A Bridge Too Far (1977)

Michael Caine: Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : Remember what the general said; we're the cavalry. It would be bad form to arrive in advance of schedule. In the nick of time would do nicely.

• [Horrocks is about to brief his XXX Corps on Operation Market Garden] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : Gentlemen, this is a story that you shall tell your grandchildren, and mightily bored they'll be.

  [the entire corps laughs] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : The plan is called "Operation Market Garden". "Market" is the airborne element, and "Garden", the ground forces. That's us.

  [Horrocks points to a map behind him of Holland, showing the positions of the Allied forces, and the path the Corps will take] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : Now, this is our position on the Belgian border, here. Tomorrow, three airborne divisions will begin landing in Holland. 35,000 men taking off from 24 airfields in troop-carrying planes or towed in gliders. The American 101st, here, around Eindhoven, the American 82nd, here, south of Nijmegen, and our own 1st airborne boys, and a Polish brigade, here, at Arnhem, 64 miles behind enemy lines.

  [the corps murmurs at the details of the operation] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : [Continuing with the briefing]  Now, their job is to take and hold all the bridges in these three areas. Our job is to punch a hole through the German front line, here, and then drive like hell up this road, linking up with each airborne division on the way. Speed is the vital factor. The plan is to reach Eindhoven in two to three hours, and Arnhem in two to three days. That, gentlemen, is the prize - the bridge over the Rhine, the last bridge between us and Germany. Kickoff will be at 1435 hours tomorrow afternoon. The Irish Guards, under the command of Colonel Vandeleur, will take the lead.

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : [whispering to his adjutant]  Christ, not us again.

  Lt. General Horrocks : [Hearing Vandeleur's statement to his adjutant]  What do you say to that, J.O.E?

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : [getting up from his chair and addressing General Horrocks]  Uh, delighted, sir. Truly delighted.

  [the corps erupts in laughter again as Horrocks smiles. Vandeleur sits back down] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : Now, I've selected you to lead us not only because of your extraordinary fighting ability, but also because in the unlikely event that the Germans ever get you, they will assume from your attire that they've captured a wretched peasant, and immediately send you on your way.

  [the corps laughs at Horrocks' comments] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : Now, maintaining the speed of our advance will no doubt be tough going, as it's a single highway. But no matter what, we must reach those 1st airborne boys in 48 hours. Now, gentlemen, I'm not saying that this will be the easiest party that we've ever attended, but I still wouldn't miss it for the world

  [pauses] 

  Lt. General Horrocks : I'd like to think of this as one of those American western films. The paratroops, lacking substantial equipment, always short of food - these are the besieged homesteaders, the Germans, well naturally, they're the bad guys, and XXX Corps, we my friends, are the cavalry, on the way to the rescue.

  [the room bursts into applause] 

• Brig. General James Gavin : So that's it. We're pulling them out. It was Nijmegen.

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : It was the single road getting to Nijmegen.

  Lt. General Horrocks : No, it was after Nijmegen.

  Lt. General Frederick "Boy" Browning : And the fog, in England.

  Maj. General Stanislaw Sosabowski : Doesn't matter what it was. When one man says to another, "I know what let's do today, let's play the war game."... everybody dies.

• Col. Robert Stout : I'm Bobby Stout.

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : Have you ever been liberated before?

  Col. Robert Stout : I got divorced twice, does that count?

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : That counts.

• [Stout and Vanderleur are discussing how to get the Bailey bridge through town] 

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : When you refer to Bailey crap I take it you mean that glorious, precision-made, British-built bridge which is the envy of the civilized world?

  [looks at the crowd of Dutch civilians] 

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : I don't know how you're going to get it through this crowd.

  Col. Robert Stout : No sweat. I got a back way staked out that will avoid all this. American ingenuity.

  Col. Joe. Vanderleur : Really?

  Col. Robert Stout : Actually, I was born in Yugoslavia, but what the hell.

• Lt. General Horrocks : Kickoff will be at 14:35 hours tomorrow afternoon. The Irish Guards under the command of Col. Vandeleur will take the lead.

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : [sotto voce]  Christ, not us again.

  Lt. General Horrocks : What'd you say to that, Joe?

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : Delighted, sir, truly delighted.

  Lt. General Horrocks : I've selected you to lead us, not only because of your extraordinary fighting ability, but also because, in the unlikely event the Germans ever get you, they will assume from your attire that they've captured a wretched peasant and immediately send you on your way.

• Lt. General Horrocks : Do you think you'll be able to pull it off, Joe?

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : I have nothing else planned for this afternoon.

• Lieutenant Colonel Giles Vandeleur : Joe? Joe, how the hell do they expect us to keep schedule on a road like this?

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : You don't know the worst. This bit we're on now?

  Lieutenant Colonel Giles Vandeleur : Yes?

  Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur : It's the wide part.