IMDb > A Bridge Too Far (1977)
A Bridge Too Far
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany credits
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotes
Did You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

A Bridge Too Far (1977) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (See all 60 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   28,340 votes »
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Cornelius Ryan (book)
William Goldman (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Bridge Too Far on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 June 1977 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Drama | History | War See more »
Tagline:
Out of the sky comes the screen's most incredible spectacle of men and war!
Plot:
A historic telling of the failed attempt to capture several bridges to Germany in World War II in a campaign called Operation Market-Garden. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Won 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(33 articles)
Nfts launches Attenborough fund
 (From ScreenDaily. 11 June 2013, 5:01 PM, PDT)
Harry Hill Movie To Start Shooting
 (From EmpireOnline. 9 May 2013, 5:06 AM, PDT)
Horror Cinema's Most Cursed Productions
 (From FEARnet. 22 April 2013, 1:00 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Under-rated war epic. See more (185 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Siem Vroom ... Underground Leader
Marlies van Alcmaer ... Underground Leader's Wife (as Marlies Van Alcmaer)
Erik van 't Wout ... Underground Leader's Son (as Eric Van't Wout)

Wolfgang Preiss ... Field Marshal Von Rundstedt
Hans von Borsody ... General Blumentritt (as Hans Von Borsody)
Josephine Peeper ... Cafe Waitress

Dirk Bogarde ... Lieutenant General Browning
Paul Maxwell ... Major General Maxwell Taylor

Sean Connery ... Major General Urquhart

Ryan O'Neal ... Brigadier General Gavin

Gene Hackman ... Major General Sosabowski
Walter Kohut ... Field Marshal Model
Peter Faber ... Captain 'Harry' Bestebreurtje

Hartmut Becker ... German Sentry
Frank Grimes ... Major Fuller

Jeremy Kemp ... R.A.F. Briefing Officer
Donald Pickering ... Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie
Donald Douglas ... Brigadier Lathbury

Peter Settelen ... Lieutenant Cole
Stephen Moore ... Major Steele

Edward Fox ... Lieutenant General Horrocks

Michael Caine ... Lieutenant Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur

Michael Byrne ... Lieutenant Colonel Giles Vandeleur

Anthony Hopkins ... Lieutenant Colonel Frost

Paul Copley ... Private Wicks

Nicholas Campbell ... Captain Glass

James Caan ... Staff Sergeant Dohun
Gerald Sim ... Colonel Sims
Harry Ditson ... U.S. Private
Erik Chitty ... Organist
Brian Hawksley ... Vicar
Colin Farrell ... Corporal Hancock
Christopher Good ... Major Carlyle
Norman Gregory ... Private Morgan

Alun Armstrong ... Corporal Davies
Anthony Milner ... Private Dodds
Barry McCarthy ... Private Clark
Lex van Delden ... Sergeant Matthias (as Lex Van Delden)

Maximilian Schell ... Lieutenant General Bittrich
Michael Wolf ... Field Marshal Model's Aide

Hardy Krüger ... Major General Ludwig (as Hardy Kruger)
Sean Mathias ... Irish Guards Lieutenant
Tim Beekman ... German Private
Edward Seckerson ... British Padre

Liv Ullmann ... Kate Ter Horst
Tom van Beek ... Jan Ter Horst (as Tom Van Beek)
Bertus Botterman ... Dutch Villager
Henny Alma ... Dutch Villager

Elliott Gould ... Colonel Stout
Ray Jewers ... U.S. Radio Operator
Geoffrey Hinsliff ... British Wireless Operator
Keith Drinkel ... Lieutenant Cornish
Mary Smithuysen ... Old Dutch Lady
Hans Croiset ... Hans - Her Son
Fred Williams ... Captain Grabner
John Peel ... German Lieutenant
John Judd ... Sergeant Clegg

