A Bridge Too far (1977)
Directed by Richard Attenborough.
Starring:
Dirk Bogarde as Lieutenant General
Frederick "Boy" Browning
James Caan as Staff Sergeant Eddie
Dohun
Michael Caine as Lieutenant Colonel
John Vandeleur
Sean Connery as Major General Robert
Urquhart
Edward Fox as Lieutenant General
Brian Horrocks
Elliott Gould as Colonel Robert Stout
Gene Hackman as Major General Stanislaw
Sosabowski
Anthony Hopkins as Lieutenant Colonel
John Frost
Hardy Kruger as Major General Ludwig
Ryan O'Neal as Brigadier General
James Gavin
Laurence Olivier as Doctor Jan Spaander
Robert Redford as Major Julian Cook
Maximilian Schell as Lieutenant General Wilhelm Bittrich
Liv Ullmann as Kate ter Horst
If the greatest cast ever assembled
wasn't enough the supporting cast includes: Denholm Elliott, Arthur Hill, Richard Attenborough, Jeremy Kemp, Alun Armstrong,
John Ratzenberger, Colin Farrell (the famous one from Minder), Hitler, Patton, de Gaulle, Montgomery, Eisenhower, Churchill
and Roosevelt.
For me, this is the best war film
ever made. It's an epic in every sense and begins with the planning shown in meticulous detail (or as near to as Hollywood
would allow). The hope of an early finish to the
war is evident in the boistrous good humour and optimism shown by the planners and the men tasked with completing their missions.
It's more or less non-stop once it
begins. The sight of the Dakotas pulling the tow ropes is hypnotising when seen with the stirring theme music playing underneath.
From there on in the action begins and almost from the off the plan hits stumbling blocks.
The acting is great, the source novel
isn't a novel at all, it's a well respected history book from the man who also wrote the source for the equally epic war picture
"The Longest Day". Cornelius Ryan was an Irish journalist who reported on the war for the Daily Telegraph emigrating to America
at the end of the fighting. He was based first with American airmen, then later with Patton's Third Army. After
the war he became a respected WWII historian. His insight during the war years gave him invaluable experience and leant an
authentic edge to his writing.
The film pretty much follows the
course of the battle, and all the main players are represented. On the set, actors were in awe of the men they played, and
a number of the survivors were on set to give hints as to what really happened.
I watched this film innumerable times
as a lad round at my best mate's house. At the time we could almost quote it word for word. I went on holiday to Holland with
him whern I was 11, then visited again in 2005 where we followed the route of XXX Corps and explored the sites where the airborne
troops fought their desperate battles.
As well as being a fairly accurate
historical account, A Bridge Too Far is superb entertainment. Whenever I watch it I always wish it would go on a little longer.
Review by Kevin Hunt.
