Castle Keep
Germans And Americans Playing For Keeps
Burt Lancaster, Peter Falk and Bruce Dern star in CASTLE KEEP, an extraordinary melding of war drama, satiric comedy and heroic action adventure from acclaimed director Sydney Pollack (The Firm).
Near the end of World War II, American Major Falconer (Lancaster, Academy Award®-winner Best Actor Elmer Gantry, 1960) leads his weary eight-man squadron to a perfectly preserved medieval castle in the Adrennes Forest. CASTLE KEEP's owner, the aging Count of Maldorais (Jean-Pierre Aumont), shelters the servicemen in hopes they will defend his fortress and his priceless collection of art masterpieces from the advancing German troops. But the servicemen have plans of their own. Major Falconer begins an illicit affair with the Count's beautiful young wife, while Sgt. Rossi (Falk) romances the wife of an absent baker. As the German soldiers push forward, a deadly game of possession ensues, leading to a spectacular ground battle for keeper of the castle. Shaded with off-beat comic moments - a soldier (In Cold Blood's Scott Wilson) falls in love with a battered Volkswagen and a religious fanatic (Bruce Dern) leads his shell-shocked troops through the bombed-out streets - CASTLE KEEP features a top-notch cast hailed as "excellent" by Vincent Canby, The New York Times.
Member Reviews
A mess - joejack
Silly, contrived war film with a great cast which is wasted. The castle setting in the French countryside during the winter is a nice setting but the plot is absurd and the characters and themes are trying desperately to mimic those of Joseph Heller's Catch-22. If you are a fan of theses saturday afternoon war films from the 70's/80's then you may like this one as well. Peter Falk is great as the baker and Burt Lancaster also does a nice job as a tough guy lieutenant.Castle Keep - ZipVip
I first saw only part of this movie on TV and I knew there were parts that were deleted...well I know now what they were but this was a movie I think that more parts could have been cut out as the talking between the actors almost put me to sleep. The final battle scene was good but it left me feeling as though the movie could have been done differently-more action, less talking and parts of the movie made me feel as though the lighting was a bit off. I saw it once now, but I won't see it again-even though I like Burt Lancaster as an actor. Bruce Dern plays a weird role as a soldier leading a small group who have decided to sit out the war as objector's with a religious view
Member Reviews
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A mess - joejack
Silly, contrived war film with a great cast which is wasted. The castle setting in the French countryside during the winter is a nice setting but the plot is absurd and the characters and themes are trying desperately to mimic those of Joseph Heller's Catch-22. ...Castle Keep - ZipVip
I first saw only part of this movie on TV and I knew there were parts that were deleted...well I know now what they were but this was a movie I think that more parts could have been cut out as the talking between the actors almost put me to sleep. The final ...