Ben Cross ... Trooper Binns
Hilary Minster ... British Medical Officer
David English ... Private Andrews
Ben Howard ... Sergeant Towns
Michael Graham Cox ... Captain Cleminson
Johan te Slaa ... Elderly Dutch Couple (as Johan Te Slaa)
Georgette Reyevski ... Elderly Dutch Couple
Pieter Groenier ... Young Dutch Couple
Adrienne Kleiweg ... Young Dutch Couple

Denholm Elliott ... R.A.F. Met. Officer
Peter Gordon ... U.S. Sergeant
Arthur Hill ... U.S. Medical Colonel

Garrick Hagon ... Lieutenant Rafferty
Brian Gwaspari ... U.S. Engineer
Stephen Rayment ... Grenadier Guards Lieutenant
Timothy Morand ... British Corporal (as Tim Morand)
James Wardroper ... Private Gibbs
Neil Kennedy ... Colonel Barker
John Salthouse ... Private 'Ginger' Marsh
Jonathan Hackett ... Glider Pilot
Stanley Lebor ... Regimental Sergeant Major
Jack Galloway ... Private Vincent
Milton Cadman ... Private Long
David Auker ... 'Taffy' Brace

Laurence Olivier ... Doctor Spaander
Richard Kane ... Colonel Weaver
Toby Salaman ... Private Stephenson
Michael Bangerter ... British Staff Colonel
Philip Raymond ... Grenadier Guards Colonel
Myles Reithermann ... Boat Truck Driver

Robert Redford ... Major Cook
Anthony Pullen Shaw ... U.S. Captain (as Anthony Pullen)
John Morton ... U.S. Padre

John Ratzenberger ... U.S. Lieutenant
Patrick Ryecart ... German Lieutenant
Dick Rienstra ... Captain Krafft
Ian Liston ... Sergeant Whitney
Paul Rattee ... Private Gordon
Mark Sheridan ... Sergeant Tomblin
George Innes ... Sergeant Macdonald
John Stride ... Grenadier Guards Major

Niall Padden ... British Medical Orderly
Michael Graves ... British Medical Orderly

Simon Chandler ... Private Simmonds
Edward Kalinski ... Private Archer
Shaun Curry ... Corporal Robbins
Sebastian Abineri ... Sergeant Treadwell
Chris Williams ... Corporal Merrick (as Christopher Williams)
Andrew Branch ... Flute Player
Anthony Garner ... British Staff Major
Feliks Arons ... Dutch Priest
Stuart Blake ... Soldier
Ray Boyd ... Soldier
Stephen Churchett ... Soldier
Jon Croft ... Soldier
Patrick Dickson ... Soldier
Adrian Gibbs ... Soldier
Jason Gregory ... Soldier
Stewart Guidotti ... Soldier
Patrick Hannaway ... Soldier
Brian Haughton ... Soldier
Anthony Howden ... Soldier
Frank Jarvis ... Colonel Frost's Aide
David Killick ... Soldier
Dan Long ... Soldier
Gerald Martin ... Soldier
Edward McDermott ... Soldier
Tony McHale ... Soldier
Jack McKenzie ... Soldier
Francis Mughan ... Soldier
Richard Ommanney ... Soldier (as Richard Ommaney)
Peter Quince ... Soldier
Robin Scobey ... Soldier
Farrell Sheridan ... Soldier
James Snell ... Soldier
Michael Stock ... Soldier
David Stockton ... Soldier
Paul Vaughan-Teague ... Soldier

Jason White ... Soldier
Mark York ... Soldier
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Richard Attenborough ... Lunatic Wearing Glasses (uncredited)
Omar N. Bradley ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)

Winston Churchill ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Charles de Gaulle ... Himself - In Car with Churchill (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dwight D. Eisenhower ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gerard Franken ... Soldier (uncredited)

Adolf Hitler ... Himself - Salutes Parade (archive footage) (uncredited)
Alfred Jodl ... Himself - Beside Hitler (archive footage) (unconfirmed) (uncredited)
Trafford Leigh-Mallory ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bernard L. Montgomery ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
George S. Patton ... Himself - Shakes Hands (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bertram Ramsay ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
Erwin Rommel ... Himself - Below Hitler (archive footage) (uncredited)

