During World War II, seven Allied agents are selected to rescue an American general from the impenetrable German fortress Schloss Adler. In charge of the team is British Major Smith (Richard Burton), with American Lieutenant Schaffer (Clint Eastwood) as second in command. Parachuting into the enemy territory in German uniforms, the squad discover one of their number dead on arrival, and Smith suspects that he may have a traitor amongst his unit. Alistair Maclean wrote the screenplay and the film is reported to be amongst director Quentin Tarantino's favourites.