Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) Epitomizes the Paradoxical Genius of Burt Lancaster Birdman of Alcatraz captures Burt Lancaster’s unique capacity to play both hard and soft in the same moment. Read More Essays, (Re)Viewing the CanonAren BergstromApril 3, 2020Birdman of Alcatraz, John Frankenheimer, Guy Trosper, Thomas E. Gaddis, Burt Lancaster, Karl Malden, Thelma Ritter, Neville Brand, Edmond O'Brien, Telly Savalas, Richard Stroud, Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, The Train, The Killers, Brute Force, From Here to Eternity, The Rainmaker, The Swimmer, The Trial, Elmer Gantry Comment