That was an excellent one.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Record breaking war movie, in sheer size of the production. Biggest production ever in movie history. "A Bridge Too Far" tells the true story about the invasion of Holland during WW II, which was bigger in size than D-day in France and which caused more casualties. Greatest cast of movie stars ever ensembled in any movie in the entire seventies, featuring an incredible number of 14 oscar winners: Sean Connery, Robert Redford, Gene Hackman, Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, James Caan, Anthony Hopkins, Dirk Bogarde, Liv Ullman etc. Acting performances are excellent. How could it have been otherwise, with such an unique cast of movie stars from the seventies. Everybody who was famous at the time played in it. Steve McQueen was the only star that refused to take part, because he wanted a bigger paycheck. Since this huge war movie production was already crumbling under a huge financial burden, Steve McQueen's paycheck demands were rejected.This war movie became the biggest grossing box office hit in Europe, but it didnt do well in America. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, but the film was completely ignored at Oscar time for daring to expose the fatal inadequacies of the Allied campaign. Almost 3 hours long, this movie is a slowburner though, but enticing from beginning to end. Never bored me for a minute. On the contrary, even though I have seen this movie dozens of times I still get excited by it. But I am from the older generation, therefore speed is NOT a necessity for me to enjoy a movie. Young people however may find it a bit long drawn, because there arent Star Wars explosions every 10 minutes. There isnt a happy ending. Therefore lots of people WONT like the ending. The ending is true to life though, because everything is as has happened during World War II. War aint fun, but this movie is still very charming and even very funny at some other moments though. Glorious and suspenseful too. Director Richard Attenborough made a movie that is enjoyable for the entire family, but he also clearly stated that he didnt want to make a movie that glorified the war. The ending of "A Bridge Too Far" is a big downer. You wont feel cheery at the end at all. And that is the explicit intention of the director. War isnt supposed to be an uplifting or feel good experience. Ofcourse not. But movies wont sell if they dont have a hapyy ending. This movie finds a good balance between entertainment and true to life depressing devastation. I must confess that I regularly watch it only for the first 2 and a half hours which are very glorious and suspenseful and even funny. But I do skip the downer part at the last 30 minutes, because I have already seen it so many times and just as everybody else I dont like downers at the end of a movie...Endnote: there is an excellent additional bonus DVD which features hours of real life war footage from World War II including a short documentary about the making of this biggest war movie of all time. The production of this movie was truly insane. But so is war...

An admirable effort. That is what I can call this 1977 Richard Attenborough feature A Bridge Too Far. This movie had all the ingredients to become a war classic. A great director, an all-star cast (and that is putting it lightly), a World War Two story that no one seems to know about, and the promise of Nazis being destroyed. The thing is, the film does not live up to its full potential. In that sense, the movie is a slight disappointment. I wanted to really enjoy the movie, but I mostly got mild entertainment. Based on from what other people say, my opinion seems to be what the majority thinks. A good war movie, but it could have been much better.Now why exactly isn't this movie heralded as an all-time favorite? I actually think the main reason lies in the story itself. The story is interesting, but it is about an Allied failure. People don't want to see that, especially since the time of this mission was occurring as the Nazis were loosening their hold on Europe thanks to the strong Allied efforts. The movie also pushes three hours long, and the movie moves very slowly at times. This war film actually holds the least action in any war film I can ever remember. That is impressive considering the running time of the movie. My main concerns are the constant repetitions and the long running time.That being said, there are some great things about the movie. Being a history film, the creators have the liberty to change the story to make a better movie. Not here. I value the historical accuracy, and I actually found it to be what kept me engrossed in the movie. It was a story I did not know much about, so I found this to be a learning tool. I also really enjoyed the performances from the cast. If you want a great cast, just check this film out. With a cast featuring Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, James