A Bridge Too Far is a 1977 epic war film directed by Richard Attenborough. It depicts Operation Market Garden, a failed Allied operation in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II; the film's screenplay, by William Goldman, is based on a book of the same title by historian Cornelius Ryan. It stars an ensemble cast, featuring Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Krüger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell and Liv Ullmann.
Independently produced by Attenborough and Joseph E. Levine, it was the second film based on a book by Ryan to be adapted for the screen (after The Longest Day (1962)). It was the second film based on the events of Operation Market Garden, following Theirs Is the Glory (1946). "Theirs Is the Glory." Arnhem, Hurst and Conflict on Film, Co-authored by David Truesdale and Allan Esler Smith. Page x, Introduction. Published 2016 by Helion and Company. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the film was shot on location in the Netherlands, in many of the real locations where the historical events took place.
Although released to a tepid critical response, A Bridge Too Far received several awards. At the 31st BAFTA Awards it won four out of eight nominated categories, including Best Supporting Actor for Edward Fox and Best Score for John Addison—who himself had served in the British XXX Corps during Market Garden. Attenborough was nominated for Best Direction, and the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture. It was a success at the box office, becoming the sixth-most popular movie of 1977.
Plot In September 1944, Allied forces have won the Battle of Normandy. General Browning, with the approval of Field Marshal Montgomery, drafts a plan known as Operation Market Garden which will land 35,000 paratroopers and glider men from their airfields in England, behind enemy lines in the Netherlands over a 64-mile corridor with the ultimate goal of crossing the Rhine River at Arnhem. The single road linking a succession of bridges is narrow and exposed. Two American divisions land near Eindhoven, Grave and Nijmegen. A British division under Major-General Roy Urquhart, is to land near Arnhem, supported by a brigade of Polish paratroopers under General Stanisław Sosabowski. The land forces from XXX Armoured Corps are to pierce the front line in Belgium, cross the captured bridges and relieve the forces at Arnhem within two days.
Major-General Urquhart's officers are surprised their landing zones are so far from their objectives. While consensus is that resistance will consist of inexperienced old men and Hitler Youth, reconnaissance photos show German tanks at Arnhem. General Browning dismisses the photos and ignores reports from the Dutch underground.
Although the airborne drops surprise the enemy and meet little resistance, the Son bridge is demolished by the Germans just before it can be secured. At Arnhem, heavily armed jeeps either do not arrive or are destroyed in an ambush. The British division's radios do not function leaving Urquhart out of contact with Browning's headquarters. The progress of XXX Corps is slowed by German resistance, the narrowness of the road, and the need to construct a Bailey bridge to replace the bridge at Son. They are halted by fierce resistance at Nijmegen and soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division perform a daylight river crossing in rubber boats to capture the Nijmegen bridge but XXX Corps remains delayed while infantry secure the city.
The Germans close in on the isolated British paratroopers occupying Arnhem near the bridge, and although Sosabowski's troops finally arrive after being delayed in England, they are too late to reinforce the British. After days of intense fighting against SS infantry and panzers the outgunned troops are either captured or forced to withdraw to Oosterbeek. Urquhart receives orders to retreat, while the other Allied commanders blame the various difficulties encountered for their failure to provide support. Urquhart escapes with less than a fifth of his original 10,000 troops while those who are too badly injured to flee stay behind to cover the withdrawal. At British headquarters, Urquhart confronts Browning about his personal sentiments regarding the operation and the latter contradicts his earlier optimism.
Back in Oosterbeek Kate ter Horst, whose home has been converted into a makeshift hospital by the British, abandons its ruins. Passing through the front yard, now a graveyard for fallen troops, she and her children leave with an elderly doctor, pulling a few possessions in a cart, while wounded British troops sing "Abide with Me" as they await capture.
