Birdman of Alcatraz
1962 · 147 min
Directed by John Frankenheimer. Written by Guy Trosper. Starring Burt Lancaster, Karl Malden, Thelma Ritter, Neville Brand.
After killing a prison guard, convict Robert Stroud faces life imprisonment in solitary confinement. Driven nearly mad by loneliness and despair, Stroud's life gains new meaning when he happens upon a helpless baby sparrow in the exercise yard and nurses it back to health. Despite having only a third grade education, Stroud goes on to become a renowned ornithologist and achieves a greater sense of freedom and purpose behind bars than most people find in the outside world.
Critics 88% · audiences 85% · streaming on Prime Video, MGM+, Hoopla · 4 Oscar nominations