The difference between fiction and reality is fiction has to make sense - Tom Clancy

Commanders:”This operation will end the war by Christmas” History:”Ah shit, here we go again”

" Montgomery, in defeat, undefeatable. In victory, unbearable. " - Winston Churchill

When I told my dad I watched A Bridge Too Far, he didn’t know what movie I was talking about, but when I described it to him he asked “is that the one where Robert Redford is crossing the river chanting ‘Hail Mary, full of grace’?”

Imagine being a pretty old dutch guy, having survived Nazi invasion, occupation, and then the Allied invasion and liberation. You're getting a little on in age, and your mind is starting to go, so you're not really aware of what they're filming. Sure, you heard they're making a big movie in your country, but you really don't know what it's about. Suddenly, you go outside to sit in your garden for a bit, and the sky is filled with the same sight you saw in 1944. Thousands of planes sky, and thousands of men pouring from them. You'd be terrified!

“Out of ammunition. God save the King.” - Last radio message from British Airborne at Arnhem bridge. Due to their radios, it was only heard by the Germans.

"Ending the war by Christmas" has now become synonymous with "invading Russia"

My great-uncle was one of the few Dutch soldiers to fight in Arnhem with the British special forces as part of the Jedburgh teams. He was killed there and there's a little spot named after him near the bridge.

Movie budget exceeds $25 million Attenborough "we spared no expense"

Uploaded on the 75th anniversary of the attack. Clearly you put more planning into this review than the actual Allied Generals put into Operation Market Garden.

Richard Attenborough making this film: Spared no expense. Richard Attenborough as John Hammond in Jurassic Park: Spared no expense.

I would like to add that this depiction of a military airborne drop is 100% dead on accurate, to include the landing. Most military movies show guys hit the ground like a feather. But this movie showed guys hitting the ground like a sack of out of control potatoes. Now I know why it was so accurate.

I still remember a review from when this film was first released: "If you liked WW2, you will like 'A bridge too far' as they both cost about the same!"

"Sorry we haven't the proper facilities to take you all prisoner!"

I saw A Bridge Too Far for the first time in 1977 in the Leicester Square theatre in the company of my Polish girlfriend, who worked in London at the time. While going up to the theatre we bumped into a Polish veteran who was actually fighting in the Polish brigade near Arnhem in 1944.

I was 17 years old when the movie was recorded and I got in as an extra. Got dressed up in green and got ordered to run from A to B. Never got to see one of the big names and I am only visible in one scene that shows a group of exhausted and wounded soldiers. Good fun and it was nice to have a look behind the scenes. BTW, The bridge scenes were not recorded at the real bridge in Arnhem, but at a similar looking, although smaller bridge in Deventer.

In the 1970s WW2 was still a vivid memory to many. A big budget movie about an Allied defeat was risky as many people in Britain and America preferred to watch us win onscreen, not lose. I've read that one reason this movie didn't fare as well as it deserved is that it's about an Allied failure, plain and simple. Too bad. It really is brilliant.

As a dutch citizen who grew up in Arnhem, I've watched this movie many times and when I was younger took part in flower laying ceremonies honoring those who fought to free my home city. It is a grand movie and signs of the battle can still be found if you look hard enough in the countryside. All in all this is a fantastic film and a dear recommendation from an Arnhemmer.

The scenes at Arnhem Bridge were filmed in my hometown, Deventer. this because the WW2 era bridge at Arnhem was demolished after the war. A sister bridge of the same type exists till this day in Deventer. Fun detail; in the 1970s part of the Deventer historical city center was so derelict, they could use it as it was as a backdrop for the fighting of John Frost his battalion.

Saying “home by Christmas” during a war is a curse

Rest In Peace Brian Urquhart, 101, 1919-2021.

My father flew on a Lancaster Pathfinder during WW 2, and the two of us went to see this movie in 1977. After coming back from a bombing raid on rail lines nearby in the Ruhr valley to try to prevent German troops from getting to Holland to counterattack the Allied advance, he told me that once they had returned to their air base in England, almost every air crew thought that the operation was doomed. It was 33 years after the events shown, but I listened to him call out each different type of plane as they came on screen. He passed away in 1998. R.I.P. Dad! We who came afterwards owe your generation so much!

