Thank you for uploading this gem of a documentary! This is what I love about RU-vid. Here is an hour long film showing the making of the movie and very interesting interviews with the main actors and the notable veterans they are portraying in the story. As far as I can remember this program never aired in the United States in 1977, so it was great to finally see it here for the first time. What a massive undertaking to make this film. Even though it has some flaws and artistic liberties were taken by the director, this film is still a masterpiece and will be forever known as the last great Hollywood studio produced war movie on World War II with an incredible all star cast of it's time.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
Thank you so much to every one involved for this film and the actual film and of course not forgetting those who fought in the battle and those who fought in all battles to ensure we were free.
The Dutch were awesome! I've always said there's never a place I'd rather live in besides the United States, except, Holland. The nicest, most appreciative people I've ever known.
My uncle was in the 504PIR “I” Company 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave crossing the Waal River. Half didn’t make it across the river and those that did captured the north side of the bridge. Were’t many left by the time they did. Two companies “H” & “I” made the initial crossing. I attended the 60th anniversary of the drop and the crossing and was fortunate enough to meet his company commander Moffatt Burriss and four other troopers. Very special men. Moffatt’s book “Strike & Hold” is a very good read.
Yes, very special men, I agree. Seems like all those troopers and also fighter pilots who survived, that experience made them become special men after the war. I will check the book out. Thank you for recommendation.
Exceptionally brave men undoubtedly, but the British had already captured the main road bridge at 1910 hours, by the time the 504th got there at 1938, there were still some Germans high in the bridge but in general the Americans found the northern end of the road bridge quiet when they arrived. bare in mind, the real fighting had taken place at the southern end of the bridge between 10th SS Panzer Brigade and British Grenadier Guards with some 82nd US on the flanks. That is where the main German defences were. Then the Grenadier Guards and Irish Guards tanks rolled across, took the bridge, and only encountered Americans once they had taken it and moved closer to the rail bridge. I don't place much trust in what Burriss says, undoubtedly a brave man, but reading his book he makes it sound it was the Americans who took the bridge all by themselves, when the Brits actually did it. I know its an old acorn, but the Americans swept up the remaining scattering Germans after they retreated, but the Brits were the ones who took it.
@@OldWolflad - Market Garden was a terrible plan to begin with. Too bad the 504th didn't know that the bridge was already taken as it would have saved them over 200 dead and wounded. Also too bad the canvas boats were nine hours late arriving and the promised British air support was non-existent. Too bad the British tanks stopped for the night after crossing the bridge, when General Horracks had said while planning the crossing "My tanks will be lined up in fulll force at the bridge ready to go, hell-bent for Arnhem." General Browning later stated "I have never seen a more gallant action." There's always countless "what if'" in war.
@@grooveman222 With the benefit of hindsight it possibly was doomed to failure, but Eisenhower insisted on it, and General Gavin said everyone knew it was a risk, but one worth taking if it succeeded. German Commander in Chief Siegfried Westphal later said the operation came within a whisker of succeeding as the Germans were at breaking point, and like General Model and the Official US History, they apportion the 82nd's lack of action on 17-18th in taking the bridge as the key reason it failed, not really on any British slowness. 30 Corps arrived at Nijmegen on time at mid-day on 19th but rather than being able to go across the bridge as supposed, they had to engage in very heavy fighting in Nijmegen with 82nd over 2 days to take the Nijmegen suburbs and especially the heavily fortified southern end of the road-bridge defended by 10th SS Panzer Division who had now moved in. Of course, it was not executed as per the original plan anyway, no coup de main, airdrops over two days instead of one at the insistence of Brereton/Williams. The boat idea was Gavin's, no one else's, it wasn't in the pre-plans and he was evidently trying to make up for his earlier inaction. The boats were at the back of the long supply line on a single road. No doubting the bravery of the 504th on the boats, they were heroes. 