A Bridge Too Far (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids A Bridge Too Far |
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Original film poster
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| Directed by | Richard Attenborough |
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| Screenplay by | William Goldman |
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| Music by | John Addison |
| Cinematography | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Editing by | Antony Gibbs |
| Studio | Joseph E. Levine Productions |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | June 15, 1977 |
| Running time | 176 minutes |
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| Budget | $25 million |
| Money made | $50.7 million |
A Bridge Too Far is a 1977 war film that tells the story of Operation Market Garden. This was a big Allied plan during World War II in the Netherlands. The film shows how this important military operation did not go as planned.
The movie is based on a true story from a non-fiction book by Cornelius Ryan. It was directed by Richard Attenborough and written by William Goldman. The film features many famous actors like Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins, and Robert Redford.
A Bridge Too Far was made by companies in the United Kingdom and the United States. Many scenes were filmed in the real places where the events happened in the Netherlands. Even though some critics didn't love the movie, it won several awards. For example, it won four BAFTA Awards, including one for Edward Fox as Best Supporting Actor.
Contents
The Story of Operation Market Garden
The film's story is about Operation Market Garden, a daring plan by the Allies. The goal was to fly 35,000 soldiers from England into the Netherlands. They would land behind enemy lines. Two American paratrooper groups were supposed to capture roads and bridges near Nijmegen. A British group, led by Major-General Roy Urquhart, aimed to secure the bridge at Arnhem. Polish paratroopers were also part of this plan.
The Plan's Challenges
The main idea was for XXX Armoured Corps to quickly drive up the roads. They would use the bridges captured by the paratroopers and reach Arnhem in just two days. However, there were problems from the start. The British landing zone was far from the Arnhem bridge. This meant their portable radios wouldn't work.
Also, photos showed German tanks near Arnhem. But General Frederick Browning didn't believe these reports. He also ignored warnings from the Dutch resistance. He thought the mission would succeed no matter what.
The Battle for the Bridges
The Arnhem bridge was very important. It was the last way for German forces to escape the Netherlands. It also offered a direct route into Germany for the Allies. But the road to it was narrow, making it hard for vehicles to pass.
When the paratroopers landed, they surprised the Germans. But the bridge at Son was blown up by the Germans before the Allies could secure it. The British group also faced issues. Many of their jeeps were destroyed or didn't arrive. Their radios also failed.
Meanwhile, the XXX Corps moved slowly. German forces fought back, and the narrow roads caused delays. They even had to build a new Bailey bridge at Son. They were then stopped at Nijmegen. American soldiers had to make a very risky river crossing in daylight to capture the Nijmegen bridge. This caused more delays.
The Retreat from Arnhem
The Germans surrounded the British paratroopers at Arnhem. Polish troops, led by General Stanisław Sosabowski, finally arrived. But they were too late to help the British. After days of heavy fighting against German SS and panzer tanks, the British were outnumbered. They were either captured or forced to retreat to Oosterbeek.
Major-General Urquhart was ordered to pull his troops back. Other Allied commanders blamed the many problems for their failure to provide support. Urquhart escaped with less than a fifth of his original 10,000 soldiers. Those too injured to leave stayed behind to cover the retreat.
Back in Oosterbeek, a Dutch woman named Kate ter Horst left her home. It had been used as a hospital by the British. She passed through her yard, which had become a graveyard for fallen soldiers. Wounded British troops sang "Abide with Me" as they waited to be captured.
Main Characters
The film features many actors playing real-life soldiers and civilians. Here are some of the key characters:
British Soldiers
- Dirk Bogarde as Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning: A high-ranking British general.
- Edward Fox as Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks: Commander of the XXX Corps.
- Sean Connery as Major-General Roy Urquhart: Commander of the British 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem.
- Michael Caine as Lieutenant-Colonel Joe Vandeleur: A British tank commander.
- Anthony Hopkins as Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost: Commander of the British paratroopers at the Arnhem bridge.
American Soldiers
- Ryan O'Neal as Brigadier General James Gavin: Commander of the US 82nd Airborne Division.
- Robert Redford as Major Julian Cook: Led a dangerous river crossing to capture the Nijmegen bridge.
- James Caan as Staff Sergeant Eddie Dohun: A brave American soldier.
Other Allies
- Gene Hackman as Major General Stanisław Sosabowski: Commander of the Polish paratroopers.
- Peter Faber as Captain Arie Bestebreurtje: A Dutch liaison officer.
German Commanders
- Hardy Krüger as Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Karl Ludwig: A German tank division commander.
- Maximilian Schell as General der Waffen-SS Wilhelm Bittrich: A German corps commander.
Dutch Civilians
- Laurence Olivier as Dr. Jan Spaander: A Dutch doctor.
- Liv Ullmann as Kate ter Horst: A Dutch woman who helped wounded British soldiers.
Making the Movie
Making A Bridge Too Far was a huge project. It involved many planes, vehicles, and actors.
Filming the Air Drops
In September 1976, they filmed the air drops. About 1,000 men were dropped from Dakota aircraft. The film company bought or borrowed eleven Dakotas for these scenes. One Dakota was even used as a camera plane. It had cameras mounted in several places to capture the action.
They also built ten fake Horsa gliders. These gliders were used for scenes where troops were taking off. A windstorm damaged most of them, but they were quickly fixed.
Vehicles and Locations
For the ground scenes, they found many real World War II tanks, jeeps, and trucks. These vehicles came from military units in countries like Greece and Turkey.
The scenes around the Arnhem bridge were filmed in Deventer. This city had a similar bridge over the IJssel River. The original Arnhem bridge had too much modern development around it to be used for a 1940s setting. Some scenes were also shot in Zutphen and at Twickenham Studios.
Movie Costs
To save money, all the famous actors agreed to be paid the same amount each week: $250,000. This was a lot of money back then!
One part of the filming was called the "Million-Dollar Hour." This was the American assault on the Nijmegen Bridge. The crew only had one hour on October 3, 1976, to film this scene because of heavy traffic. If they didn't finish, it would have cost over a million dollars to reschedule.
The movie did well in Europe but not as well in North America.
Promoting the Film
To help promote the movie, the scriptwriter William Goldman wrote a book called Story of A Bridge Too Far. It came out in 1977 and included essays, photos from the film, and thoughts from the actors and the real people they played.
Images for kids
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Shooting of a scene in Deventer on May 18, 1976. German vehicles are crossing the bridge.
