A Bridge Too Far (1977)* FULL LENGTH REACTION
Added 2023-11-28 16:00:09 +0000 UTCThe oldest movie that I've reacted to... so far!
Also, at what time does Sean Connery arrive at Wimbledon? Ten-ish π
Going in, I was worried that it wouldn't hold up well, especially since it's a 3h movie, but it was very well made!
One thing that stood out that I forgot to mention, is that a lot of the deaths felt very exaggerated/theatrical, which was funny at times.
It was interesting to see some actors look much younger! Sean Connery looks the same though, so there's that π
- Vero π
Thank you everyone for your continued support <3
Comments
That's heartbreaking. Really shitty of them using him as a scapegoat. It frustrates me when people do that! I'm glad he was able to get his family out though, but unfortunate that he was denied military pension.
Verowak
2023-12-03 02:38:56 +0000 UTCOh thank you for this! I'm glad to be able to see the connection with Band of Brothers
Verowak
2023-12-03 02:37:19 +0000 UTCGeneral Sosabowski (the Polish general played by Gene Hackman) suffered a really hard time after Market Garden. Montgomery (not in the movie) and Browning (the general who ignored Dutch intelligence) decided to make him the scapegoat of the fiasco, despite praising his effort weeks earlier. He lost the command of the unit he created (Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade) and was moved to rearguard command. This was mostly due to the fate of Poland having been already decided and Polish government in exile and Polish armed forces becoming "inconvenient" for the British. After the war Sosabowski was demobilized. He couldn't come back to Communist Poland, but he managed to arrange his family to be smuggled out of Poland to London. He was denied military pension by the British and for the rest of his life he had to work as a factory worker, his coworkers not knowing about his past. He died in 1967. He remained relatively unknown in the Netherlands until early 2000s, when a reporter learned about his story and decided it should be made straight. He made a TV documentary about him and as a result Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands posthumously awarded him the Bronze Lion medal for extreme bravery and Order of William (highest Dutch military honor) to Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade for gallantry during Operation Market Garden.
snthd
2023-12-02 23:16:41 +0000 UTCColonel Robert Stout (the American commander with the cigar, played by Elliot Gould who also played the father of Monica and Ross) is based on Colonel Robert Sink - Winter's superior in Band of Brothers. The destruction of the Son Bridge was omitted from the TV series, but Easy Company was there.
snthd
2023-12-02 22:42:24 +0000 UTCThe practical effects are amazing. So much more work goes into it, and it looks phenomenal. I do love how we get to see well known actors when they were much younger :D
Verowak
2023-12-02 02:30:56 +0000 UTCI had completely forgotten that Star Wars came out the same year π I much prefer not having credits at the beginning. I guess it was the style at the time, but I didn't know studios were really mad about it. That's actually quite hilarious :D
Verowak
2023-12-02 02:30:06 +0000 UTCThis movie is a great display of history, some of the 20th centuries biggest actors and amazing practical effects.
Ashley
2023-12-01 22:59:58 +0000 UTCStar Wars(Same year 1977) was actually one of the first movies that didn't have the credits at the beginning of the movie. The studios were really mad about it and tried to fight Lucas. I think he even had to pay fines over it.
Ashley
2023-12-01 21:10:55 +0000 UTCMy favorite Edward Fox film is The Day of the Jackal (1973).