82nd and 101st US divisions were the cream of the US Army. Horrocks apparently said that but then the situation was fluid. He had to divert tanks back to help 101st US Division as 107th SS Panzer Division had breached the supply lines, the Coldstream Guards had to divert to help the 82nd by the Reichswald, and the 8 tanks of the Irish Guards that took the bridge were ordered to consolidate the northern end of the bridge, as was Burriss and Co, and at that at that point they simply did not have the supply, the infantry back up, the shells etc to move on in darkness and the accounts of British tank crews (Sergeant Robinson etc) are totally different. The conversations that took place only did so later in the evening, and if they knew that heavy fighting was still going on in Nijmegen and back along the route they may have felt differently. The 504th performed heroically but the significance of their crossing at Nijmegen river is questionable anyway, the bulk of the fighting was at the southern end of the bridge, whilst the Germans on the relatively lightly-defended north shore were eyes and ears battalions in the main, youths aged 15 or men approaching 60. Of course it doesn't matter what age the person pulling the trigger of a machine gun is, those men from 504th lost 48 men in the crossing, though I might point out that the Grenadier Guards from 30 Corps lost more than that in the battle for Nijmegen but get little mentioned despite their bayonet charge on the Valkhof that essentially broke the German resistance at the southern end of the bridge and enabled the tanks to cross and take it.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
This is a unique historic documentary with interviews of people who actually witnessed and participated in the battle. We still are grateful to them. Greetings a Dutchman.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
What a cracking documentary, thanks for uploading. What a cast, director and Mr Levine. Brave men and many paid the ultimate price. Total respect to the Dutch 🙏
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
I visited Arnhem in 2016 with the daughter of one off the paras, one who got out. It was very moving. Looking at the movie and the making of, It is an amazing piece of work. I think it captures many aspects so well. bloody marvellous.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
Sir Richard was may be the only one who could pull off such a feat(ure). Back then cameras had only 10 min worth of film in.Old "making of" are so amazing compared to the most recent ones.I am referring to the overall feel of real cinema making and the comments of stars, coming from real people' s experiences seem honest and relaxed.They don' t say all the same words,as " it was great to play with the others","never before such an experience","how sad when was over","looking forward to work with them again" . Thanks for posting.Ik woon niet ver van deze locatie
Sadly Kate ter Horst was killed in the 90s hit by a speeding police car which mounted the pavement during a chase. A very sad end for an exceptionally brave lady. Also one of her little boys was killed long after the battle playing with a grenade in the garden. There is a dress shop called ‘ter Horst’ on the main thoroughfare in Arnhem going towards the bridge. I noticed it on my first visit to Arnhem in 2001. I wonder if they were related? I think the most inspired casting in the film was that of Edward Fox playing Lt General Horrocks. Not only did they have the most remarkable physical resemblance but their speech and mannerisms were uncanny. For a LtGeneral who fought from Dunkirk through Normandy and Arnhem and beyond i always thought that Horrocks was one of the most humane man of his rank who really had a conscience. .
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
At 50:47 there's my grandfather playing as the german captain talking to Richard Attenborough, Fred Williams, which his real name is Friedrich Locherer and he also enjoyed working with jess franco playing in his movies
It was a hugely ambitious plan. It relied on several crucial missions being accomplished. Above all blame the Germans for this mess, not allied commanders and troops assigned the grim task of clearing land the Germans invaded and occupied. Having read a lot of reliable sources (ignoring the film Bridge Too Far as a factual source) i think the tanks could not get through to Arnhem as the road was not open, simple, they had already done a great job getting through and those narrow Dutch roads were easily defended by the Germans, who had fully occupied this area for years, had time after the battle started to prepare their defences and were reinforced quickly. the tanks saw some bitter fighting and did achieve much of their mission. the Germans had reinforcements from France and from Germany which made a huge difference. Radio communication was a big problem. The drop zones were far from the objectives. The infantry fighting was very intense and without relief it was impossible to indefinitely hold on to ground taken. Again, the germans reacted quite quickly. All-in-all it was incredibly bold and complex. Perhaps there was pressure from the allied command to stop an organised German retreat, stop the V1 and V2 bombing of England etc etc. Above all my respects to the allied troops and their bravery. Also respect to the local people of the Arnhem area. To the German people I hope you will keep to your own borders in future and not invade any neighbours. Peace to all. Lest we forget.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
The first movie I ever saw in a movie theater. My older brother brought me (a big deal-I was 10 and my parents would freak if they knew I went to a war movie) and I was amazed. I had read the Cornelius Ryan book even that young. It was fascinating watching this.