Caan, Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, and Robert Redford just to name a few. At the very least watch the cast do a fine job, even if some of their roles are glorified cameos.So let's dive into a history lesson. This movie was about an unsuccessful Allied mission called "Operation Market Garden." It took place in September 1944 in the Netherlands and Germany. Basically, there were two sub-operations. The first operation consisted of Airborne forces being parachuted behind enemy lines to capture several bridges. That would allow the next operation, the ground forces to advance and cut off the heart of German industry. Mainly due to bad luck, poor communication, and bad weather, this operation failed at the Arnhem Bridge when the Allied forces at the ridge was overran, thus delaying an Allied victory.Despite some problems, I thoroughly liked A Bridge Too Far. I consider it to be a serviceable war film because it does the story justice. The movie had strong potential, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Strong performances are everywhere (especially from Anthony Hopkins and James Caan). The movie does have strong visual effects that thoroughly complement the story. So I guess that is another plus. I loved the admirable, ambitious attempt famed director Richard Attenborough did in trying to make this a masterpiece. I can see he tried so hard, but he does get somewhere with that effort at least. If you want to see a quality bridge film during this era, definitely watch The Bridge of River Kwai before this film. But if you're a sucker for war films, then this is a good one to watch.My Grade: B-

Quentin Tarantino once said it's best for characters in an action film to avoid discussing "the plot" too much. In "A Bridge Too Far", the dialogue and settings are so campy and obvious, the experience lapses into too many cliché scenes. Also, there are more stars in this film than in the Milky Way Galaxy. As the film moves along, name and star actors keep popping up: Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Eliot Gould, Anthony Hopkins, James Caan, and Ryan O'Neil are all either donning officer's uniforms or privates' gear, and I've named only about half of them!The story is certainly one worth exploring in a film: the failed military plan Operation Market Garden which occurred during early Fall of 1944 in which allied troops attempted to infiltrate Holland and push over bridges of the Rhine to enter into Germany as a means of more quickly ending the Second World War. It's not the actual story which is the problem; it's the realization which has much to be desired. Nearly every scene is filled with silly cliché drivel which has been used in war films from circa 1950 to 1965. It has much of the same issues as its predecessor "The Longest Day", in which high command, officers, and troops are constantly spewing over-the-top and/or unrealistic statements about the purpose of the endeavor.Even without having viewed this film before, I predicted who would play which character. The following are those on the allied side. Gene Hackman obviously would be one of the lone voices to object to the mission, and he was cast as Stanisław Franciszek Sosabowski, a Polish General aiding the allies. Hackman's accent doesn't sound Polish but like bad Scottish as he rails against the allied leadership concerning the attack! Michael Caine as Colonel Joe Vandeleur pops up in a few scenes, often running around in a jeep wearing an ascot tie and sporting binoculars. I wasn't exactly certain where he fit into the operation. Eliot Gould as Col. Robert Stout is also often in a jeep, swearing with a cigar in his lips. He seems like a throw-back to his character in the original M.A.S.H. film (not the television show) where he played Capt. "Trapper" John McIntyre, who also sported a cigar. Ryan O'Neil plays Brig. Gen. James Gavin whose character in the film is so ambiguous I didn't understand that he was in fact a general who did go on para-trooping missions with lower-ranking enlisted men. Ryan seemed far too young in the role of a bona fide general.The German side is little better. Hardy Krüger and Maximilian Schell lead among the German officers, but their dialogue and characterization ring of the issues in "The Longest Day". In other words, the Germans are portrayed as rather incompetent nincompoops who are constantly at attention like toy soldiers. One of the more silly exchanges is when one of the German high-command learn of the Allies para-trooping, they are dismayed they would be landing 12 km (about 7 miles) from the bridges over the Rhine. Duh. They're not going to land right on top of enemy lines, and the bridges are guarded by German infantry, which is shown later in the film. At one point, they also intercept allied plans from a wrecked Alley plane, but the high command immediately tosses them away, claiming they were placed there by the