Castle Keep (1969)

43% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
45% of users liked it
(2,006 ratings)

This decidedly different war movie follows Maj. Abraham Falconer (Burt Lancaster), a tired, one-eyed Army officer, as he leads eight men into Belgium where they hope to take a much-needed rest at a 10th century castle. The master of the house, Henri Tixier (Jean-Pierre Aumont), welcomes them with a… More This decidedly different war movie follows Maj. Abraham Falconer (Burt Lancaster), a tired, one-eyed Army officer, as he leads eight men into Belgium where they hope to take a much-needed rest at a 10th century castle. The master of the house, Henri Tixier (Jean-Pierre Aumont), welcomes them with a surprising degree of enthusiasm. Tixier is married to his young niece, Therese (Astrid Heeren), and the couple would like to have a child, but since Tixier is impotent, he has been unable to father one. He encourages Falconer to see if he can have better luck with Therese. The men under Falconer's command have more than a few escapades of their own, as Sgt. Rossi (Peter Falk) seduces the wife of a local baker, an art historian among them tries to protect the treasures of the castle, and a car buff becomes fascinated by his first encounter with a Volkswagen. Amidst the surreal fun and games at the castle, the soldiers make the most of their well-deserved vacation until an invasion of German troops puts them back on the firing line. Directed by Sydney Pollack, Castle Keep was based on a novel by William Eastlake. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Sydney Pollack
Written By: William Eastlake, Daniel Taradash, David Rayfiel
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Jul 23, 1969 Wide
On DVD: Jul 20, 2004

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Apparent efforts to insert a fresh side of war by concentrating on some of its grim humor act more as a deterrent than a booster to interest.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
It's a sometimes funny and entertaining movie that accomplishes the dubious feat of being both anti and pro war at the same time.
, Hollywood Reporter
There are some deliberate and successful moments of comedy that do not undercut the seriousness of the war, but effectively accommodate the more absurd moments.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The dialog is very salty, but the action spotty.
, Time Out
Pollack's folly remains an intriguing curio in spite of its pretensions.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stefanie C

A highly satirical and bizarre WWII film. The American soldiers or misfits are comprised of every stereotype (cowboy, indian, black, knight, etc). My personal favorite is when the cowboy falls in love with a Volkswagen. The film is far from cohesive, but it is well executed and… More
A highly satirical and bizarre WWII film. The American soldiers or misfits are comprised of every stereotype (cowboy, indian, black, knight, etc). My personal favorite is when the cowboy falls in love with a Volkswagen. The film is far from cohesive, but it is well executed and entertaining.
Ed Fucking H

A well done, and underestimated early effort from Sydney Pollack, that is a stark depiction of the American soldier at war. Although the setting is Belgium during World War II it is assumed that Vietnam was the war on Pollacks mind while makig this film. 8 soldiers are sent away from… More
A well done, and underestimated early effort from Sydney Pollack, that is a stark depiction of the American soldier at war. Although the setting is Belgium during World War II it is assumed that Vietnam was the war on Pollacks mind while makig this film. 8 soldiers are sent away from the frontline to defend a 10th century castle from destruction at the hands of the Germans. None of these men really fit into the stereotype of fearless and patriotic soldiers, that was so common of war movies of the era (keep i mind that this was 10 years before Apocalpse Now.) Rather than being a film about war it seems to be a film about soldiers, their fears, their desires, their dreams etc. Only Major Falconer (Burt Lancaster) displays the characeristics of the 'war hero' here who will never surrender or retreat to the Germans. The res tof the men spend their time doing various things (going to a local whore house, baking bread, appreciating the art in the castle, playing music etc.) There is also sme effective, if a little heavy handed imager throughout this first half of the film as well. The second half is a very violent showdown between the American's and the German's. A battle to the death for this territory. The battle scenes are very well done and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. This film does have it's flaws. It feels uneven in terms of story, the artsier elements also get in the way of the message the film was trying to communicate, there were also some historical innaccurasies (not that big of a deal really, didn't affect my enjoyment of the film at all) that might bother history buffs. But at the end of the day this is a very enjoyable and unique war film that was way ahead of it's time. The dialouge is very amusing throughout, Henri Decae's cinematography was top notch, there is frequent Catch 22esque dark humour moments and the acting was all very good. Recommended if your looking for a different kind of war film.