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Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter, Donald Pleasence ... see more see more... , Anthony Quayle , Jean Marsh , Sven-Bertil Taube , John Standing , Judy Geeson , Treat Williams , Larry Hagman , Keith Buckley , Michael Byrne , Leigh Dilley , David Gilliam , Joachim Hansen , Alexei Jawdokimov , Dennis Lili , Siegfried Rauch , Maurice Roëves , John Barrett , Jeff Conaway , Robert Reece , Kate Binchy , Tim Barlow , Terry Plummer , Richard Wren

John Sturges directed this taut adaptation of Jack Higgins' suspense novel about an attempted kidnapping of Winston Churchill by the German high command during World War II. When it is discovered that... read more read more... in November 1943 Winston Churchill is scheduled to spend a weekend in a country home in Norfolk, the Germans plan to kidnap him. Heinrich Himmler (Donald Pleasence), under orders from Hitler, assigns Nazi colonel Max Radl (Robert Duvall) the chore of sneaking the English-hating Irishman Liam Devlin (Donald Sutherland) into the British countryside and arranging for a 16-man task force to be parachuted into the English country town of Sudley Constable, under the auspices of Colonel Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine). The efficient planning works too well, and before long their exactingly perfect timetable begins to come apart. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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37% want to see it

7,197 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

5 critics

PG, 2 hr. 14 min.

Directed by: John Sturges

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DVD Release Date: October 17, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (329)

  • TheMachinist
    February 13, 2009
    TheMachinist
    "The only time this plan makes any sense to me is when I'm drunk"

    What a waste of time. Ok, so basically the film has an interesting plot. A bunch of nazis on a covert mission to kidnap Winston Churchill, which could have lead to a big victory for Hitler.

    The film starts ve... read morery slowly and is a real borefest thru its entire duration. In the middle of the film, the movie reaches its comedic heights when Larry Hagman's character, Colonel Pitts tries to take control of the events. What a character and what a bad performance by Hagman. But he's not the only actor who should've stayed out of the film. Robert Duvall and Donald Sutherland, whom I consider to be good actors, are probably ashamed of their performances in "The Eagle Has Landed".

    Like in the quote of this review, I'd probably enjoyed this movie more if I had been drunk. Not a major disaster but totally overrated and a fine example of wasted talent.
  • deano
    December 19, 2007
    deano
    This war movie gets started on a promising note, but it is sabotaged by a weak, contrived ending.
  • puffchunk
    November 19, 2007
    puffchunk
    About as good as something i wished I'd seen for free.
  • garyX
    January 9, 2007
    garyX
    An interesting "What if..." based plot about a german plot to assassinate Churchill is efficiently handled by an action stalwart. The cast is strong, and gives the german would be assassins a rather more understanding and human slant in an unusual and effective WWII thriller.
  • binky013
    June 12, 2006
    binky013
    Another of those fine conspiracy movies from the 70s. A wonderful cast from Caine, to Duvall, to Sutherland, to Jenny Agutter, to Jean Marsh. As with The Day of the Jackal, you have to employ your willing suspension of disbelief when it comes to the goal of assassinating... read more Winston Churchill, but the ride to the inevitable conclusion is a lot of fun.
  • gator681
    February 11, 2005
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic][color=olive]"The Eagle Has Landed" is a particularly, daft piece of lunacy. It starts out with a mention of a Nazi paratrooper rescue of Mussolini in 1943(which actually did happen). Since that worked so well and nobody was doing anything on Saturday nigh... read moret, Hitler decided to try and kidnap Churchill while he is visiting a coastal village. When the first character we meet is a one eyed German general played by Robert Duvall(Curt Jurgens was busy?), you get a feeling where this one is heading.(It is very strange seeing Duvall sharing scenes with Donald Sutherland, just six years after M*A*S*H.) Plus, it takes forever to get moving. And the ending has to be one of the most convoluted of recent memory. Michael Caine and Donald Pleasance are of course better than the material. Donald Sutherland seems to be having fun as an Irish rogue. But for the first time, Jenny Agutter is an unwelcome distraction.[/color][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][color=olive][/color][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][color=#808000]Robert Duvall and Michael Caine would reunite 20+ years later for Secondhand Lions.[/color][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][color=#808000][/color][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][color=#808000]Duvall and Treat Williams would again be on opposite sides in The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper(1981).[/color][/font]
  • nickymo89
    August 11, 2008
    nickymo89
    Based on a Jack Higgins book (which I loved), it is a good ensemble based World War II about the German plot to kidnap Winston Churchill. Neat that it is told from the German's point of view. Ending could be better bit overall if you like films like The Dirty Dozen or The Great ... read moreEscape, then give this a go. A young Michael Caine is good but Donald Sutherland steals the show.
  • sayers1977
    May 12, 2008
    sayers1977
    One of my favourite war films. Can watch this repeatedly and never get bored. So it's odd that it's not considered one of the 'greats' by a lot of people. Sturges made the more famous 'Great Escape' so he knows his stuff. The extended edition is the one to watch as it develops th... read moree relationships more (especially Devlin and Molly) and the cuts aren't so extreme. Docked half a mark for the obvious picture of the ship shot at the end. Otherwise a classic. Wish they'd make the sequel. Maybe they could remake this for TV and then do 'Flown'!
  • ileo
    January 13, 2008
    ileo
    Very good.
  • DrLappos
    July 5, 2007
    DrLappos
    Bought it, loved it, superb film.

View All The Eagle Has Landed Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
May 26, 2008
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

An old-fashioned WW II adventure movie directed in a plodding and lethargic way by John Sturges. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 23, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Filled with the kind of suprises and reversals which are at the nub of all good suspense stories. Full Review

May 27, 2008
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
May 7, 2007
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
July 4, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Joshua Tanzer
March 16, 2003
Joshua Tanzer, Offoffoff

No review available.

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

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The Eagle Has Landed Trivia

  • a group of german paratroopers attempt to assassinate Winston Churchill in a desolate Norfolk village in WW11  Answer »
  • Sean Connery does not star in which of the folowing movies  Answer »
  • (1976) Based on a novel by Jack Higgins, this movie tells the story of 16 German paratroopers who landed in England during WWII, and very nearly succeeded in kidnapping Winston Churchil  Answer »
  • who plays coloner steiner in the eagle has landed?  Answer »
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