I purchased a United Artists Cinema Greats Collection that included Judgment at Nuremburg, Paths of Glory, 12 Angry Men and A Bridge Too Far. Oh well, three out of four ain't bad. Considering this film lasts nearly three hours, it's amazing how little we learn about either the Germans or Allies involved in one of WWII's biggest blunders. It's like 10 different movies in one, and the result is unsatisfactory. Perhaps the producers thought that securing the services of several A-list actors would produce box-office gold. Simply, it doesn't work. The Elliott Gould character, for example, is neither interesting nor funny. Supposedly a brilliant, cigar-chomping, wise-cracking American hotshot, he is a buffoon with a ridiculous smirk etched on his face. I mean, did somebody actually think this would be hilarious? The superb talents of Robert Redford and Laurence Olivier are completely wasted, and the James Caan vs. doctor scene made me cringe. Speaking of Caan, I watched the scene three times where he eludes capture by driving a jeep through the teeth of a German unit. By my unofficial count the Germans were 0-for-367 in their attempt to gun down Caan, with most of the shots from point-blank range. It was fitting since this movie is one giant misfire.
Review of A Bridge Too Far
