The Eagle Has Landed (1976)

VHS CASE/ SIDE

Length of film:  135 Minutes (Restored Extended : 145 Minutes) (Extended: 152 Minutes)

Rated: A

Genre: Thriller, Drama, War

Director: John Sturges

Starring: Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter, Donald Pleasence, Anthony Quayle, Jean Marsh, Treat Williams

IMDB Rank: 6.9 /10

Part 1 Time: 84 Minutes (Restored: 94 Minutes) (Extended: N/A Minutes)

Part 2 Time: 51 Minutes (Restored: 51 Minutes) (Extended: N/A Minutes)

Where does the first part end? The villagers are round up and held in the local church by Col. Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine) and his men. Molly Prior (Jemmy Agutter) and Pamela Verecker (Judy Geeson) are locked in the church storage room.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: The village priest, Philip Verecker (John Standing) comforts the villagers; “At times like these, there’s very little left but prayer and it frequently helps.”

First line of dialogue on the second part: No dialogue in the first scene, as Pamela and Molly escape the church searching for help. In the second scene Hauptfeldwebel Hans Brandt (Siegfried Rauch) asks Col. Kurt Steiner; “What do you think our chances are?”

How jarring is it when the first part ends Somewhat, with most of the villagers rounded up everything is going as planned. Col. Kurt Steiner and his men now need to wait for Prime Minster Winston Churchill to arrive.

Which part is better? Part two is significantly better as the mission becomes more complex, resulting in an unexpected twist..

Academy Awards: None