A Complete Disaster of the British Forces in the Second World War

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2004)

In September of 1944, after the successful invasion of Normandy, the allies try a bold strategy plan called `Market Garden', idealized by General Montgomery, with the purpose of finishing the war before Christmas. The intention was to destroy German industries, with airborne forces being released behind German lines and protecting some Dutch bridges, while the Army was coming by earth to give support to the operation. What happens indeed is a lot of confusion and flaws, lack of communication and coordination of the operation, bad planning, meteorological problems, resulting in the death of thousand of men. Yesterday I watched this super-production for the first time on an excellent DVD recently released in Brazil. The complex story is amazingly well filmed, with very realistic battle scenes. The cast is a constellation of stars, having names such as Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliot Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Kruger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell and Liv Ullmann. I do not recall another movie having such a list of great actors and actress. I do not know much history to write whether the facts are correct or not, but the realism of the scenes plus the cast make this film a worthwhile entertainment. I have not felt the almost three hours running time passing, and I liked it a lot. Certainly it is one of the best movies about war ever made. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): `Uma Ponte Longe Demais' (`A Bridge Too Far')