A Bridge Too Far (1977)

VHS CASE/ SIDE

Length of film:  175 Minutes

Rated: PG

Genre: War, Drama, History

Director: Richard Attenborough

Starring: Sean Connery, Ryan O’Neal, Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Robert Redford, James Caan, Wolfgang Preiss, Maximilian Schell, Liv Ullmann

IMDB Rank: 7.4/ 10

Part 1 Time: 103 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  72 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun (James Caan) brings Cap. Glass (Nicholas Campbell) to the medical camp, saving his life. He then finishes his discussion with the U.S. Medical Colonel (Arthur Hill).

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Thank you, sir,” Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun concludes his conversation with the U.S. Medical Colonel.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Right! Let’s haul a little ass!” sates Colonel Stout (Elliott Gould) as he commands his engineering core to erect a bridge.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, Cap. Glass is in stable condition, resulting in Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun following through on his promise of keeping Cap. Glass safe. In regards to Operation Market Garden allies have begun their advancement with some successes. Will the allies be able to maintain control of the bridges in the Eindhoven‑Nijmegen‑Arnhem corridor?

Which part is better? The film explores Operation Market Garden, an ally offensive involving 35,000 men being dropped behind enemy lines in Netherlands with the purpose of securing control of bridges in the Eindhoven‑Nijmegen‑Arnhem corridor. Part one is superior to the second half as it not only shows the strategic planning of Operation Market Garden between the allies (United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium), but also includes the paratroopers descending over Netherlands scene, which is a visual cinematic spectacle that should be not be missed by film goers.

Academy Awards: None

Other Awards: 1978 BAFTA- Best Cinematography (Winner), Best Direction (Nominated), Best Film Editing (Nominated), Best Film (Nominated) Best Production Design/ Art Design (Nominated), Best Soundtrack (Winner), Best Supporting Actor (Winner– Edward Fox), Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music (Winner)