The Bridge at Remagen (1969)

The Amazing Story of March 7, 1945. The Bridge at Remagen is directed by John Guillermin and collectively adapted to screenplay by William Roberts, Richard Yates and Roger O. Hirson from the book The Bridge at Remagen: The Amazing Story of March 7, 1945. It stars George Segal, Robert Vaughn, Ben Gazzara, Bradford Dillman and E.G. Marshall. A Panavision/ De Luxe Color production, music is by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Stanley Cortez. Film is a fictionalised account of the battle for control of The Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine during the tail end of World War II. A war film that’s rich with action and no little intelligence as it views the battle equally from both sides of the warring factions. The bridge is crucial to the war effort to both sides, but for different reasons, here the narrative is a little complex so total investment in the dialogue is strongly recommended. The characterisations are high quality, even if the war is hell weariness of the American soldiers had been done many times before in other notable war movies. Guillermin thrusts the psychologically hurt soldiers into desperate combat situations, from which we the viewers indulge in seeing the survival of the fittest. A sweeping score from Bernstein, gritty looking photography by Cortez, and a cast giving good turns, rounds this out as a thoroughly enjoyable World War II picture. 7/10