A Bridge Too Far

Based on the true story of the Allied forces’ failed attempt to capture several bridges in Germany near the end of World War II, A Bridge Too Far is an excellent war film; at least for the first half.

Unfortunately, at just shy of 3 hours in length, it’s easily a half-hour too long, and that last 30 minutes drags for an eternity.

There’s a lot of good here. The all-star cast hits (Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and James Caan) more often then it misses (Gene Hackman and Ryan O’Neal) and even knocks one clear out of the park (Robert Redford). The production is fantastic, with great location scenery and authentic vehicles and equipment, and the battle scenes are tense, pulse-pounding thrillers.

But then there’s that last 30 minutes.

You see, for the first two hours or so, the film is essentially a docu-drama style look at Operation Market Garden, from its initial planning stages to its execution and failure. Small dramatic arcs, like short stories, interrupt the proceedings from time to time, such as James Caan’s rescuing an injured friend, but for the most part we’re a dispassionate observer. Yet, in the final quarter, the filmmakers attempt to ground the story through the eyes of a doctor, played by Laurence Olivier and a woman, played by Liv Ullmann, who are manning a makeshift hospital.

The thing is, it doesn’t work.

We see dozens and dozens of wounded soldiers, but they’re nameless faces. We see the bombed out buildings, but they’re just smoldering rubble. We have no personal connection to this death and devastation so rather than feel the emotional weight it’s meant to impart, we’re just bored.

In the end, the film, like the mission, was flawed from the beginning. It told a story with no end, a mission with a great initial investment that never paid off. That said, the first half is damn near exceptional.