Yeah, my dad, former soldier, whose dad was a Major during WWII, took me and my twin sister to see Tora!Tora!Tora! when we were about your age, ten or so, and we had already read books on WWII, like Nicholas Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea, and our dad took us, two girls ten year old to see that too and the Bridge over the River Kwai. We were amazed. I still remember how we told our dad that we would become movie directors and make films like this. I kept that promise.
Stunning, and an allegory to a generation that's almost faded away. I was already working with such people in 1976 and that year seems to be the best one that captured the memories of those who were there, all in the same state of reflection. My father-in-law is the same age as Hardy Kruger and (only recently) reflects his memories as a 'Flakhelfer'. Also liked the comment below that Holland, like England, is not a nation.
"you are no nation, therefore you do not exist ?" I think you want to redefine what it is you want to say... Holland like England is not a national country..but you will find that both "hollanders" (as viewed by Brabos , Frysians, Flemish , etc) and the english (as viewed by Welsh, scots, irish) ARE nationalistic (have characteristics that the other participants of the country do not have).
Actually, I think you'll find England IS a nation. The United Kingdom (meaning England, Scotland and Wales) is a collection of Nations and Great Britain, which includes Northern Ireland is again, a united group of states. All are different.
A brilliant film, and often underrated in my opinion. It no doubt made uncomfortable viewing for many of those who were still alive when it was made. Refusing to acknowledge their mistakes.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
Het zijn prachtige beelden die tijdens de filmopnames van de bekende oorlogsfilm "a bridge too far " die vanaf april tot oktober in het jaar 1976 zijn opgenomen. Vind het echt super dat je deze beelden via youtube met de hele wereld wil delen.
I've got the paperback that accompanied this documentary, (I don't mean "A bridge too far, I mean "The Arnhem report".), I actually didn't know the documentary existed until it came up on YT recommended viewing a minute ago. I thought there was only the book!
Wow, that was fantastic! And wasn't Joe Levine a wonderful person to have financed the movie! Richard Attenborough was another who believed in presenting the unvarnished truth.
Thanks for posing this,glad this movie and others like 633 squadron were made when "real" aircraft could still be used. Nothe fake CGI crap used nowadays! Jman
I totally agree. CGI is crap at shows it, unless done perfectly, which is rare. The real feel I love about the older movies of that era 60s, 70s, 80s, top films and more real.
Fantastic documentary about a great movie about a major event in WW2. Imagine if it had succeeded fully. Germany would have surrendered much earlier. The soviets were still in the Soviet Union. Eastern Europe would not have fallen behind the Iron Curtain. Would there have been a Cold War??
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
He says "Youth seems to need it..." Yet it is invariably the old which start wars, not youth. Rather, I'd say it is the old who need the youth to need war, that said, his outlook is largely correct - but people in power more often than not use this outlook to justify the things they do, rather than as a general philosophy of acceptance. We do not need to stop all violence as if it were an homogeneous entity capable of being stopped, rather we should be selective.
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
Great film - not sure if its intentional but at 423 Joseph E Levine appears to have Arnhem Bridge engraved into his walking stick. I am so glad he got this film made.