Franklin D. Roosevelt ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Walter Bedell Smith ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
Arthur Tedder ... Himself - Plans for D-Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Richard Attenborough 
 
Writing credits
Cornelius Ryan (book)

William Goldman (screenplay)

Produced by
Joseph E. Levine .... producer
Richard P. Levine .... producer
John Palmer .... associate producer
Michael Stanley-Evans .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
John Addison 
 
Cinematography by
Geoffrey Unsworth (photographed by)
 
Film Editing by
Antony Gibbs 
 
Casting by
Miriam Brickman 
 
Production Design by
Terence Marsh 
 
Art Direction by
Stuart Craig 
Roy Stannard 
Alan Tomkins 
 
Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson 
 
Makeup Department
Ronnie Cogan .... chief hairdresser
Tom Smith .... makeup supervisor
Ernest Gasser .... makeup artist (uncredited)
Nick Maley .... makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Dickie Bamber .... production manager: second unit (as Richard Bamber)
Terence A. Clegg .... production manager
Grania O'Shannon .... unit manager
Eric Rattray .... production supervisor
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bert Batt .... assistant director: second unit
Roy Button .... assistant director
Sidney Hayers .... second unit director
Steve Lanning .... assistant director
Geoffrey Ryan .... assistant director
David Tomblin .... first assistant director
Peter Waller .... assistant director
Andy Armstrong .... second second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Peter Dukelow .... construction manager
Peter Howitt .... set dresser
John Lanzer .... production buyer
Jack Towns .... property master
Michael White .... sketch artist
Chris Seddon .... drapesman (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Peter Horrocks .... sound editor
Gerry Humphreys .... dubbing mixer
Simon Kaye .... sound recordist
Robin O'Donoghue .... dubbing mixer
David Stephenson .... sound boom operator
Les Wiggins .... sound editor
 
Special Effects by
John Richardson .... special effects supervisor
Ron Cartwright .... special effects technician (uncredited)
John Evans .... special effects technician (uncredited)
George Gibbs .... special effects coordinator (uncredited)
David Harris .... special effects technician (uncredited)
Ian Wingrove .... supervisor: second unit (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Wally Veevers .... optical effects
 
Stunts
Vic Armstrong .... assistant stunt arranger
Alf Joint .... stunt arranger
Roy Alon .... stunts (uncredited)
Joe Amsler .... stunts (uncredited)
Vic Armstrong .... stunts (uncredited)
Dickey Beer .... stunts (uncredited)
Marc Boyle .... stunts (uncredited)
George Lane Cooper .... stunts (uncredited)
Jim Dowdall .... stunts (uncredited)
Joe Dunne .... stunts (uncredited)
Stuart Fell .... stunts (uncredited)
Nick Hobbs .... stunts (uncredited)
Gregory Hodal .... stunt double: Ryan O'Neal (uncredited)
Gregory Hodal .... stunts (uncredited)
Billy Horrigan .... stunts (uncredited)
Alf Joint .... stunts (uncredited)
George Leech .... stunts (uncredited)
Valentino Musetti .... stunts (uncredited)
Doug Robinson .... stunts (uncredited)
Tony Smart .... stunts (uncredited)
Alan Stuart .... stunts (uncredited)
Rocky Taylor .... stunts (uncredited)
Michael Turk .... stunts (uncredited)
Chris Webb .... stunts (uncredited)
Henry Weissenman .... stunts (uncredited)
Bill Weston .... stunts (uncredited)
Paul Weston .... stunt double: Robert Redford (uncredited)
Paul Weston .... stunt double: Ryan O'Neal (uncredited)
Paul Weston .... stunts (uncredited)
Jason White .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Barron .... clapper loader
Frank Batt .... camera grip
Robin Browne .... aerial photographer
Wally Byatt .... camera operator: second unit
John Campbell .... camera assistant
John Cardiff .... second aerial camera operator
Nobby Clark .... chief rigger (as Nobby Clarke)
Ken Coles .... second camera operator
Jack Conroy .... electrical supervisor
Louis H. Lavelly .... camera operator: second unit (as Lou Lavelly)
Peter MacDonald .... camera operator
John Partington-Smith .... parachute camera operator
Bob Penn .... still photographer
Dave Waterman .... parachute camera operator
Harry Waxman .... lighting camera operator: second unit
Frank Connor .... set photographer: second unit (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Hilling .... wardrobe master
Margaret Lewin .... wardrobe mistress
 
