Submitted by Mary McCallum
Corrections is in the news almost daily. While being imprisoned is tough on inmates and their families, today’s conditions are radically different than those portrayed in the 1963 film classic Birdman of Alcatraz, 
part of the Black & White Nights film series in Cavendish. Burt Lancaster was nominated for his portrayal of the real-life Robert Stroud, a remorseless killer sentenced to a life of solitary confinement. He finds solace in raising birds, ultimately becoming a renowned expert on their behavior and diseases. Karl Malden plays the tough prison warden whose harsh theories on punishment inspire Stroud to make something of his life, and Thelma Ritter was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Stroud’s gritty but supportive mother. Lancaster shows us a tough and emotionally closed Stroud who finally achieves a level of humanity through his work that began by saving a wounded bird. Nominated for four Academy Awards, Birdman of Alcatraz is a powerful film about redemption.
It will be shown at 7:00 on Friday February 4th at Cavendish Elementary School on Rte. 131 in Proctorsville. Donations are welcome but not required, and there will be refreshments available. For more information call 226-7187.
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