I really miss the "All Star Casts" we got in the 70's. It would be way too expensive to cast that many named actors in a movie today, even considering the relatively small amount of screen time they each compared to their typical movie.

There was a documentary about this. I don't remember what it was called, I was a kid at the time. But I remember my father jumping out of his chair, runs to the TV and points at his father walking across a bridge. My dad just broke down and cried (I've never seen him cry before). He was proud to see his dad marching, and he (my grandfather) even smiled at the camera.

What have we learnt? Never predict wars to be over by Christmas

"YOURE LATE YOU LAZY BASTARD BUT I FORGIVE YOU!" *pause* (commander looks at tank) (commander realized its enemy) "TAKE COVER!" thats great

As a "hard core history buff" I find this stuff fascinating. I can't explain to family and friends how interesting I find this period to be. For most people, The Era might as well be from the middle ages. I suppose you're either interested in history or not.

A Bridge Too Far was the film that got me interested in the military and history in general. I first watched it when I was about 7 at my Nana's house, with the spring sun shining through her net curtains with the smell of a Sunday Dinner for her brother's visit from Australia. It's one of my favourite childhood memories. I'm hopefully going on to join the British Army later this year or next year (depending on college). My Great Grandfather wasn't at Arnhem, but he was in the Parachute Regiment and was involved in Market Garden.

And remember; a British officer does not duck for cover!

Great film, my grandad worked as a propsman on it and appeared as a pilot in the scene where the planes take off

Sosabowski is a hero. Knew the plan was flawed. Followed orders, and lost everything. Hearing his story, i just say: casualty of war. But my hero.

I watched this movie in the theater with my grandfather, a B-17 tail gunner in the US Army Air Force during the war. When I was a kid he took me to every movie focused on the war that came out. This one stood out to me even as a teenager, and goes down as one of my favorites ever made.

The look of horror and disappointment of the guy who said "What did you expect, destroyers?" is perfect. He was convincing himself more than his men hahaha.

History Buffs: Reviews A Bridge Too Far Me: immediately favorites video before hitting play

This film when I watched as a young boy inspired me to join the Army. After 22 years this movie still inspires me when I was young boy. OIF 04-05

After seeing this movie. My teenaged self read up on Market Garden. I was impressed on how accurate the movie was. I was very surprised that General Eisenhower approved such a complex dangerous plan. It had only the slimmest chances of success. But a fantastic production, very good flick. A friend asked me about it I said well it is starring everybody. What a cast!

When my father was in the dutch army and stationed somewhere in south-east germany, close to the dutch border, he and his bataljon were send to help work on this movie. They had to built the emergency bridge you see in the film after the original bridge was blown by the German. He was on set with all the actors and Richard Attenbourough. I'm still jealous when I hear the stories :p. He's even on screen for like a split second! Thanks for finally covering this movie!

14:00 HOW VERY DARE YOU! That radio worked that distance purely because of the warm and enigmatic tones of Richard Burton's voice AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW!

An interesting detail lies within the fact that Dirk Bogarde, playing General Browning in the movie, actually also took part in the real Operation Market Garden in 1944, as a young soldier, thus being involved in both the authentic event, as well as its later re-enactment on screen.

General Incompetence. The most successful general in human history.

I think it's so amazingly strange that after the war when they wanted to thank everyone who fought in and near Arnhem, they didn't want to come. They were ashamed of their defeat and were afraid the Dutch hated them for the failure. Instead, they heard that despite their defeat most people recognised that they tried and many gave their lives so they could live in freedom. Nowadays when you live in Arnhem it's impossible to miss the week dedicated to this event. They still come to Airborneplein and Oosterbeek to honour everyone they lost. If you ever are near, go the Airborne museum and the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.

If and when history buffs comes back, I’d love for 1917 to be the next one...

