THE EAGLE HAS LANDED is a great little 'what if?' WW2 movie, based on a novel by popular thriller writer Jack Higgins. The film features an all-star cast and a wonderfully gritty 1970s-era thriller atmosphere, in which the focus is on realism throughout rather than endless explosive action and the like. It's the final film in the career of MAGNIFICENT SEVEN director John Sturges, and it's a rather grand effort.
The plot is a little similar to that of WENT THE DAY WELL. Himmler decides on a plan to kidnap Winston Churchill from Norfolk, and a crack team of Nazi troops are sent in undercover to get the job done. The first hour is all set up but it's never less than engaging, but it's once the troops arrive in England that the fun and endless tension really starts. Michael Caine is a typically likable lead and Donald Sutherland and Jenny Agutter share an unusual romance. The action, when it hits, is quite electrifying, and the film is unpredictable enough to keep you on your toes throughout. I loved it.
The plot is a little similar to that of WENT THE DAY WELL. Himmler decides on a plan to kidnap Winston Churchill from Norfolk, and a crack team of Nazi troops are sent in undercover to get the job done. The first hour is all set up but it's never less than engaging, but it's once the troops arrive in England that the fun and endless tension really starts. Michael Caine is a typically likable lead and Donald Sutherland and Jenny Agutter share an unusual romance. The action, when it hits, is quite electrifying, and the film is unpredictable enough to keep you on your toes throughout. I loved it.