Castle Keep

Castle Keep is a 1969 American war comedy-drama film combining surrealism with tragic realism. It was directed by Sydney Pollack, and starred Burt Lancaster, Patrick O'Neal, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Bruce Dern and Peter Falk. The film appeared in the summer of 1969, a few months before the premiere of Pollack's smash hit They Shoot Horses, Don't They? The film is based on the novel of the same name by William Eastlake published in 1965, and according to New York Times critic Vincent Canby “accomplishes the dubious feat of being both anti and pro war at the same time”. Eastlake enlisted in the United States Army in 1942. He served in the Infantry for four and a half years, and was wounded while leading a platoon during the Battle of the Bulge. Plot The film opens with long, beautiful shots of ancient European art and sculptures being blown to pieces amidst the sounds of war and dissonant screams while a lone narrator begins his tale of "eight American soldiers", when suddenly, and abruptly, the scene jumps back to a few weeks earlier. It is December 1944, and a ragtag group of American soldiers (implied to be a group of wounded sent for some quiet R & R) slowly enter the scene, riding on a problematic Jeep towing a small trailer. The group is led by the one-eyed Major Abraham Falconer (Burt Lancaster) and includes Sgt. Rossi (Peter Falk), art expert Captain Beckman (Patrick O'Neal), and the highly intelligent narrator, African-American Pvt. Allistair Benjamin (Al Freeman Jr.). They take shelter in a magnificent 10th century Belgian castle, the Maldorais, which contains many priceless and irreplaceable art treasures.