A Bridge Too Far

All you Saving Private Ryan fans, back the hell up. A Bridge Too Far is a classic World War 2 film that set the stage for all other military movies...except those that were made before it. I'm a huge military history buff, so this film was right up my alley. Even though it's a bit of an oldy, 1977, the movie still combines the same amount of Kraut killing intensity that you would see in today's more modern war films. Obviously it's no Tae Guk Gi, but it's got its share of blood and gore. What movie about the biggest Allied World War 2 failure doesn't?

Like previously stated, A Bridge Too Far chronicles the one of the biggest military screw ups of World War Two, Operation Marketgarden. This plan called for the invasion of Holland, but the American, Polish, British, and Canadian troops that took part in this invasion met stiff German resistance and extended the length of the war in the process.

Marketgarden was a pretty big deal back in 1944. For an operation this big, director Richard Attenborough, a World War 2 film vet himself, called in the big guns. This is a cast of thousands, and not just in that corny sense, but literally thousands. Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Michael Caine, Robert Redford, James Caan, Ryan O'Neal, Edward Fox, Anthony Hopkins, and Elliot Gould headline the big names of this cast. Sean Connery plays a notable performance as Maj. General Urquhart who gets stuck behind enemy lines and goes all James Bond on the German's as he tries to escape. It's his men who are pinned down by the Germans for most of the movie. Michael Caine brings a lighter side to war, even as tanks and trucks are being blasted to pieces around him. You can always count on Alfie for a smile. James Caan plays a US army Sergeant whose personality resembles that of Sonny from The Godfather. He threatens a US army doctor with a pistol to operate on his friend. Very NYC of him. If you are new to this movie, don't even worry about the cast. They do their job just fine, it's a pretty talented group of individuals. They've been around the block once or twice. Oh, and check out Gene Hackman as a Polish general. He plays one hell of a Pole.

As I'm sure others feel, watching World War 2 movies kind of makes you want to join the fight. I know that if I was in Marketgarden, I could have downed at least two or three Nazis before I got clipped in the leg or arm. Never torso or head. But this film really makes you cringe sometimes. Because the mission was an overall failure, there are parts in the film that make you scream at the characters. When a British convoy is about to be ambushed by Fritz, I want to let that tea-sipping Captain he's in for some trouble. But I can't because he is in a movie and I'm watching him on TV. It's not humanly possible.

I can't really think of any life lessons that A Bridge Too Far teaches us. Don't set too many goals for yourself? The Allies were told to take a number of bridges, some that were just too far out of reach,hence the title. I don't know, make sure you have a working radio before you leave? The main radio that was used to communicate with all other allied units was destroyed in the first phase of the operation. General Montgomery really f'ed this one up. Listen, I'm sorry this isn't a recent movie or anything hip like Never Say Never or whatever crap is on nowadays. Sorry I decided to add a little culture and history to this blog. Cherish it! Cherish it! Name that movie...