MovieChat Forums > The Eagle Has Landed (1976) Discussion > Ending *Spoilers*

Ending Spoilers

posted 19 years ago by hey_ho_lets_go69
12 replies | jump to latest

Seen this film a couple of times and really enjoyed it, one of my favourite war movies. Have a couple of questions about the end though that I didn't really understand.

1) Why was Robert Duvall's character arrested and shot? Just because the mission presumably failed? Even then, he said that he was 'measured for his casket months ago' or something like that, don't know if I missed anything out at the start of the film that could have explained this though.

2) At the end, you see the captured MTB stranded on a beach at low tide, is there any meaning to this, or did it simply become caught out trying to get back to Alderney and is waiting for the tide to refloat it?

Cheers, Rob

[–] sachin_sood 19 years ago

Herr Rob,

This is one of my favorite war movies too. I might be able to offer some explanation:

1) Toward the end of the war, when Germany was on the losing end, many German soldiers and officers did not want to be involved in the war any more. Hitler (and Himmler, who had a reputation as a ruthless fanatic, and who was responsible for the Holocaust) would have these soldiers and officers executed as a lesson to other officers in an attempt to prevent them from failing/betraying Hitler's Third Reich (and Germany). Officers were executed for a number of reasons, among them: Failing to obey orders, obeying orders but failing to carry them out successfully (which answers your question), and of course, for betraying the National Socialist Movement. Oberst Radl failed to succeed in his mission that Himmler personally asked him to achieve. Himmler had high expectations and high hopes in this mission, perhaps too high; anything to make Hitler happy and to put Germany in a favorable position. Hitler strongly belived that an officer deserved death if he failed him. NOTE: You'll see similar scenes in A Bridge At Remagen and Downfall.

2) This image might have somewhat of a sentimental tone to it. It is sometimes tough to understand what the author of the book or the director of the movie might be wanting to portay/tell in a scene. Oberst Steiner was killed; his most loyal comrade, Hans is on the MTB (against his will but only because Oberst Steiner commanded him to), with no knowledge of whether Oberst Steiner succeeded or not, but perhaps still hoping that he was fine and would show up and return to Alderney with them.

Hope this helps.

If anyone has this movie on DVD (I recorded it on my DVR a few weeks ago), could you please refer to my post asking about the quotes and tell me what they are?

Auf weidersehen.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] The_Khazi 19 years ago

I haven`t seem it in a while either so may be wrong here,but wasn`t something mentioned about the fact that Radhl was dying of lung cancer hence the quote : "measured for my coffin months ago."

Downfall is a terrific film although it might be worthwhile holding back on buying the dvd as there is also a director`s cut with an extra 30 mins which hasn`t been released yet.

[–] vasq6876 19 years ago

I agree with Tom Couldrey said with one clarification. Himmler is actually the one that exceeded his orders by giving the go-ahead with the mission, even going as far as forging Hitler's name on the letter asking anyone to help out. If it had been successful, everyone would have claimed credit, and quite probably all would have been rewarded. The mission, however did not succeed, and thus someone had to be punished for exceeding their authority and illegally using Hitler's authority, and it wasn't going to be Himmler. Radl knew this as soon as he realized the letter was a forgery.

I'm so ugly...that's ok 'cause so are you.

[–] j2gorgeous 19 years ago

When does he realize the letter is a forgery? I must of missed this part.

Also, when the admiral comes in and tells Robert Duvall to not go through with the mission why did Radl go through with it if he was only told to make a report?

I never really understood how the idea was considered a "joke". Or was it simply because the mission was deemed too impossible to complete successfully?

[–] Tankerace_42 19 years ago

He realizes it is a forgery when he sees Himmler to report "The Eagle has Landed," and asks to be present when Himmler tells Hitler the good news. Instead, Himmler says "we shall tell him nothing" and I believe he also mentions that it will be a surprise for Hitler (which sets off alarm bells that Hitler didn't sign the order), and then Himmler destroys the letter.

