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Birdy
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Photos (see all 22 | slideshow) Videos
Birdy (1984) -- US Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   7,186 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Alan Parker
Writers:
Sandy Kroopf (screenplay) and
Jack Behr (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Birdy on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 December 1984 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
A soaring experience unlike anything you've ever seen before.
Plot:
Two friends arrive back from Vietnam, scarred in different ways. One has physical injuries, the other... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Tomm Moore’s Brendan And The Secret Of Kells To Have Us Premiere Next Week!
 (From Twitch. 9 July 2009, 11:09 AM, PDT)

Scores That Pop from Composers of Pop
 (From IFC. 7 April 2009, 9:02 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Great movie, great ending. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Matthew Modine ... Birdy

Nicolas Cage ... Sgt. Alfonso 'Al' Columbato
John Harkins ... Major Weiss M.D.
Sandy Baron ... Mr. Columbato

Karen Young ... Hannah Rourke

Bruno Kirby ... Renaldi

Nancy Fish ... Mrs. Prevost
George Buck ... Walt - Birdy's Father
Dolores Sage ... Birdy's Mother
Pat Ryan ... Joe Sagessa (as Robert L. Ryan)
James Santini ... Mario Columbato
Maud Winchester ... Doris Robinson (as Maude Winchester)

Marshall Bell ... Ronsky
Elizabeth Whitcraft ... Rosanne
Sandra Beall ... Shirley
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Additional Details

Runtime:
120 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Company:
A&M Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the novel, the veterans served in World War II. This was changed to Vietnam for the film. more
Quotes:
[reaction to Al extolling the female breast]
Birdy: They're just like on a cow, but in a more stupid place.
more
Movie Connections:
References Gone with the Wind (1939) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful:-
Great movie, great ending., 11 September 1999
Author: pahool

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's such a great growing-up buddy flick. Despite the serious subject matter (shell-shocked, catatonic Vietnam vet in mental hospital), the movie manages to be very light-hearted for the most part, without discounting the gravity of the situation that the characters are in. It doesn't seek to use the war as a means of creating the identities of the characters, the war and the "present situation" in the film (most of the film is flashbacks) are more background to the story of two crazy Philly kids growing up together.

The movie is full of laughs that don't occur at the expense of the characters, but rather, bring you closer to them. I personally identified with Matthew Modine's character, and found myself laughing in spite of myself at some of his mishaps and wondering "how did I ever survive being a teenager?"

Modine plays Birdy flawlessly. His character, while strange, is certainly believable and definitely likeable. He's like the visionary mystic friend I never had! Nicholas Cage is equally good as Al, Birdy's more down-to-earth lady's man friend. Their friendship seems unlikely on the outside, but powerful and inevitable by the end of the movie.

I think it's strange that some people didn't like the ending to Birdy. I think it's one of the best movie endings for a buddy film ever. It accurately reflects the tone of Birdy and Al's relationship more than any other ending possibly could. It ties their characters in the present in perfectly with the growing-up characters of the flashback sequences. Perfect!

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Birdy (1984)
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Why is it rated R? bigz55
Film with similar plot about flight obsessed boy who does grow wings gabadabadoo
Who has come to this movie through the soundtrack?? drf711
Cage Lifting Weights Spacer1
Where did Matthew Modine go? ragelse80
the ending *spoiler parsleylion
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