Allies as a means to fool the Germans. In point of fact, such plans were always brought to special intelligence departments for analysis by experts. In a similar story recounted in "The Man Who Never Was", the Germans received a planting of bogus plans aboard a wrecked airplane with dead "pilot", and they are eventually given to the Germans for intelligence analysis. That film was made 20 years before "A Bridge Too Far" and was far more realistic. The incredible dialogue is what really makes this film. Consider the following with James Caan: Private: You tell me, Eddie. You tell me I won't die. Caan: All right, you won't die. Private: No, no. Guarantee me. I want you to guarantee me I won't die. Caan: I guarantee you. Soldiers in combat don't really talk like this. Most of the time if not all the time, they avoided talking about death. Here is an example from the German side: General Ludwig: Forgive me, but there is a battle. And we are in the process of winning it. Dr. Jan Spaander: Winning and losing is not our concern - living and dying... is. Do people really talk like this in the midst of war? I don't think so. This film experience is like looking for Hitchcock in a Hitchcock film: everywhere different name actors pop up and you find yourself wanting to find the next one which is shown on the poster with little boxes for all the movie stars! The problem is there are just way too many roles for name actors, and I was getting confused as to where I was or which character was doing which task. It would been far better to focus on fewer characters and develop them well instead of relying on every war cliché imaginable and hoping it sticks like spaghetti thrown against the wall. Sometimes it sticks, but more often it doesn't.

We begin with what looks like archival World War II footage. After D-Day, the Allies have turned the tide. Now, they expect to defeat the Germans. In September of 1944, with the war's end presumably in sight, American and British forces embark on a mission they hope will win the war by December 1944, so everyone can be home for Christmas. Being home for Christmas is a righteous goal. The mission involves Allied troops going into Dutch territory held by the Germans and gaining control of strategic bridges. History, the title, and tone of this production leaves little doubt about the mission's outcome...Knowing how it ends doesn't always mean a story can't engage. Some stories are so engaging, you can watch them over and over again. We know Superman and Batman will return, but seeing their lives put in danger can still excite. Good story-telling qualities always help. Joseph E. Levine and his director Richard Attenborough are trying to make "A Bridge Too Far" work, but the film is quite exhausting. There is simply not enough story for the length. Back in the 1970s, Mr. Attenborough could not say, "Save it for the director's cut." So, we have excess in effective acting and explosive production scenes...The basic story, of a failed mission, isn't even properly presented. One gets the feeling the Allies should only try to blow-up the bridges. Simply infiltrating German-held territory is a good way to get killed. With great gusto, Edward Fox outlines an impossible mission. Later, poor Dirk Bogarde nonchalantly explains it away. We're not sure if it was a suicide mission. The original "I'll be Home for Christmas" goal is forgotten. The subplots involve an all-star cast, but their characters have little substance. The better performances are given by lesser names, who blend into their undeveloped roles more successfully...Arguably, the leading man is Sean Connery (as Robert Urquhart). He seems to be around most often and appears in command. Like several of the big names in the cast, he is always the Actor in his Role. Even more obvious are Ryan O'Neal and Robert Redford, implicitly and explicitly giving "Hail Mary" passes. Elliott Gould finds his character swinging on a cigar. Gene Hackman ventures into a Polish accent. James Caan shows muscle. The non-Americans are better, with Laurence Olivier blending best into his civilian character. Olivier perfected his movie camera acting in the late 1930s and never looked back...As yet unmentioned are Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins and Maximilian Schell. All are dependable performers and succeed by not sticking out like money-making box-office movie stars. Always good, Liv Ullmann appears later in the running time. There is a distinct line of Swedish acting excellence, running from Greta Garbo through Ingrid Bergman and Ms. Ullmann. They rarely, if ever, give bad performances. Geoffrey Unsworth photography is fine, as expected, but John Addison's music really needed a better story. The production costs are obviously high. But the causalities are even higher.***** A Bridge Too Far (6/15/77) Richard Attenborough ~ Sean Connery, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Redford, Laurence Olivier