I remember seeing this movie in the late 1970s and liked it a lot and still watch it every time it's broadcast not infrequently on television . I was very disappointed that it didn't make the recent list of Channel 4 's 100 GREATEST WAR MOVIES list

What I like about THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN is its cynical edge . You see in these type of movies the Yanks are invincible knights in shining armour while the Jerries are invariably goose stepping Nazi dumbkopfs and while there is an element to Uncle Sam winning the war single handed it's nowhere enough to drag the movie into mediocrity . When I say " cynical " the screenplay is very even handed - The Americans loot from the bodies of the dead and come close to fragging a senior officer at one point while German civilians bleat that they're not Nazis seconds after taking down prized portraits of Adolph Hitler

Of course much of the cynicism is helped because of the period setting . It's only a few weeks from the final end of the war in Europe and everyone knows what the outcome of the war is going to be but everyone still kills and dies regardless . There is something more poignant about this than say the battle of Stalingrad in 1942 or D Day in 1944 hence the obvious war weariness from the Americans . It's different for the Germans who are fighting the enemy in their own borders . It should also be pointed out that in reality they know the Nazi death camps have been found and someone will be paying a heavy price for these crimes against humanity hence the Germans are in no hurry to surrender

Being made in 1969 I wonder if the war in Vietnam was at the back of the producers minds ? The one major German character Kreuger is portrayed as just a soldier protecting his homeland while we see scenes of American bombers dropping ordnance on innocent civilians that include young children and woman in their eighties . Maybe it's just another example of cynicism ? but one things for sure - You won't be seeing something like this coming out of a Hollywood studio today

If you like war movies you'll like THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN a lot . It's intelligent , cynical and contains a really great score from Elmer Bernstien

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this WWII film. Why I decided to watch it I am uncertain, but I am positive it is NOT because of my Leonard Maltin guide--whose review was, at best, mediocre. Well, because the review prepped me to dislike it so much that my sights were pretty low, I was amazed to find it kept my interest throughout. The film was pretty good--even when the action became bogged down at the bridge. And, the cast did a good job as well (Maltin also agreed with this assessment). While it certainly won't rank among the best war films, it is very very good and not as overly "familiar" a plot as I had expected.

Unlike it The Longest Day or Midway or Patton and MacArthur, The Bridge At Remagen will not give you any insights into the high command decisions involving the bridge left standing. The closest you will see to a general on the American side is E.G. Marshall and he's using an alias for a character based on J. Lawton Collins.

No this is about the GIs and the Wehrmacht soldiers who slugged it out on the ground. The bridge was the only one left standing on the Rhine an oversight because Hitler ordered them all to be blown.

But some on the scene wanted it left open so that several thousand German troops needed to defend The Fatherland could not be trapped in France. Then the Americans seeing it still not blown because of bad explosives used then wanted to capture it intact. The seesaw priorities provide a lot of drama.

Robert Vaughn plays the German major left in command of the 'troops' that are ill equipped and understaffed for their mission. The saddest sight to see is a Hitler youth firing on and killing a GI from a hotel window. Of course the squad led by Lt. George Segal finds and kills him. It was truly heartbreaking.

Segal and his men are those actually on the bridge trying to take and hold it and the battle scenes are intense. He's ably assisted by Segeant Ben Gazzara. He's also supervised by an officious major whom the audience I guaranteed wanted to punch out and he's played by Bradford Dillman.

For the story the GI story of our first troops into Nazi Germany, despite historical errors you can't go wrong with The Bridge At Remagen.