==================================== Andrew Milbourne was the man with no hands. ==================================== I found his book, "A Lease of Life" in a charity shop 30 years ago. It made a good impression upon me, which is why I instantly knew who it was. Listening to Andrew talk, in his clear and distinct northern voice, here was a man dealt hard cards by Life, yet he bounced back with distinction, for having served his country in battle, with no hands and one eye, he then served the needs of other disabled people, rising to be a senior manager. A fitting tribute to the spirit of "Whoa Mohammed!" /
I've jumped onto Ghinkel Heath in 2004 from a Dak on a round & it was a bastard, the heath was like Dartmoor & it was a hard landing & hurt like hell..But I did it for fun, no one was firing at us & we could get pissed after in the Ghinkel Café!!!
Thanks for uploading this. Its very interesting. Such a good movie, one of thefirst I went to see as a boy. Really made me appreciate the horror of war. Years later I was handed a box, inside in the paper cuttings and a set photo's of an ex. Para...Also his medal ribbon's and cap bagde. His name was Gerry Dimmock. He did a mad dash in a jeep under heavy fire and swam the Rhine to freedom. I now help run Garlieston's Military Weekend to raise funds for military charities. Thanks in part to ABTF. Lest We Forget.
Montgomery desperately tried to persuade Eisenhower to agree to a number of plans that he felt would achieve this, one of these was given the codename Operation Comet. The plan was to drop the elite 1st British Airborne Division, by parachute and glider, into Holland to capture the five key bridges in and around the towns of Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem. The 2nd British Army would then break through the German front line and advance the sixty-four miles to the River Rhine at Arnhem, properly securing each of the bridges as they went. Once the final bridge at Arnhem had been reached, there would be no more river obstacles standing between the 2nd British Army and Germany. Montgomery then wished to advance on Berlin and seize it from under the noses of the Russians, but with the great distances that this involved it was considered far too cavalier a move to be possible. Eisenhower, however, was persuaded of the merit of capturing the Dutch bridges and so gave his consent to Operation Comet. It was to have been launched on the 9th September, but Comet was cancelled shortly before take-off as it became apparent that it was asking too much of a single Division to capture and defend so many bridges over such an expanse of territory. It is widely accepted that if Comet had taken place then it would have been a complete disaster for all concerned. Pegasus Archive Market Garden In Depth Introduction
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
Best documentary i'v ever seen i was amazed to see the real Frost Horrocks and my heroe Urquhart and to hear there story's was amazing i first saw the film at age 13 and have to say it's one of the most authentistic films ever made and who didn't like Richard Attenborough what a legend he was and when the Germans cross the bridge yes true the mock half track is to sort but it was ment to be a SDKFZ 250 and the other mocks up don't look out if place because the Germans captured all sorts of vehicles the little mobile artillery remains me of a Renault.
It was truly amazing how they made this war film which is my favourite of all time. Never such a movie can be made again with a star studded cast. The actors and actresses involved on this film made such a contribution which potrays of what the true to life event which depicted this film.Thank you to all the stars, participants, movie crew and Sir Richard and Joseph Levine for making one of the best war movies in a lifetime. 👏❤️
This is the true story of "One bridge too far". The paratroopers were Polish. Wikipedia: A Bridge Too Far (film) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)
Only Bogarde got it right ."there always will be war there always has been " What none of them realized is if there is no war there can be no civilization, well not as we know it. War is the price pay to be as we are.
+pix046 Browning never got it wrong. When he parachuted in on the _2nd day_, he found Gavin of the US 82nd had not taken the prime objective, the Nijmegen bridge. He instructed him to take it ASAP. The 82nd were lucky XXX Corps got there on schedule otherwise they may have been wiped out. The film has Browning and Urquhart getting into a glider and leaving together with Browning wearing his _best clothes_. Urquhart went to Arnhem, Browning to Nijmegen - in the same plane? On different days:) The film is hopelessly wrong on many counts. Historically inaccurate.
