"The Eagle Has Landed"

What about this one??? Been a long time since I've seen it, but isn't it about "Operation Sealion?"

 

Actually quite a while since I last saw it, too - but it's not about 'Sealion' ; it's about a fictitious attempt to assassinate Churchill, er, or was it Monty ? Anyhow it's from a best-selling book by Jack Higgins...

 

It was Churchill that they were after. This movie has Michael Caine as a Gebirgsjager Officer who he and his men run afoul of the Gestapo for saving a Jewish Woman and they in turn get arrested and sent to a Penal Camp--where they are recruited for the operation to assasinate Churchill.

Larry Hagman is a bumbling AMerican Colonel who wants to get his "Combat ticket" punched because he is such a bumbling person that the Army was trying to get rid of him by soon transferring him to a base in the USA. Instead--he winds up getting himself killed before that can happen. Also Treat Williams stars in the film and I think is an MP Lieutenant.

I USED to like the movie alot but--I watched it again last year and decided I didn't really care much for it--tho it isn't a terrible movie. Donald Sutherland is also in the movie as an Irishman who is a Spy for the Germans.

 

Oh yes - I remember now.

On the whole, it isn't quite as good as the famous film 'Went The Day Well ' which was actually made during the war and was really quite convincing.

 

Whats "Went The Way Well," about? I've never heard of that one.

 

try this web page
http://www.classicvideo.ch/FilmSheet.cfm?ID=8673


'Went the Day Well? We died and never knew, But well or ill, For freedom we died for you,' -John Maxwell Edmonds

 

Thanks, redcoat... the film is an absolute classic and still quite scary even today. If you get a chance to see it - do so !

 

Is it a movie? I have only read the book (It's my favorite). When was the movie made?

[ 19. June 2003, 03:38 AM: Message edited by: Munken ]

 

Do you know if it's any more movies based on books by Jack Higgins?

[ 19. June 2003, 03:39 AM: Message edited by: Munken ]

 

Didn't it also star ole what's his name from "Apocalypse Now" fame err... "I love the smell of napalm in the morning," Yeah! Robert Duval, I think? ...as the German officer in charge of the operation?

 

Does he play Steiner? Or the officer that comes up with the plan? (Doesn't remember his name).

 

Yes - not sure of his name but he (Duvall) has an eye patch. I think he has to report failures / sucesses of the mission to Himmler.

 

Thanks Redcoat--it's definately something I do want to see.

 

Duvall's character wasn't very optimistic. He said (in the movie) that he had his coffin built before the operation because if it failed...

 

I've never hear of this one before, but it sounds great! I'm going to rent it tonight.

 

Carl -

One correction sir. Michael Caine's character was NOT a gebirgsjaeger officer. He was a member of the fallschirmjaeger! Horrido, don't cha know?!

Bill

 

Hi Bill--Are you sure? I don't remember seeing Luftwaffe insignia, I can swear I saw Green piping for Gebirgsjager?

Well--one thing I got right is that they were dressed as German soldaten

 

Oberst Steiner was in fact Gebirgsjager qualified, wearing the famed Edelweiss on his sidecap, but had jumped in Poland and Crete as part of a regular Fallschirmjager group. That is why his men were chosen because they were so suitable, and so qualified.

 

He had also jumped in Russia. After that he and his men was arrested in Poland. Didn't Steiner have the Ritterkreuz with oak leafs and sword by then?

 

Munken-Steiner was awarded the swords for his actions during the battle for Stalingrad.