Eagle in a Cage ** (1972, Kenneth Haigh, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Billie Whitelaw) – Classic Movie Review 12,528

Director Fielder Cook’s painstaking 1972 historical drama film Eagle in a Cage stars Kenneth Haigh, who commands the screen as Napoleon Bonaparte, in this decently told, quite compelling tale of his exile and imprisonment on St Helena after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

Top-notch support from UK worthies gives the film some extra spark a psychological character study of the fallen French Emperor, especially John Gielgud as the British envoy Lord Sissal, who proposes a pact for the Brits to free him in return for an immediate assault on the Prussians. Also notable are Ralph Richardson as Sir Hudson Lowe and Billie Whitelaw as Madame Bertran.

But, like the title and the lead character, the production feels constrained and in need of more liberty. Millard Lampell based the script on his own Emmy-awarded teleplay.

Hale makes her film debut, as Betsy Balcombe, but she appeared as Alma Mahler in Ken Russell’s 1974 Mahler and won the 1975 BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles.

The cast are Kenneth Haigh as Napoleon Bonaparte, John Gielgud as Lord Sissal, Ralph Richardson as Sir Hudson Lowe, Billie Whitelaw as Madame Bertrand, Moses Gunn as General Gaspard Gourgaud, Ferdy Mayne as Count Henri Gatien Bertrand, Lee Montague as Cipriani, Georgina Hale as Betsy Balcombe, Michael Williams as Barry Edward O’Meara, Hugh Armstrong as British soldier, and Athol Coats as Sentry.

Eagle in a Cage runs 103 minutes (UK) and 98 minutes (US).

It was released in the United States on January 9, 1972 (New York City).

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,528

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