PLus as was said, since Hitler didn't know about the mission, yet his signature was being flashed around. When it failed, somebody had to pay, and it wasn't going to be Himmler.

As to teh MTB, I interpretted it in a deep way, in that no one survives. That all of the expedition (except maybe Donald Southerland) are killed or captured. I think it is meant to reinforce the utter futility of the German's position at the time, going hand in hand with repeated phrases that the "war is lost, but maybe we can get a negotiated peace." Germany could not win, they could only delay the inevitable.

[–] guybrush2304 19 years ago

A follow up book wrote by Jack Higgins in 1990 called 'The Eagle Has Flown ' does answer a few questions.Steiner is not dead,he is being kept prisoner in the Tower of London,Himmler finds out and sends Devlin back to England to spring Steiner and get him back to Germany(probably to silence the pair of them.Not read it only read reviews it get some abuse.

[–] dazzyboy2004 19 years ago

"I haven`t seem it in a while either so may be wrong here,but wasn`t something mentioned about the fact that Radhl was dying of lung cancer hence the quote : 'measured for my casket months ago.' "

I think Radl meant that he knew he was going to be executed.

[–] OC47150 19 years ago

Here's a couple of differences between the book's ending and the movie's ending:

* The MTB makes it back to France with Devlin and Steiner's second in command on board, not stuck when the tide goes out.

* Devlin is injured. I won't say how 'cause a few of you might read the book.

* Radl isn't shot for treason. He is arrested, but he's in poor health. His poor health is a combination of his injuries and stress from planning the mission.

In The Eagle Has Flown, Radl is said to have suffered a heart attack while in custody and is in a hospital in Holland. He and Devlin are in the same hospital for a time. After the first chapter or two, there's no further reference to Radl's character.

Read the book. It's a good read. :)

[–] jenniferles1000 17 years ago

From what i could gather when Donald Pleasance ripped up the leter that was sent by hitler this meant that the orders had not come from Hitler so when Hitler heard about the mission he thought Robert duvall had done this behind his back so had him shot for treason. It seems by Duvalls comments about the casket somebody had it in for him the whole time.

[–] lg_freire 17 years ago

All the replies make perfect sense, but I would like to add some detail that may lead to a slightly alternative reading.

Devlin's stay in the British Isles at the end seems to occur only in the movie, not in the novel (I haven't read it though). So it seems to me that there is an 'extra' element to the final twist. This element is to be found in the message given to Duvall's character. I played several times and I also checked a few scripts online. It reads as follows:

"One wounded fledgling left. Return nest."

Then it's unintelligible.

"No tide at present for..."

Then it's unintelligible again.

"God save..."

Now, the final line obviously would be "God save the King". We are allowed to doubt of Devlin's loyalty since the beginning in the first scene he appears. Obviously, if the German officers learned about the failure of the mission they had access to the same message. And, also, Duvall's character gets immediately scared when he reads the message. It seems that the relatively ambiguous status of loyalty to the Reich from most part of the people involved adds feasibility to the developments at the end.

[–] gpmjobs 8 years ago

ll the replies make perfect sense, but I would like to add some detail that may lead to a slightly alternative reading.

Devlin's stay in the British Isles at the end seems to occur only in the movie, not in the novel (I haven't read it though). So it seems to me that there is an 'extra' element to the final twist. This element is to be found in the message given to Duvall's character. I played several times and I also checked a few scripts online. It reads as follows:

"One wounded fledgling left. Return nest."

Then it's unintelligible.

"No tide at present for..."

Then it's unintelligible again.

"God save..."

Now, the final line obviously would be "God save the King". We are allowed to doubt of Devlin's loyalty since the beginning in the first scene he appears. Obviously, if the German officers learned about the failure of the mission they had access to the same message. And, also, Duvall's character gets immediately scared when he reads the message. It seems that the relatively ambiguous status of loyalty to the Reich from most part of the people involved adds feasibility to the developments at the end.

The God save bit could easily be God save Ireland.