I thought (must reread the references) that neither Browning nor Gavin were concerned about Nijmegen bridge as first objective. And give Gain some slack; the 82nd had to cover a WIDE area with MULTIPLE targets to get and areas to defend...and preparation/planning time was limited, 7 days for the whole plan. But I do know a dutch resistance liaison jumped with Gavin and maybe/probably he learned that a) the Nijmegne bridge was not rigged for explosives b) that if attempts were made that dutch resistance would know where to cut the wire..and c) the garrison at the bridge was too big to assault on this early stage with a small platoon (as Graebner inspected Nijmegen bridge on 18th when having come from Arnhem, before he decided to return)...maybe the dutch resistance and 82nd scouts just saw the Graebner concentration of vehicles on the bridge and reported back to GAvin that the force is too much to chew for that moment.
What, no acknowledgement of Attenborough's role as Roger Bartlett 'Big X' in The Great Escape? I had a friend/co-worker who fought at Remagen in the Hitler Youth.
Hardy Kruger the german actor playing the role of Harmel was a Hitler Youth and could attest that at that age he was so brainwashed that he indeed believed Hitler was a God, etc.
28:52 a nice hint of Gavin...(though it may be hindsighting "the youngest US general" but "i have a lot experience in taking bridges"): "A bridge has to be taken from both sides , coz attacking FROM ONE SIDE only piles up bodies, and in the end the BRIDGE GETS BLOWN UP anyway". You may think of the scene on day 4, but this is a VALID statement for why he did not and should not assault the Nijmegen bridge with most of his first day drop paras on the 17th/18th. Especially when the other bridges and drop zone for consecutive drops were not secured. (In fact it is criticism on the planners..why the hell didn't they para drop 82nd men on the NORTH side of the nijmegen ramp ??? nice , clear, clean fields!?).
This effed up charade should never have commenced.Hey Cornhole its where Browning wanted his HQ.None of that matters because the tankers lost their nerve .As the narrator said they had to take the chance(like the 82nd did crossing the river)
I believe in the book A Bridge Too Far, Sean Connery character Urhuart offered to have British paratrooper take the Northern end of Neijmegan Bridge but was rejected.
High command could have overruled Gavin. He was just a Lieutenant General at the time. General 'Boy' Browning ordered that his own headquarters near Nijmegen to be secured before doing anything else. He was Gavin's superior.
mdftrasher Geen idee wat dat was maar heb het opgezocht, is voor mijn tijd. Heb jij dit toen der tijd dus opgenomen van TV? Zo ja welk jaar was dat dan wel niet?
3.27: Incorrect. There is no evidence that Browning ever said that he thought that it was 'a bridge too far'. 28:54 Horrocks' 30 Corps was NOT 36 hours late reaching the Bridge at Nijmegen, actually they were on time. Unfortunately Gavin's 82nd Airborne had not captured the bridge, so 30th Corps had to spend time assisted them in clearing out the enemy, and at a later stage - thanks to a heroic crossing of the river by the American paras - when the bridge had then been captured at both ends they were indeed 36 hours behind schedule, and it was no longer possible to reach Arnhem (UK)
Cornelius Ryan talked to many German/British/American officers - veterans of this battle, after the war & before he died in 1974. And there are plenty of pictures with them in his books
5:02 die is smaller dan Arnhem's; dan hoefde Attenborough maar een paar tankjes te laten kantelen om het verdere verkeer te blokkeren. Is weer goedkoper..
The plan wasn't bad, it just didn't work out as hoped. It came within 24 hours and 12km of success. If it had succeeded everyone would be saying what a great plan it was and how they always knew it would succeed. Success has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan.
Crossing the Waal river as a paratrooper....in a boat?? The most stupid idea EVER! Nothing to do with heroism. Why not dropped the Para's on both sides!!?
This is an episode of 'This is Your Life ' featuring Major General John Frost.. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-R0_EW6BIUn8.htmlsi=DVx_nROelctnSTDr
