
282 pages – Available now



The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of an American Classic
by Glenn Frankel
Bloomsbury USA
400 pages – Available now



edited by R. Barton Palmer, Homer B. Pettey and Steven M. Sanders
SUNY Press
342 pages – Available now



edited by Douglas McFarland and Wesley King
SUNY Press
326 pages – Available now



Bob Fosse and Dance in the American Musical
by Kevin Winkler
Oxford University Press
368 pages – March 2018



The Making of a Classic with Steve McQueen and Sam Peckinpah in the Summer of 1971
By Jeb Rosebrook with Stuart Rosebrook
BearManor Media
252 pages – March 2018



Seriality and the Outlaw Biker Film Cycle, 1966-1972
by Peter Stanfield
Rutgers University Press
236 pages – March 2018



by Mark Weinberg
Simon & Schuster
288 pages – Available now


A City’s Independence and the Birth of Celebrity Politics
by Nancie Clare
St. Martin's Press
288 pages – March 2018



The Outrageous History of Film Buffs, Collectors, Scholars, and Fanatics
by Anthony Slide
University Press of Mississippi
248 pages – March 2018



by Elizabeth Winder
Flatiron Books
304 pages – March 2018



by Frederic Claquin and Jack Woodhams
Schiffer
240 pages – March 2018




by Maggie Hennefeld
Columbia University Press
320 pages – March 2018



The Young Streisand from New York to Paris
by Bill Eppridge
Rizzoli
144 pages – April 2018



What the Responses of 1920s Critics Reveal
by Wes D. Gehring
McFarland
242 pages – April 2018




by David Clayton
The History Press
224 pages - April 2018



REISSUE
by Elsa Lanchester, foreword by Mara Wilson
Chicago Review Press
336 pages – April 2018



Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Edna Ferber, 
and the Making of a Legendary American Film
by Don Graham
St. Martin’s Press
336 pages – April 2018



by James Chapman
I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd
304 pages – April 2018



 Sea Sirens, Sun Goddesses, and Summer Style 1930-1970
by David Wills
Dey Street Books
224 pages – April 2018


by Sylvia D. Lynch
McFarland
277 pages – April 2018



by Paul R. Laird
Reaktion Books
216 pages – April 2018



All That’s Left to Know About the Outrageous Genius of Comedy
by Dale Sherman
Applause Theatre and Cinema Books
400 pages – April 2018



The Women Who Ran Hollywood
by J.E. Smyth
Oxford University Press
328 pages – April 2018



by Barry Keith Grant
Rutgers University Press
160 pages – April 2018



The Life of Sophie Tucker
by Lauren Rebecca Sklaroff
University of Texas Press
300 pages – April 2018



Hollywood, HUAC, and the Birth of the Blacklist
by Thomas Doherty
Columbia University Press
400 pages – April 2018



The Making of America’s Favorite Movie
Revised Edition
by Julia Antopol Hirsch
Chicago Review Press
224 pages – April 2018



Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece
by Michael Benson
Simon & Schuster
512 pages – April 2018



New York Jewish Intellectual
by Nathan Abrams
Rutgers University Press
340 pages – April 2018



A Photographic Celebration
by Suzanne Lander
Skyhorse Publishing
544 pages – May 2018



The Real Los Angeles Noir
by Jim Heimann
Taschen
480 pages – May 2018



by Sara Street
BFI
150 pages – May 2018



by Stephen H. Ryan and Paul J. Ryan
Rowman and Littlefield Publishers
240 pages – May 2018



Origins of the Movement
edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini
Applause Theatre and Cinema Books
300 pages – May 2018



Marilyn Monroe, The Seven Year Itch, and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist
by Michelle Morgan
Running Press
320 pages – May 2018



by Caroline Young
Insight Editions
192 pages – May 2018



75 Candid Interviews with Golden Age Legends
by David A. Fantle and Tom Johnson
McFarland
225 pages – May 2018



by Sloan De Forest
Turner Classic Movies & Running Press
264 pages – May 2018



Renegade Westerns
Movies That Shot Down Frontier Myths
by Kevin Grant and Clark Hodgkiss
FAB Press
400 pages – May 2018



The Secret Life of Hollywood in Rome
by Caroline Young
The History Press
256 pages – May 2018



Hollywood Films in the 1960s
by Rick Worland
Wiley-Blackwell
300 pages – May 2018




by Andrea J. Kelley
Rutgers University Press
178 pages – May 2018



Hollywood Legends Series
by Lee Mandel
University Press of Mississippi
368 pages – May 2018



Stella Adler and the Male Actor
by Scott Balcerzak
Wayne State University
288 pages – June 2018



by Matthew Polly
Simon & Schuster
672 pages – June 2018



Astaire, Balanchine, Kelly, and the American Film Musical
by Beth Genne
Oxford University Press
360 pages – June 2018



The Films, the Personell, the Company
by Howard Maxford
McFarland
375 pages – June 2018



by Joseph McBride
Columbia University Press
544 pages – June 2018



REISSUE
edited by Bengt Wanselius, Paul Duncan
contributed to by Erland Josephson
Taschen
452 pages – June 2018



Life Lessons from America’s Princess
by Mary Mallory
Lyons Press
208 pages – June 2018



Eight Unorthodox Filmmakers, 1940s-2000s
by Robert Curti
McFarland
250 pages – June 2018



by Todd Fisher
William Morrow
352 pages – June 2018



The Golden Age of the MGM Musical
by Bernard F. Dick
University Press of Mississippi
312 pages – June 2018




Essays on Female Screenwriters in the Early Film Industry
by Rosanne Welch
foreword by Cari Beauchamp
McFarland
225 pages – June 2018


Hollywood Memories of the Counterculture, Antiwar, and Black Power Movements
by Kristen Hoerl
University Press of Mississippi
192 pages – July 2018



Regulating America’s Screen
by Sheri Chinen Biesen
Wallflower Press
144 pages – July 2018


edited by R. Barton Palmer and Murray Pomerance
University of Texas Press
316 pages – July 2018


The Private Life of a Public Icon
by Charles Casillo
St. Martin’s Press
368 pages – August 2018


Which book are you interested in?

Previous round-ups :

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (1)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (2)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (3)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (4)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (5)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (6)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (7)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (8)
New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (9)

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