Birdman of Alcatraz

Burt Lancaster deservedly scooped an Oscar nomination for his sensitive performance in the lead of this acclaimed and intelligent drama. It's based on the true story of imprisoned murderer Robert Stroud, who was made to spend his entire sentence in solitary confinement. Plunged into despair, he finds a new purpose of life when he finds a baby sparrow in the exercise yard and nurses the helpless creature in his cell. Over the next 60 years, he becomes an expert in birds, finding fame as a respected ornithologist and coming into conflict with the prison authorities. Co-stars Karl Malden and Thelma Ritter also received nods from the Academy for the film, which was directed by John Frankenheimer