  the bridge at remagen is a 1969 war film starring george segal, ben gazzara and robert vaughn. it was directed by john guillermin and was shot on location in czechoslovakia. the film is based on the book the bridge at remagen: the amazing story of march 7, 1945 by writer and u. s. representative ken hechler. it was adapted into a screenplay by richard yates and william roberts. the film is a highly fictionalized version of actual events during the last months of world war ii when the 9th armored division approached remagen and captured the ludendorff bridge intact. the bridge, named for general erich ludendorff, is never actually mentioned by name in the movie, which depicts a week-long battle and several artillery duels fought by the americans before gaining a bridgehead across the rhine for their final push into germany. ==plot== the film opens with the u.s. army failing to capture the still-intact oberkassel railway bridge. lieutenant hartman (george segal) is an experienced combat team leader who is becoming weary of the war in europe. after he is promoted to company commander following the reckless death of the previous officer, he is given orders to advance to the rhine river at remagen where he is promised a rest for his men. at the same time, major paul krÃ¼ger (robert vaughn), an honorable wehrmacht officer, is given the job of destroying the bridge there by his friend and superior, colonel general von brock (peter van eyck), who has been given a written order to do it immediately. but the staff officer appeals to krÃ¼ger's sense of honour, giving him a verbal command to defend the bridge for as long as possible to allow the 15th army trapped on the west bank of the river to escape. after capturing the undefended t
1960s_war_films 1969_films American_films American_war_films English-language_films Film_scores_by_Elmer_Bernstein Films_directed_by_John_Guillermin Films_set_in_Germany Films_shot_in_the_Czech_Republic The_Wolper_Organization_films United_Artists_films Western_Front_of_World_War_II_films