Good but dated

Rating: 7/10 (5 July 2011)

Richard Burton is the headline attraction, with Clint Eastwood playing second fiddle, in this adaptation of Alistair Maclean's Where Eagles Dare.
The story is of a secret wartime mission behind enemy lines, to a fortress stronghold accessible only by cable car. The plot hardly matters: it is simply a hook to hang several set pieces on. They are the ascent, the fighting within the stronghold, the descent, and the chase back to the airfield to escape. All the set pieces work well, though the final chase works best because it features physical stunts and effects and thus looks real. The shenanigans on the cable car didn't really convince at the time, and certainly don't convince now. And the fight in the château is the same as any other dime-a-dozen shootout.
If you watch this, you get some idea why Burton headed the cast: even though this is effectively a popcorn romp he is a heavy presence and commands respect. You can almost feel Eastwood deferring to him (as an actor).
This is still an entertaining watch even though it is now showing its age a bit.