Review of A Bridge Too Far (1977) by Doug G — 17 Jun 2012

One of the later World War II big budget rehash films, this flick, not surprisingly, reflects the era in which it was produced. The mid-late seventies marked a peak of post-Viet Nam public cynicism about the military and its leadership; in light of this, the 1944 Operation Market Garden was an ideal vehicle for a war film soaked through with revisionist cynicism regarding "the good war." As such, the movie is well produced and skillfully acted.

Despite the overall war-is-crap theme, what is presented reflects a clear pro-American, anti-British bias. The Americans are gutsy and earnest; the Brits are stiff, twittish, and largely misguided. Of course, the clear suggestion that "Monty" was something of a bumbler seems borne out by the historical record.

One thing I question is the somewhat curious presentation of the Nazis as startlingly honorable. Maximillian Schell plays a German general who is thoughtful, dapper, wise, and curiously humane. I wonder how accurate such a portrayal is, as opposed to this being a convenient but dubious vehicle for a flashy "reconsideration" of the German military leadership.

Finally, despite the definite virtues of the film, I do take exception to one of its premises, presented in the introductory voiceover. It is claimed that in mid-1944 the outcome of the war was still in doubt, since the Germans still occupied most of Western Europe. This is a stretch; on the far more significant Eastern Front, the Red Army was by this time rapidly advancing towards the German homeland. Indeed, following the conflagration at Kursk in July 1943, Germany's fate was largely sealed. The Allies played an important though belated role in the final victory, but it was the Soviet effort and sacrifices that were already decisive long before D-Day.