Cast and roles Note: Characters ordered by rank
British ActorCharacterBased onNotes Dirk Bogarde Lieutenant-General Frederick 'Boy' Browning GOC I British Airborne Corps, and at HQ First Allied Airborne Army as its deputy commander, British Army at Nijmegen. Edward Fox Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks GOC, XXX Corps, British Second Army.Fox had known General Horrocks as a friend before working on the film and took care to portray him accurately. Later he would cite this as his favourite film role. Sean Connery Major-General Roy Urquhart GOC, 1st British Airborne Division, Arnhem Donald Douglas Brigadier Gerald Lathbury Brigade Commander, 1st Parachute Brigade, British Army in Arnhem. Gerald Sim Colonel Sims Arthur Austin EaggerO.B.E. (Military Division) of the Order "in recognition of gallant and, distinguished services in Sicily" Supplement to The London Gazette, March 23, 1944 Senior Medical Officer, 1st Airborne Corps, RAMC, British Army. Richard Kane Colonel Weaver Graeme WarrackSenior Medical Officer, Headquarters RAMC, 1st British Airborne Division, at the Main Dressing Station in the Schoonoord Hotel of the Oosterbeek Perimeter. Philip Raymond Colonel McEwan Edward H. GoulburnC.O. 2nd Armoured Grenadier Guards Battalion. Michael Caine Lieutenant-Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur CO, 3rd Battalion (Infantry), the Irish Guards, the Guards Armoured Division, XXX Corps, British Army Anthony Hopkins Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st British Airborne Division at Arnhem road bridge Michael Byrne Lieutenant-Colonel Giles Vandeleur Acting CO, 2nd Battalion (Armoured), the Irish Guards, the British Guards Armoured Division. Cousin to 'Joe'. Donald Pickering Lieutenant-Colonel C.B. MacKenzie Principal General Staff Officer (Chief of Staff), Headquarters, 1st Airborne Division, British Army, Divisional HQ at the Hartenstein Hotel Christopher Good Major Harry Carlyle Allison Digby Tatham-WarterOfficer Commanding, A Company, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, 1st Parachute Brigade, Arnhem.The major did not die of wounds at Brigade HQ but was taken prisoner, moved to the St Elizabeth Hospital and later conducted an escape (Operation Pegasus) with the Dutch Resistance to bring out 138 escapees of the battle, returning to his post with the remnants of his company Evasion Report: 21st September – 23rd October 1944 (www.pegasusarchive.org) Frank Grimes Major Fuller Brian UrquhartG-2 (Intelligence Officer) for the 1st Airborne Corps,Ambrose et al 1999, p.132 British Army stationed at the HQ located in Moor Park Golf Club, Hertfordshire, England. Stephen Moore Major Robert SteeleAnthony Deane–Drummond Second–in–command of the divisional signals for 1st Airborne Division, later attached to 1st Parachute Brigade. John Stride Grenadier Guards Major Captain Lord CarringtonBritish Grenadier Guards Commander who argues with Major Cook after 82nd capture Nijmegen Bridge. Michael Graham Cox Captain Jimmy Cleminson T/Capt., 5 Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, British Army, Arnhem Keith Drinkel Lieutenant Cornish Eric MacKay9th Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, 1st Airborne Division. Denholm Elliott RAF Meteorology Officer Jeremy Kemp RAF Briefing Officer RAF, although the briefing probably took place at the 1st Airborne Corps HQ in Moor Park Golf Club, Hertfordshire, England Mark Sheridan Sergeant Tomblin 2nd Battalion, 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st British Airborne Division George Innes Sergeant MacDonald British 1st Airborne Division radio operator at the Hartenstein Hotel Alun Armstrong Corporal Davies 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st British Airborne Division Paul Copley Private Wicks Dennis Wicks Batman to Lieutenant Colonel Frost, CO, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, British Army Ben Cross Trooper Binns 2nd Battalion, 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st British Airborne Division David Auker 'Taffy' Brace Medic, 1st British Airborne Division
Americans ActorRoleBased onNotes Paul Maxwell Major General Maxwell Taylor CG, 101st Airborne Division, US Army at the Son bridge and later St-Oedenrode Ryan O'Neal Brigadier General James Gavin Division Commander, US 82nd Airborne Division, US Army at the bridge across the River Maas in Grave, later at the Maas-Waal canal and the bridge across the River Waal in Nijmegen Elliott Gould Colonel Robert Stout Robert SinkCO, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Arthur Hill US Army Surgeon Colonel David GoldChief Division Surgeon, 101st Airborne Division Clearing Station. Robert Redford Major Julian Cook Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, 504th PIR, 82nd Airborne, US Army, seizing key bridges over the Maas-Waal Canal and the river assault crossing of the Waal. Nicholas Campbell Captain Glass LeGrand King Johnson CO, F Company, 2nd Battalion, 502PIR. Garrick Hagon Lieutenant Rafferty Lieutenant, 101st Military Police Platoon, 101st Airborne Division, Division Field Hospital, US Army John Ratzenberger Lieutenant Wall 1Lt. James MegellasLieutenant, Company H, 504th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division, US Army, at River Waal crossing. James Caan Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun Charles DohunFirst Sergeant of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division U.S. Army (attacking Best).
Other Allies ActorRoleNotes Gene Hackman Major General Stanisław Sosabowski Brigade Commander, Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, Polish Armed Forces Peter Faber Captain Liaison officer with the 82nd Airborne Division, Office of Strategic Services, Royal Dutch ArmySiem VroomDutch underground leaderErik van 't WoutUnderground leader's sonMarlies van AlcmaerUnderground leader's wife
Germans ActorRoleBased onNotes Wolfgang Preiss Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt Commander, OB West Walter Kohut Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model Commander, Army Group B Maximilian Schell General der Waffen-SS Wilhelm Bittrich Corps Commander, II SS Panzer Corps. Hans von Borsody General der Infanterie Günther Blumentritt Chief of Staff, OB West Hardy Krüger Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Karl Ludwig Heinz Harmel Division Commander, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg. Fred Williams SS-Hauptsturmführer Viktor Eberhard Gräbner Commander, reconnaissance battalion of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen Lex van Delden SS-Oberscharführer Matthias Boschmann Bittrich's orderly. Hartmut Becker German Army Feldgendarmerie sentry
Dutch civilians ActorRoleNotes Laurence Olivier Dr Jan Spaander Liv Ullmann Kate ter Horst Mary Smithuysen Old Dutch lady Hans Croiset Old Dutch lady's son Josephine Peeper Cafe waitress Tom van Beek Jan ter Horst Erik Chitty Organist Albert van der Harst Medic Richard Attenborough Lunatic wearing glasses Uncredited cameo
Production