The Bridge (1959)

The Bridge is a 1959 WWII film based on the novel by Manfred Gregor and directed by Bernhard Wicki. Set during the final month of the war in Europe when the Germans conscripted teenagers and old men to defend the crumbling Reich, the film focuses on seven teens who are abandoned by the retreating, demoralized Wehrmacht to defend a worthless bridge against advancing Americans. The film was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film in 1960 and is considered by many to be the greatest German film about World War II and among the greatest anti-war films of all time. It also helped the director Bernhard Wicki to work on the 1962 epic historical war drama film The Longest Day.
The film was released after the also successful German movie Stalingrad: Dogs, Do You Want to Live Forever? of the same year. An eponymous remake was released for television in 2008.
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=Pistols=
==Walther PP==
Before going to the Wehrmacht, Jürgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht) receives his father's service weapon, a Walther PP, from his mother (Eva Vaitl).
==Walther PPK==
What appears to be Walther PPKs are seen in the holsters of Hauptmann (Captain) Fröhlich (Heinz Spitzner), Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant colonel) Bütov (Siegfried Schürenberg), Leutnant (Second lieutenant) Zimmermann (uncredited), Stabsfeldwebel (Sergeant major) Zeisler (Vicco von Bülow), and other German army officers.
==Luger P08==
A German Feldgendarmerie military police officer challenges Unteroffizier Heilmann (Günter Pfitzmann) with his Luger P08.
=Submachine Guns=
==MP 40==
Feldgendarmerie policemen and Wehrmacht officers wield the MP 40. All of them appear to be the earlier variant with smooth magazine wells. Also, protagonist Jϋrgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht) uses an MP 40 instead of his original weapon - a Sturmgewehr 44 - when firing his gun. This mocked-up MP 40 has a wooden stock and a thicker magazine. 
==M3A1 "Grease Gun"==
Several US soldiers engage the teenagers with the M3A1 "Grease Gun" during the fight.
=Rifles=
==Karabiner 98k==
The Karabiner 98k is used by Albert Mutz (Fritz Wepper), Hans Scholten (Folker Bohnet), Jürgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht), Karl Horber (Karl Michael Balzer), Klaus Hager (Volker Lechtenbrink), Sigi Bernhard (Günter Hoffmann), and Walter Forst (Michael Hinz) from basic training onwards. It is also widely wielded by Wehrmacht soldiers including Unteroffizier Heilmann (Günter Pfitzmann). The Karabiners in the movie are different early and late variants with different barrel bands and with and without hooded front sights.
==Mauser Gewehr 1898==
Among the carried Mauser rifles are many Gewehr 98s. During the departure from the barracks, Unteroffizier Heilmann (Günter Pfitzmann) carries one.
==Carcano M91/38==
Throughout the movie, a large number of Carcano M91/38 Short Rifles are seen.
==Sturmgewehr 44==
Jϋrgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht) is issued with a Sturmgewehr 44 during the distribution of weapons in the barracks and uses it during the defense of the bridge. However, during actual shooting scenes, the rifle inexplicably trades place with an MP 40.
==Karabinek wz. 29==
One German soldier can be seen with a Wz. 29 Mauser rifle which is later wielded by Klaus Hager (Volker Lechtenbrink).
thumb|none|450px|Karabinek wz. 29 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
==M1 Carbine==
Most of the US Army soldiers are armed with M1 Carbines.
==M1 Garand==
An American soldier is seen with a scoped M1 Garand. 
=Machine Guns=
==MG 42==
Hans Scholten (Folker Bohnet), Albert Mutz (Fritz Wepper), Karl Horber (Karl Michael Balzer), and Klaus Hager (Volker Lechtenbrink) operate MG 42s during the defense of the bridge. Other ones are mounted in the hulls of the mocked-up Sherman tanks standing in for the Browning M1919A4.
=Other=
==Air Rifle==
Walter Forst (Michael Hinz) owns an air rifle.
==Hunting Room==
The hunting room of the Borchert family includes several Flintlock and Wheellock Pistols, but also some sporter rifles and Wheellock Muskets.
==Panzerfaust==
Some German soldiers and the members of Unteroffizier Heilmann's (Günter Pfitzmann) platoon are issued with Panzerfausts. These are used by Walter Forst (Michael Hinz) to knock out several US tanks.
==Mocked-up Sherman tanks==
The filmmakers asked the US Army if they could borrow real tanks from them, but the request was denied. As it was impossible to obtain US tanks at the time of filming, wooden models were used, only one of which was motorized. After the firing scene with the Panzerfaust, this had to be turned through 90 degrees quite quickly, which was done with long ropes and pulleys. If you look closely, you can see truck wheels with double tires under this tank model. The internal wheels can also be seen when the Sherman tanks first appear. In close-ups of the tanks, the view under the vehicles is obscured by sheet metal.
==Smoke Grenade==
An American soldier throws an unknown smoke grenade on the street to cover the retreat.
Category:Movie
Category:B&W
Category:Drama
Category:War
Category:German Produced/Filmed