A Bridge Too Far (1977)

If you thought Saving Private Ryan was the best war film around, think again. I consider Saving Private Ryan's opening scene being very impressive but to be honest, the rest doesn't nearly match it. No, instead of wasting your words on how impressive Tom Hanks and his squad saving a lone private stuck in the middle of a war-zone is, spend them on probably the best war film of the 20th Century- A Bridge Too Far. Set in Holland in mid September 1944, A Bridge Too Far is the story of how the Western Allies tried to end the war by Christmas 1944 by dropping thousands of paratroopers behind enemy lines in order to capture three bridges along the Rhine River. With over enthusiastic commanders, poor intelligence and two crack SS Panzer Divisions which will stop at nothing to give up their Fatherland; Operation Market Garden is doomed from the start. Made in 1977, this film stars some of the greatest actors of the last fifty years. Sean Connery has to be the best of them all and gives a fantastic performance as leader of British 1st Para. Connery would make a great commander in real life with his great determination to hold out till relieved or die trying. Connery isn't the only one who gives an Oscar winning performance, The Italian Job's Michael Caine dazzles us with his role as commander of the Irish Guards. With other Hollywood greats, the stellar cast in this film is one of the reasons why it is such a masterpiece. Richard Attenborough, who directed A Bridge Too Far, did a great job bringing this true story to life. This film was filmed on the actual battlefield locations of Operation Market Garden and showed the true horror of war to the audience in some of the darker moments of the film. It must have cost a fortune to make it, let alone persuading the local public to get out of a temporary war zone in a relatively peaceful country that hasn't seen the likes of war for over seventy years. I think Attenborough wouldn't have had to do too much directing with already brilliant actors of that time. The most memorable moment of A Bridge Too Far and which always stands at the back of my mind is when the trapped 1st Para spots tanks coming over the horizon whom they think belong to the relieve force. To their horror, they discover they are not their saviors but instead German Panzer Tanks which begin to blast the even more desperate defenders. This is the most memorable moment for me because I remember feeling sympathy for the doomed paratroopers and hoped that they would be rescued. This led me to continue watching the film to discover the fate of the poor souls. So, if you want to get your teeth in to a Great War film, if you want to be constantly at the edge of your seat and if you want to watch a realistic war film instead of a made up and inaccurate film such as Saving Private Ryan, then this is the film for you.