One of the most thrilling and cleverly constructed war films of all time has fans are calling it not just a classic, but the greatest war movie ever made.
Where Eagles Dare, the 1968 World War II action epic starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood, continues to earn glowing praise decades on, with viewers praising its intricate plot, daring stunt work, and two powerhouse lead performances.
Originally released at the height of Eastwood’s rise to international stardom, Where Eagles Dare follows a team of Allied commandos on a high-stakes mission to infiltrate a heavily guarded Nazi fortress in the Bavarian Alps.
What begins as a straightforward rescue mission soon unravels into a web of double-crosses, secret identities and explosive action, with the script – written by The Guns of Navarone author Alistair MacLean – offering twist after twist all the way to the final sequence.
“This film is perfect,” one Rotten Tomatoes reviewer wrote. “More plot twists in the last 20 minutes than a year’s worth of movies! Still remember being on the edge of my seat during Clint and Richard’s ride atop the lift to get to the castle when I first watched this in the early 70s. It’s still exciting today.”
With its unforgettable alpine setting, icy atmosphere and relentless tension, the film was praised not only for its scale, but for how tight and smart the narrative remains, even at over two hours in length.
“What’s amazing is for its hefty runtime not once did it feel too long,” another viewer said. “It jumps right into the action very quick, builds tension and sustains it and has a great action-packed final 45 minutes that never feels over the top.”
Although Clint Eastwood plays the American soldier Lieutenant Schaffer, many fans highlight Richard Burton’s performance as the film’s true standout.
“As cool as Clint is, this is 100% Burton’s film. He is awesome in this. Never seen him like this before,” one reviewer wrote, adding, “The stunt work is top notch along with a great soundtrack. The plot is so witty and clever with twists and turns the entire way.”
Another review simply declared: “Brilliant performances from Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. This is probably the best action movie of the 1960s – the sequences are extremely impressively done for the time that it came out!”
Where Eagles Dare is available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer, and to rent in other streaming services.