“A Bridge Too Far” (1977) was one of those war movies that my Dad enjoyed; it would have appeared on television a couple of years after its theatrical release (1979? 1980?). Back then, I thought of it as a “really old movie” — which was understandable, because my father liked some truly old movies, even by 1980’s standards. But “A Bridge Too Far” actually hit the screens at roughly the same time as the original “Star Wars,” which most kids in my neighborhood had seen in the theater.
I found it online and finally watched it in its entirety — it’s actually a really good film. (Adapted from its eponymous 1974 novel by Cornelius Ryan, it’s a three-hour, meticulous depiction of Operation Market Garden — the Allies’ 1944 invasion of German-occupied Holland.)
The cast list is astounding — it’s basically a lengthy “Who’s Who” of 1970’s cinema. (Seriously, look at it.) If you enjoy period war films, I recommend this.
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 