I watch Bridge Too Far with my dad growing up. I remember the cameraman jumping out of the airplane and hearing him breathing heavy, almost huffing as he dropped to the ground. I always felt that was totally real fear, just like all the young men would have felt dropping in a war zone. Respect for both cameramen and paratroopers.

The amount of Hollywood stars that rogered up for this movie is truly amazing. Great movie!

Can we say that, when budgetting this movie, RIchard Attenborough ... spared no expense ?

"The locals started hiking up the price for everything a film shoot might need..." I'm Dutch and I'm sorry to say that doesn't sound cartoonish to me at all.

I live in Nijmegen, it is beautiful to see the realism and the places portrait in this movie to be places I walk everyday. Seeing the bridge that I travel past daily in a major motion picture is magnificent.

This, The Great Escape, and The Big Red One were three of my most watched WW2 movies as a kid. I grew up on films like these and I genuinely miss the days of the 2 to 3 hour long epics. Large superstar filled ensemble casts, dozens to hundred of extras, amazing practical stunts and effects! It may not have been as pretty and flashy as movies with modern effects are today, but you can see the thought, care, and hard work that went in to making these old behemoths! Now I want to have a movie marathon.

Most expensive movie at the time? So, what you are saying is that Director Richard Attenborough...spared no expense?

"I'm terribly sorry but I'm afraid we're going to have to occupy your house"

I had an uncle with the 82nd during MARKET GARDN.. As a Dutch immigrant to America he was ' going home.' He also jumped during HUSKY (Siciily) and OVERLORD (D-DAY). A family friend was with the resistence in Maastrict.

This is easily one of the best films ever made

Its exactly 75 years ago today! Thanks Nick! Love from the Netherlands! #rememberseptember #utrinque Paratus

Last time I was this fast, the British were still in Antwerp

TCM aired this movie yesterday and it was just a chaotic movie but war is chaotic. The battle scenes look so real. Great review

My dad served in the Staffordshire Regiment (after the war) - But they still wore a glider as a battle honour from Arnhem, the entire regiment was effectively whipped out there. This film really is a classic.

"A Bridge Too Far" Or, as I like to call it "Monty's Python"

The British soldier carrying an umbrella is based off Digby Tatham-Warter - a very interesting chap to read up about.

R.I.P. General Sosabowsky got blamed for Monty's failures.

“My general wishes to negotiate a surrender!” “We accept the terms of your surrender!”

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we would grow too fond of it" - Robert E. Lee.

Hey, out of curiosity are you going to do a mini review of Chernobyl by HBO

I watched this back in high school. I remember liking it, but also getting confused about an hour in trying to keep track of who was in what group & who was tasked to do what.

It always touches me as my great uncle was in the paras, but got captured at Arnhem. He was then in a POW camp until 1945. I never met him, but my family said he was half the man he used to be afterwards, and preferred a peaceful life mowing the grass at queens

Love this movie and this is a great review. One other little inaccuracy though: There is a scene on the bridge at Arnhem where German troops march off that bridge. I watch this movie with my father who was in the German infantry in WW2 and he said German troops were explicitly trained never to march on a bridge. (On a side note my father was captured by Canadian troops in Belgium and spent the rest of the war in a PoW camp near London, England. He felt his treatment in that camp was so good he never harbored any resentment to the Allies and immgirated to Canada after the war. At my fathers funeral, and in solidarity with soldiers everywhere, "Abide with Me" was played; an idea that came from this movie.)

RIP Sean Connery! 😔 2020 SUCKS.

Actor Hardy Kreger who played the SS General Karl Ludwig had to deal with his internal demons on his role, as it struck very close to home with him. Because late in the war he actually did serve in an SS division and was going to be executed for refusing to shoot American prisoners. His execution was suspended by another SS officer, showing there was some humanity within their ranks. He escapes and hides out the rest of the war, as well as renounced Nazisim citing his life story as an example. He frequently spoke out against extremism and for democracy until his death in 2011.

