Where Eagles Dare (1968)

Set in 1943, a British Special Operations Executive team headed by a Major (Richard Burton) in the Royal Engineers leads a group of seven soldiers including one American (Clint Eastwood) into the German Alps. Their mission is to rescue an American Brigadier General who is has been captured by the Nazis and held in an impregnable fortress accessible only by cable car. Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean (THE GUNS OF NAVARONE) and directed by Brian G. Hutton (KELLY'S HEROES). A first rate WWII action adventure filled with enough activity and surprises that its lengthy running time (2 hours, 35 minutes) whizzes by. The plot may be far fetched but it's so entertaining that you don't pay much attention to the unlikelihood of the narrative. Burton brings an assured command to his performance and Eastwood brings his usual persona which works just as well in a war film as in a spaghetti western. The movie was a huge success and is still popular with war movie buffs to this day. With Mary Ure, Ingrid Pitt, Patrick Wymark, Michael Hordern, Anton Diffring and Robert Beatty.