A brilliant film, one of the best war movies of all time

Rating: 10/10 (30 November 2002)

This is a meticulously accurate re-telling of Operation Market Garden, a bold attempt to end the War by Christmas, 1944. Its cast is first rate, one of the most star-studded movies ever made. At the time, even Edward Fox (who is exquisite in this film) and James Caan were top stars, coming off The Day of the Jackal and The Godfather among others.

(Spoilers lurk below)
It's September 1944, the German Army is demoralized and in retreat, as the Allies have swept across the France and Belgium with startling speed. Field Marshal Von Rundstedt (Wolfgang Preiss) is re-appointed as the supreme commander of Germany's Western Front. A bit of history is skipped over here, as historically Von' Runstedt indeed quipped "End the war you fools" in response to questions regarding what they should do, but in reality was not greeted with a smile but being temporarily sacked and called on the carpet before Hitler before being sent back to command.
To take advantage of the German retreat, Field Marshal Montgomery devised a bold plan to capture the Dutch bridges leading to and crossing the Rhine, then punch into the Ruhr with an Armor corps and capture the primary German industrial sector. It calls for 30,000 men, the American 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, as well as the British 1st Paras and the Free Polish Brigade. They will be dropped behind enemy lines and the British XXX Corps will exploit by speeding down 'Hell's Highway' and crossing the last bridge across the Rhine, the Bridge at Arnhem.
The score is first rate; an unforgettable inspiring tune that may confuse some as it may seem out of place in a movie chronicling a military failure. However, if you pay close attention, you'll note it picks up only when XXX Corps is on the move, the `Cavalry on the way to the rescue' as General Horrocks (a brilliant performance by Edward Fox--the best in the movie) puts it in a wonderful scene that sets out the parameters of the plan. When I saw this when it was released, the music is what made the biggest impression on me, and even today I can hum the tune, often it comes unbidden when watching other heroic movies. I suspect that many who object to the score see this as an anti-war movie, being an allied failure that shows how brave soldiers can be sacrificed for little gain, but this story is far deeper than that.
The acting is top-notch; this movie contains so many first-rate actors it couldn't be anything else. In addition, the supporting characters are also remarkable well played. The only complaint may be that so many fine actors mean some are only onscreen a short while, giving the impression some are wasted. Accents are mostly correct, and Americans will realize very soon that they're watching a British army in action much of the movie. Officers speak the King's English, enlisted men mainly rural and working-class accents. In addition to Fox, Anthony Hopkins' performance is especially of note. He plays the correct Colonel Frost who brings his golf clubs and dinner jacket in hopes he'll need it, finding his unit surrounded and isolated on the last bridge for several days instead.
The Germans are not portrayed as soulless monsters, but brutal and pragmatic soldiers doing what a losing army needs to do in order to survive. Maximilian Schell as General Bittrich, gives a top rate performance as the commander of the SS Panzercorps division that was randomly re-deployed to the area the paratroopers will be dropping right on top of. He can be cruel, ordering Arnhem leveled to make his defense easier; as well as merciful, allowing the British wounded to be evacuated when the Germans hold the upper hand. Hardy Kruger does a fine job as his subordinate, a weary officer not impressed with the arrogance of many of his other superiors and willing to take things in his own hands and disobey their overly optimistic orders when circumstances require.
It is Bittrich's Panzercorps that foil the daring British plan. It's pulled out of the line for R&R and deployed where it was though to be out of the way, in Arnhem. Shortly before the drop a British intelligence officer gets reports from the Dutch underground that Panzers are in the area and even gets reconnaissance photos of them. In reality this was Sir Brian Urqhart who would later become an Undersecretary-General for the UN, but his name was changed to Major Fuller in the movie as his last name is the same as Sean Connery's character, the general commanding the British Para division. There is a wonderful scene between Major 'Fuller' (Frank Grimes) and General Browning (Dirk Bogarde) where Fuller attempts to get the drop stopped because of the Panzer reports, and Browning explains there is too little info on them and so many drops have been cancelled that this time `the party's on.'
General Browning is more or less presented as the 'villain' which is somewhat unfair. It's a documented fact his position was they were trying to go `a bridge too far,' though he wouldn't allow his reservations to inhibit his subordinates' morale. He projected and expected a positive attitude, which some officers believe is their duty and an important part of winning battles and the war. Also, it's not explained that some Dutch 'underground' were penetrated by the Germans and were passing on misinformation, a fact known to the allies before this assault. In truth, the only reliable evidence he had was a few photos of tanks, and thousands of others that showed nothing unexpected in the area. He theorized they were not fully serviceable, and pointed out the British had guns too.