I just recently discovered your channel. I've binged most of your videos within the last 48 hours, and I just want to say: Thank You 😊 🙏 I grew up watching these movies with my dad, who unexpectedly passed away 9 years ago, and your videos show the same passion for history and cinema that he did. And that makes me so happy. I only wish he were still around, so that we could watch your channel together ❤️

21:16 Ahhh, my countrymen working hard to reinforce the stereotype of the Dutch being cheap

I read the Readers Digest version of the book. It was abridged too far.

I watched this movie with my mother 25 years ago or so. She began to reminisce about someone she new from her home town that was a pilot that fought in Europe. Right after she said that, a DC 3 rolled across the screen with the name of the pilot my mom mentioned a few minutes earlier. That being said, I’d say the attention to detail was painstaking.

Interestingly Attenborough did reconnaissance photography/filming whilst serving in the RAF during WW2 - often given the tail gunner’s seat in bombers such as Lancasters to record missions over targets. Coverage we see in documentaries are samples of what his unit did. Makes one wonder if this experience drove his ambitions in capturing the aerial photography in this movie into the detail we now enjoy on screen

This is how you make a ww2 movie, no lone squad vs the German army.

Fortune favors the bold. But so does misfortune. "He that knows when to fight and when not to fight, wins," Sun Tzu.

Glad to see someone who compared the practical effects and attention to detail to Waterloo. Thanks man.

It's sad how a movie like this would never be made today

Oh my god I’ve wanted you to do this for so long. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you review Black Hawk down some day Or zero dark thirty

Love this flick! (Oddly enough, Connery, Hopkins, Caan, et. al. didn't draw me out of this film; but somehow when Redford appeared it broke my suspension of disbelief)

I knew an older gentleman that was a veteran of that battle. He always called it "Operation Market F-ing Garden".

I've seen this movie so many times, especially after I first went to Arnhem with my family when I was 17. Up until then I had never understood the sacrifice that all these brave men and women had given. From an early age my parents had always made me get up early on Remembrance Sunday. And had made me stand up straight and quiet for the two minutes of silence. I understood that people had faught and died, but I never got "IT". The films and documentaries my dad would watch about the war were boring. And then while on holiday to the Netherlands, we went to Arnhem, and on to the war graves at Oosterbeek. It was there, wandering around the beautiful white gravestones, away from my parents, that I started to read the ages of the soldiers, just to pass the time, until we could leave. I was fine until I found several graves of 18 year old soldiers. These young men that were only 6 months to a year older than what I was. That weren't old enough to drink, vote or drive a car, had died in this battle. Paratically children. And then I started to wonder whether any of then had lied when they joined up? That they were younger than what they actually were. And I lost it, I found too many 18 and 19 year-olds lying there in that beautiful place, and i could stop the tears. I finally got "IT" I understood what they gave their tomorrows for. I was up early, that year for Remembrance Sunday, and everyone since, and I wear my poppy with pride. We went back to Arnhem when my daughter was nearly 7, and went back out too Oosterbeek Wargraves Cemetery. While on the bus, we met an old soldier that faught at Arnhem. He said he came every year, to stay with a family that had helped him. He now spoke fluent Dutch, and was going to pay his respects to his comrades. He told us that we should have come the following week, when they had a lovely ceremony at the cemetery, where the local children put a flower on every grave. Two years later on the 60th anniversary of the battle of Arnhem, we went back again and attended the ceremony. While we were there, prince Charles and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands walked past us. Much to my daughters delight. And we watched the ceremony, and it was beautiful as we had been told it was. We even saw the old soldier again, visiting his pals.

Convinced my brother to watch this film with me, he wasn’t too keen about how long it was. But by the end we were both left stunned. It’s now one of his favourites.

The production of this movie reminds me a LOT of Apocalypse Now. Filming in more expensive and problematic places, criticism about budget, scenes filmed almost like documentaries of massive live enactments using tons of cameras, they were even made around the same time. What a magical moment in Hollywood.