Editorial Department
Brian Mann .... assistant editor
Chris Blunden .... assistant editor (uncredited)
 
Music Department
John Addison .... conductor
 
Transportation Department
Charles Mann .... military vehicle coordinator
 
Other crew
Bill Aylmore .... armorer
Joe Caroff .... title designer
Sheila Collins .... production assistant
John Frost .... military consultant (as Major General J.D. Frost C.B. D.S.O. M.C.)
James M. Gavin .... military consultant (as General James M. Gavin U.S.A.)
Frank A. Gregg .... military advisor (as Colonel Frank A. Gregg U.S.A.)
Brian Horrocks .... military consultant (as Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks K.C.B. K.B.E. D.S.O. M.C.)
Judy Humphreys .... production assistant
Gabriel Katzka .... production consultant
Norton Knatchbull .... location manager
Joseph E. Levine .... presenter
Loretta Ordewer .... production assistant
Kathryn Morgan Ryan .... chief technical advisor
Arthur Tarry .... production accountant
R.E. Urquhart .... military consultant (as Major General R.E. Urquhart C.B. D.S.O.)
Cornelius Van Eijk .... dutch liaison
J.O.E. Vandeleur .... military consultant (as Brigadier J.O.E. Vandeleur D.S.O.)
Dena Vincent .... production assistant
J.L. Waddy .... military advisor (as Colonel J.L. Waddy O.B.E.)
Constance Willis .... continuity (as Connie Willis)
Matthew Binns .... production runner (uncredited)
Brian L. Davis .... military advisor (uncredited)
Michael Turk .... marine coordinator (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
175 min | Finland:158 min
Country:
USA | UK
Language:
English | German | Dutch | Polish | Latin
Color:
Black and White (archive footage) | Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Stereo (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)
Certification:
Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 (1977) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:12 | New Zealand:PG
Filming Locations:
Bemmel, Lingewaard, Gelderland, NetherlandsSee more »
Company:
Joseph E. Levine ProductionsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Dame Daphne Du Maurier, the widow of Lt.-General Browning, complained that her husband had been "made the fall guy" for the failure of "Operation Market Garden" by this film. Browning and the unseen Field Marshal Montgomery, who are shown as responsible for the failure, had both died by the time the film opened in 1977 (unlike the other commanders involved). Director Richard Attenborough defended his depiction of Browning by pointing to the final scene, where he says, "As you know, I've always thought we were going a bridge too far". Browning did actually say something very similar to this (hence the title of Cornelius Ryan's original book and this film), but he said it well before the operation started.See more »
Goofs:
Factual errors: The 82d Airborne Division's Command Post during the operation was never located in an estate mansion as portrayed in the movie. The CP was in the woods outside Nijmegen near the drop zones.See more »
Quotes:
[First lines]
[film opens with montage footage of a World War II era bomber dropping ordinances. Suddenly, the footage freezes, and we hear a woman speaking]
Kate Ter Horst:It's hard to remember now, but Europe was like this in 1944.
[the video resumes, showing footage of the fighting while the narrator continues on with the introduction]
Kate Ter Horst:The Second World War was in its fifth year and still going Hitler's way. German troops controlled most of Europe. D-Day changed all that.
[the archive footage cuts to the invasion of Normandy and the liberation of Paris]
Kate Ter Horst:D-Day, June 6, 1944, when the Allied forces, under their commander, General Eisenhower, landed on the northern coast of France. By July, they were able to begin their own offensive. By August, Paris was liberated. Everywhere the Germans retreated.
[we then see archive footage showing the Allied advance through northern France]
Kate Ter Horst:But with the Allied victories came problems. Supplies still had to be driven from Normandy, over 400 miles away, and became dangerously short. The Allied advance began to come to a halt.
[the archive footage then goes to video of General Eisenhower, General Patton, and Field Marshal Montgomery]
[...]
See more »
Movie Connections:
Featured in "History vs. Hollywood: A Bridge Too Far: Heroes from the Sky (#1.15)" (2001)See more »
Soundtrack:
3rd MovementSee more »

