Nearly five decades after its release, one of the most ambitious war films ever made is finally being rediscovered – and found its place on streaming in the UK.
Richard Attenborough’s 1977 epic A Bridge Too Far, long considered a landmark in World War II cinema, blends historical accuracy, emotional depth, and one of the most legendary casts ever assembled – including Sir Michael Caine, Sir Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Gene Hackman, and James Caan. The film retells Operation Market Garden, the ill-fated Allied operation in September 1944 that aimed to bring the war to a swift close by seizing several key bridges in the Netherlands. While the operation was a failure in military terms, Attenborough’s film treats the story with both reverence and realism, showcasing not just the bravery of the soldiers involved, but also the logistical flaws and political pressures that shaped the mission’s outcome.
Michael Caine plays Colonel Vandeleur, a British tank commander, in one of his most commanding early roles, and is joined by Hopkins, Connery and Hackman, who all deliver powerful performances.
The film was shot on location in the Netherlands, with painstaking attention to historical accuracy. More than 100 authentic military vehicles – including Sherman tanks, Dakota planes, and WWII-era fighter aircraft – were sourced from museums and private collections to ensure realism on screen.
Yet not all locals were comfortable with the production. Filming in Deventer, a Dutch city that stood in for Arnhem, caused tension when extras dressed in Nazi uniforms walked the streets. As author Simon Lewis recalled in an interview: “I think the younger residents lapped it up – particularly the younger women. But the older generation struggled with seeing German uniforms on their streets.”
When it debuted in 1977, A Bridge Too Far received mixed reviews, with some critics arguing it was overly long or emotionally distant. But time has been kind to the film, and in retrospect, many see it as an unmatched depiction of mid-century warfare – both in scope and detail.
It received eight BAFTA nominations, winning four, including Best Supporting Actor for Edward Fox. In recent years, viewer reviews have been consistently glowing, with many pointing out the same thing: that this film deserves a place among the greatest war movies ever made.
A look at Rotten Tomatoes user reviews if prrof of the consistent sentiment: “One of the greatest war films ever put to screen. With an all-star cast, the complaints about it being too long are unwarranted… an all-time great!”
“Brilliant! Such a well made film about the doomed ‘Market Garden’ mission… A proper WW2 classic”, wrote a fan, while anothr gushed: “One of the best war films over the years. I enjoyed it in 1977 and now watching it for my 20th time.”
A fourth one wrote: “Nothing much to say… historical accuracy, practical effects and incredibly high quality for its age, a gold standard of historical war movies.”
A Bridge Too Far is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.