A Bridge Too Far

Right now you can watch A Bridge Too Far in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 943 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Dirk Bogarde leads a cast that never overplays its hand. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, A Bridge Too Far is worth clearing space for. A Bridge Too Far takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. The story of Operation Market Garden—a failed attempt by the allies in the latter stages of WWII to end the war quickly by securing three bridges in Holland allowing access over the Rhine into Germany. A combination of poor allied intelligence and the presence of two crack German panzer divisions meant that the final part of this operation (the bridge in Arnhem over the Rhine) was doomed to failure. Dirk Bogarde and James Caan lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It hit screens in 1977. The performances in A Bridge Too Far do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

A Bridge Too Far is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Dirk Bogarde carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.