10:38 Brian Urqhart wrote a FASCINATING book on his life called A Life in Peace and War. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it. He commented on how ironic it was that the very same operation that convinced Germany that large scale airborne assualts were too risky to be worth it, that being Crete, was what inspired Britain to do the same and learn the same lesson. Here is a hilarious anecdote he had about demonstrating Britians airborne infantry to Eisenhower and co.. “I remember a demonstration of ‘Britain’s Airbourne Might’ (as the Daily Express persisted on calling it) for Churchill and a newly arrived American major-general, Dwight Eisenhower. The appointed day was cold and blustery, with a wind well above the maximum speed for safe and orderly parachuting. Although the Royal Air Force warned that in these conditions the drop would be ragged and quite possibly in the wrong place, it was impossible to disappoint the distinguished audience, which at that very moment was making its way to a windswept row of chairs on Salisbury Plain. [...] Emerging last from our aircraft, I could easily see that the situation was not promising. The line of seated VIPs, which was supposed to be at a safe distance, seemed rapidly to get nearer as I descended and the wind blew our little group off course. At about 300 feet I could sense the distinction of the lonely line, the Prime Minister, the Air Minister Sir Archibald Sinclair, the sinister Lord Cherwell, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and the American general as well as our own General Browning. Shouting a warning and trying to side-slip, I landed with a sickening bump just in front of General Eisenhower. The wind then took my parachute and dragged me at 30 miles an hour straight through the VIP line. Detaching my parachute harness, I came to a halt, stood up and, for want of anything better to do, saluted. The British, except for Browning, behaved badly, muttering “Disgraceful,” “Dammed poor show” and so on, and looking embarrassed. General Eisenhower on the other hand, was perfectly charming. “Are you all right, son?” he asked. “You shouldn’t be jumping in this wind anyway” He looked quizzically at the cylindrical cardboard container around my neck. I explained that it contained two carrier pigeons for communicating with Headquarters, and I extracted one, attached a message cylinder to its leg, and threw it into the air to launch it on its mission. The pigeon had evidently had enough nonsense for one day and flew to the top of a nearby bush, where it sat cooing and eyeing the company with an evil look.”

"You're just gonna stop and...*scanning stereotype bank* drink tea!"

I wouldn't be too hard on that Sosabowski line. In a way he is a similar character to who Tom Hanks plays in Saving Private Ryan. Doing his duty, because it needs to be done, but taking no pleasure from it. His brigade was probably the best of the best of the Polish army and they were given a crooked deal and later scapegoated. He knew he was being shafted.

Love this film, it's one of favourite films..... EVER!! The actors who played the main characters were well chosen and they did a fantastic job of telling this incredible story.

Watching this i can only imagine how these officers felt with pretty much anything that could've gone wrong did go wrong. I think I felt the worst for Sosabowski who after Market Garden's failure was used by Montgomery as a SCAPEGOAT for its loss and was relieved of command of the Polish 1st Parachute Brigade. Only after his death were he and his unit recognized for their heroics. Incredibly distasteful.

Das Boot or Battle of the River Plate next please

Great channel; I saw this in the theatre in the 70's and the airborne sequences are outstanding. Superior to CGI. In general, I love this film, but I do have a few quibbles on authenticity, and I realize that getting accurate aircraft and armor into a film can be a challenge that not every filmmaker is able to overcome. 1) The British fighter/bomber aircraft don't resemble anything that the Brits flew on ground support missions; 2) the German tanks are obviously post-war and I've always felt that the presence of the German armor was thin in the film. 3) The portrayal of Model is way off. Model was not a stuffy fusspot worried about his lunch. In reality he was a hands on commander who didn't really fit into the Prussian stereotype. The "Fireman" as he was known, would not have hurried himself to the rear. 4) A lot of the male haircuts are much too long-- Redford and most of the Americans. Most of the rank and file Germans and even Bittrich's is too long. 5. While Dirk Bogarde's performance as Browning is top notch, there are many key differences between the on-screen and the real Browning. I think the film does the real General Browning a disservice and while it makes for great cinema, it's also unfair to the man and I don't think that was necessary. 6) I love James Caan's performance, but the set up of the Captain getting drunk and whining about being afraid to die is amateurish.This does show Great Britain's best male actors of the era at their prime: Caine, Connery, Fox, Hopkins...and I think Ryan O'Neal gives one of his best performances.