FAQ

What happens to the officer General Urqhart sends to take over command?
Did General Urqhart really personally kill a German soldier as is portrayed in the film?
If the Allies are so close at the end why don't they just keep going and take the bridge?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
117 out of 137 people found the following review useful.
Under-rated war epic., 10 November 2004
Author: Jonathon Dabell (barnaby.rudge@hotmail.co.uk) from Todmorden, England

Quite a few bad things have been written about A Bridge Too Far. Richard Attenborough's elephantine recreation of the battle for several strategically valuable Dutch bridges in the winter of 1944 is a star-studded, lengthy and exhausting film (and many critics at the time seemed to be of the opinion that it collapsed beneath its own weight). Almost thirty years on, the film is now viewed somewhat more favourably. It may feel 30 minutes too long, and the need for so many stars in so many tiny parts is questionable, but A Bridge Too Far successfully shows a fierce episode of the Second World War in all its chaotic glory. Incredibly, there's no use of the computer generated effects during the big battle scenes that it is relied upon in modern films like Gladiator and Troy. The scenes in this film were shot pretty much as you see them - so the 35,000 parachutists storming Holland, the river crossing led by Robert Redford under intense enemy fire, and other such staggering combat sequences were filmed with thousands of extras and a good deal of meticulous planning and preparation.

The film is based upon Operation Market Garden, an Allied plot hatched towards the end of 1944 with the intention of ending the war in Europe. The concept behind the plan was to drop 35,000 soldiers into Holland approximately 60 miles beyond the German lines, to seize six vital bridges, and to reinforce the paratroopers by sending in thousands of ground troops. However, various mishaps jeopardised the mission and eventually the Allies were cut off and had to withdraw, suffering severe losses.

As stellar casts go, A Bridge Too Far still takes some rivalling. Among the many famous actors involved, these are just a few: Sean Connery, Robert Redford, Laurence Olivier, Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Ryan O'Neal, Gene Hackman, Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins and Elliott Gould. It seems pointless for some of the actors to be cast in these roles - true enough, Connery, Bogarde and Hopkins get decent roles and a fair bit of screen time, but was it really worth paying Redford $2,000,000 for his ten minute heroics? Could a decent actor have not handled the role for a fraction of that amount? Is Gene Hackman really the correct choice for Polish officer Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski? Should a light comic actor like Elliott Gould be doing his cigar-chomping "fun" turn in a movie as serious as this?

Luckily, the film is a big success on other levels. The cinematography is extraordinary; the music is suitably stirring; the potentially confusing story is handled with clarity and true-to-the-facts sensitivity; and amid the chaos a number of very memorable scenes emerge. A Bridge Too Far is a very good war film - maybe the biggest war film ever conceived (The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan included) - and I feel that, although it has a few casting flaws, it is in almost every other department a great, great achievement.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (185 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for A Bridge Too Far (1977)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Nijmegen Bridge (spoiler) bonjon
Question (spoiler) popularsi
Most amusing was seeing actors who never served.... rusoviet
WAAAYYY Too Strong Anti-War Message brasidas1970
Eindhoven song denham
Sosabowski - great documentary maciejczubak
See more »

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Longest Day Battle of the Bulge Captain America: The First Avenger The Dirty Dozen The Green Berets
IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Edit page' button will take you through a step-by-step process.