Clint Eastwood, Richard Burton, and Mary Ure feature in Where Eagles Dare, a 1968 British World War II action film. Brian G. Hutton directed the film. It depicts a parachute unit from the Secret Intelligence Service attacking a castle. Alistair MacLean’s first screenplay was written concurrently with the novel of the same name. Both films were commercial successes. The film, which starred some of the top directors of the day, is considered a classic. Yakima Canutt, a Hollywood stuntman who worked as second unit director and shot the majority of the action scenes, was a key player. So, where exactly was ‘Where Eagles Dare’ filmed?
Alf Joint, a British stuntman, played Burton in scenes like the brawl on top of the cable vehicle. The film’s score was written by award-winning conductor and composer Ron Goodwin, while the photography was done by future Oscar candidate Arthur Ibbetson. Brigadier General George Carnaby, an American, gets shot down over a highly guarded German fortification in 1944 and imprisoned within. It relates the storyline of a gang of British spies attempting to rescue an American general from an unassailable castle in the German Alps during World War II, but when they realize there are double agents among them, the team must figure out who the traitors are and then escape against incredible odds.
What Is ‘Where Eagles Dare’ About?
A British aircraft was shot down and crashed in Nazi-controlled territory during World War II. The solitary survivor, American Brigadier General George Carnaby, is apprehended by the Germans and taken to the nearest S.S. headquarters. The General has complete information of the D-Day operation, which the Germans are unaware of.
The British determined that the General must not be permitted to reveal any knowledge about the Normandy landing at any cost and direct Major Jonathan Smith to head a top-notch commando unit to rescue him. Lieutenant Morris Schaffer, an American Ranger, is among the crew and is perplexed by his involvement in an all-British operation. Schaffer suspects Smith’s mission has a far more covert goal after one of the squad members dies during the parachute drop.
Where Was ‘Where Eagles Dare’ Filmed?
Due to the quantity of screen time in which stand-ins doubled for the cast during action sequences, Eastwood and Burton reportedly called the film ‘Where Doubles Dare.’ Where Eagles Dare had its filming locations prominently set in Austria and Bavaria. Filming in Austria began on January 2, 1968, and ended in July of the same year. Eastwood was paid $800,000 a year, while Burton was paid $1,200,000. The performers were able to film scenes on top of the cable car thanks to this technology.
Due to the inclement weather in Austria, production was delayed. The crew had to battle with blizzards, sub-zero temperatures, and probable avalanches throughout the filming in the winter and early spring of 1968. Richard Burton, who is known for his binge drinking, went missing for several days with his buddies Peter O’Toole, Trevor Howard, and Richard Harris, causing further delays.
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Austria
Where Eagles Dare was shot in a variety of Austrian settings. In the winter and early spring of 1968, the shooting took place. The team of seven commandos arrives at the town railway station to start their rescue mission in the Bavarian Alps in the film. Salzach Valley, Austria is the setting for this photo. Salzburg lies around 20 kilometers to the south. The charming community is dominated by the breathtaking backdrop of the Austrian Alps, which is little more than the main street. Werfen is connected to Salzburg by a direct regular rail connection. Lofer, on the other hand, is the village where a portion of the cable car station was built.
Aigen am Ennstal, Austria, was used to filming the airport sequences that can be seen towards the end of the film. The Austrian Army’s Fiala-Fernbrugg barracks and a small airstrip are here. The control tower, as well as the buildings where the officer was killed, are visible. HS Geschwader 2 and the Austrian Army’s FlAR2/3rd Bat continue to use it. The Grimming mountains, 40 kilometers east of the “Hoher Dachstein,” or 80 kilometers east and 10 kilometers south of Werfen, are seen in the background of the airfield.
Village Of Werfen
Burg Hohenwerfen, an 11th-century mountaintop fortification above Werfen, looms over the settlement. It’s free to the public, but don’t be alarmed. You will not be required to take a terrifying cable car ride. There is no cable car, in truth. It also has a tourist-oriented official presence on several social media sites, complete with enticing photographs of the destination. A short, though steep, route leads from the town to the castle, which currently serves as a falconry center and museum.
The true aerial tramway depicted in the film is the Feuerkogel Mountain lift, which was falsified with a studio model in some of the cable-car scenes. Since 1927, it has been functioning at Ebensee, on the southern edge of Traunsee in the Salzkammergut Mountains, some 30 miles east of Salzburg. In the timeless classic The Sound of Music, the village of Werfen appears. Burg Hohenwerfen was featured in the Ashton Kutcher-Brittany Murphy comedy Just Married as of the ‘German’ hotel.
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