Just became free on KZfaq, I’ve been waiting on watching this video until I saw the movie, now the time has come.

My 1960-61 seventh grade teacher, Robert Dunning late of Baker Co, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne during the war, was a technical consultant for this movie. He swam across a body of water, taking a rope that was to be used by guys in boats to pull themselves across. He was also one of the ex GIs who jumped on June 6, 1984 to recreate D Day.

I love this film and the man played by Anthony Hopkins (John Frost) moved to a farm in Miland West Sussex after he retired where he hired my Grandmother as a nanny. My dad knew him when he was growing up and he said he was really nice and used to let him swim in his swimming pool. He even gave my father a reference when he went to work for the army and I love the idea of having a resume with a reference like that.

I've watched A Bridge Too Far many times, but your video has enhanced my appreciation of the film and the history. Great presentation! Thank you!

My mother took me to see this at the theater when i was fourteen yrs. old. Three yrs later i became a very proud young paratrooper with the 1/506th Inf. 101st ABN DIV. A Bridge Too Far inspired me. However unbeknownst to me, the 101st was no longer on jump status but rather Airmobile with Helicopters ( Air Assault). Still got my jump wings though at Ft Benning and my Air Assault wings at Campbell. CURRAHEE!!!

Grew up in Arnhem, and just seeing the images in this film is so awesome. The fact that everything I see in this movie is just so recognizable to me... The places, the landscapes, the rivers, and yes, even the bridges... It's just so unreal to watch... Amazing film!

“And... Drink tea?!”

This is a bit late; but, I now know more than I did when I first watched this excellent review of a largely excellent film as I have been researching the operation for a project tied to its 80th Anniversary. Probably influenced by the film but, I too thought that the RAF had selected the Drop Zones and Landing Zones as History Buffs mentions. However, this is not the case at all. The RAF paid a relatively minor part in the operation. Most of the work (including all of the American, British and Polish parachute drops) was undertaken by the 1044 aircraft of the US IX Troop Carrier Command. This was part of the 1st Allied Airborne Army under Brereton who planned the drops and set the Drop and Landing Zones. Indeed, Brereton specifically directed that there were to be no coup de main operations and that there would only be one drop on the first day. The RAF’s 358 aircraft of 38 Group (converted bombers) and 46 Group (Dakotas) were used to tow gliders and on subsequent resupply drops. It is interesting that the (Hollywood-funded) movie decided to link this element (and the later delay to the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade’s drops by the US 314th and 315th Troop Carrier Groups) to the British rather than the American airmen. If one looks closely at the footage, the movie does correctly show the British paratroopers jumping from US-marked C-47 Skytrains whilst the Dakotas in British markings are shown with the gliders - albeit with one small error in that Urquhart’s glider is shown on a 46 Group airfield with Dakotas whereas he flew from RAF Fairford, a 38 Group station whose two squadrons were equipped with Short Sterlings. This is understandable given the availability of Skytrain and Dakotas for filming in the 1970s rather that Short Stirlings.

The lost evidence footage at the beginning was a nice touch. That was one of my favorite documentaries as a kid. Also Moffat Burris later in the war bluffed a whole panzer brigade into surrender. Interesting figure in history.

I saw in a book once (It's all true btw): A British officer approached a tank mid battle with only an umbrella and wlaked slowly, he began having a conversation with the tank commander who poked his head out of the hatch, about a minute into the conversation there was a loud bang, a sniper had shot at the commander and had hit the hatch which shattered the bullet and flung lead into the commanders face, he ducked down and his crew panicked because his face was covered in blood and they thought he had been shot but he wasn't in pain and just wiped it off (he found the lead pieces later when he was shaving), he then poked his head back up and the officer was still stood there leaning on his umbrella, he said to the tank commander "Snipers, funny things aren't they."