The Bridge at Remagen (1969)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

John Guillermin

Writers:

Roger O. Hirson (story)
Richard Yates (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 October 1969 (Sweden)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Tagline:

Thus ended the last great German stand in the West.

Plot:

As the Allied armies close in, the Nazis decide to blow up the last Rhine bridge, trapping their own men on the wrong side. But will it happen?

Plot Keywords:

Bridge | Rhine | Army | Nazi | Germany

Cast

George Segal	...	Lt. Phil Hartman
Robert Vaughn	...	Maj. Paul Krüger
Ben Gazzara	...	Sgt. Angelo
Bradford Dillman	...	Maj. Barnes
E.G. Marshall	...	Brig. Gen. Shinner
Peter van Eyck	...	Generaloberst von Brock (as Peter Van Eyck)
Hans Christian Blech	...	Capt. Carl Schmidt
Heinz Reincke	...	Holzgang
Joachim Hansen	...	Capt. Otto Baumann
Sonja Ziemann	...	Greta Holzgang
Anna Gaël	...	French Girl (as Anna Gael)
Vít Olmer	...	Lt. Zimring (as Vit Olmer)
Bo Hopkins	...	Cpl. Grebs
Robert Logan	...	Pvt. Bissell
Matt Clark	...	Cpl. Jellicoe

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | New Zealand:PG | UK:A | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Davle, Czech Republic

Company:

Wolper Pictures

Trivia:

Some of the Jeeps in this film have a vertical bar on the front. This was to cut invisible wires set between two trees by the enemy to decapitate the soldiers.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The movie makes it look like the Rhine river near Remagen is floating through a steep sloped valley. The town of Remagen however is built on the flat bank of the river.

Quotes:

Major Paul Kreuger: [to General von Brock over the phone asking for reinforcements] Herr General, your regrets will not save the bridge. The two panzer battalions might.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000) (TV)

Best assortment of vehicles ever used in a war movie

While it doesn't follow the exact historical events and has its fair share of "realistic" technical and tactical flaws, I think The Bridge at Remagen is a great movie. The WW II U.S. M24 Chaffee tanks, the M8 Armored Cars, half tracks, jeeps, troop carriers, and 2 1/2ton trucks are all just great. Unlike other WW II films of the period (60's-70's)the use of these vehicles sometimes make it seem as if one is watching George Stevens footage from WW II and not a Hollywood production. The moving, combat vehicles scenes were never better. Filming on location in eastern Europe where they had whole villages and towns that could really be blown up and destroyed adds a great deal also. I think most of the technical flaws (uniforms/weapons, both American and German)can be overlooked by the quality of what they did get right and the only real tactical flaw that I can't forgive is the out-in-the-open American tank vs German Flak battery duel. I just love those American M24's so I give it an 8 out of 10.