Ian Cano
2023-12-01 04:36:21 +0000 UTCWatch list for Gene Hackman (ranked best first): "Absolute Power" (1997) mystery/ suspense w/ Clint Eastwood, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Laura Linney, & Dennis Haysbert. From a book by David Baldacci. "Heist" (2001) crime w/ Danny Devito, Delroy Lindo, & Sam Rockwell. Do not confuse with 2015 movie of the same name. "No Way Out" (1987) espionage/suspense w/ Kevin Costner, Sean Young, Will Patton, Fred Thompson "Narrow Margin" (1990) suspense/action/crime "The French Connection" (1971) true story police drama. Famous chase scene. Mentioned above by WastedPro as being edited for modern language. "The French Connection II" (1975) part 2, not a sequel. "The Firm" Lawyer suspense/drama w/ Tom Cruise, Gary Busey. from a book by John Grisham. "Unforgiven" (1992) dark modern western w/ Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman. only watch after watching several other westerns. "Superman" (1978) w/ Christopher Reeves "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972) disaster movie. Remade in 2005 & 2006. Spoofed by both the Simpsons and Family Guy "Uncommon Valor" (1983) action. POW rescue story "Mississippi Burning" (1988) drama, FBI in 1960's south during Civil Rights era
JAKH
2023-11-29 15:43:32 +0000 UTCAdd to your watch list for James Caan: "The Godfather" (1972) THE definitive mob movie w/ Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, & Marlon Brando "El Dorado" (1966) western w/ John Wayne & Robert Mitchum "Alien Nation" (1988) sci-fi buddy cop movie w/ Mandy Patinkin. Basis for TV show "Alien Nation" (23 Eps + 5x 90 min made-for-TV movies) "Eraser" (1996) action/suspense w/ Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vanessa Williams, James Coburn, James Cromwell, & Mark Rolston "Mickey Blue Eyes" (1999) comedy "Misery" (1990) suspense, based on a book by Stephen King. Good for October
JAKH
2023-11-29 15:18:23 +0000 UTCI've never heard of either of those actors before lol
Verowak
2023-11-29 13:35:06 +0000 UTCThe colours don't stand out enough for me to ever be able to recognize the different sides while watching a movie. I have never been able to pay attention to details, especially when it concerns clothing (movies or IRL) π€£
Verowak
2023-11-29 13:33:41 +0000 UTCI've never seen Gene Hackman in anything except pictures and I've never heard of Edward Fox before lol
Verowak
2023-11-29 13:31:26 +0000 UTCThe American sergeant who promised his captain that he wouldn't die, drove the jeep through German lines in the forest, and later held a pistol on the surgeon to force him to examine the wounded Captain is played by actor James Caan, father of Scott Caan. I don't think that you have reacted to anything else with him yet, but he was another big name (d. 2022).
JAKH
2023-11-29 07:23:41 +0000 UTCBritish speech: Mid 20th Century and earlier, all branches of the British military was very divided along class lines, so officers were aristocrats, or at least from well-off families, and were expected to act and speak accordingly. In an interview, actor Roger Moore said that when he was conscripted for service in the British army, he deliberately used the upper class accent that he had learned in acting classes during basic training rather than his own natural working-class accent. Based on that accent alone, he was sent to officer school after basic training.
JAKH
2023-11-29 07:01:40 +0000 UTCUniforms in WW1 and WW2 are easy: Grey = German Black = German Green = US and WW2 Allies supplied by the US (mostly Free French) Brown = British, Commonwealth, and WW2 Allies supplied by the British (mostly Free Polish & Free Norwegian) The big US flag on American uniforms started during the invasion of North Africa, where the US figured that Vichy French forces in Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco were less likely to shoot if they knew the arriving soldiers were American and not British, and the same thought process held in Sicily, Italy, Normandy, Marseilles , and Holland.
JAKH
2023-11-29 06:46:12 +0000 UTCIf you are still unsure, Gene Hackman played the Polish general. He served as a US Marine before acting, as did Harvey Keitel. One of the first names that you said you did not recognize, Edward Fox, was the British general commanding XXX Corps. He was well known at the time and starred in a lot of action and suspense/thriller movies.
JAKH
2023-11-29 06:45:52 +0000 UTCThere was a similar problem with "The Guns of Navarone", where for a long time the original footage of the opening scene was thought lost, and the only surviving version was the "edited for British TV" version where the repeated use of "bloody" was dubbed to "ruddy", but eventually a single copy of the original was found and remastered, so now we have the full version in all its offensive-to-British-ears glory.
JAKH
2023-11-29 06:32:12 +0000 UTCWell that's just silly. I would be unhappy too with that change. It changes things so much and sometimes can cause a cascade of changes for other movies
Verowak
2023-11-29 03:41:08 +0000 UTCSeeing it in theatres must have been quite a treat! That's so awesome that your dad was able to listen to the music before he passed. It's things like that that are important. I loved seeing both sides! Tora! Tora! Tora! will be watched in December, and I'm really curious to see what it will be like. Funnily enough, today I was editing Band of Brothers episode 4, when Easy Company go to Eindhoven, and since I saw A Bridge Too Far, I was much more aware of what they were talking about. How they were going to Eindhoven and then secure the bridge, and wait for the British tanks to make their way up to them. Mine didn't have an intermission, but I like that there is a version with one!!
Verowak
2023-11-29 03:39:28 +0000 UTCSo, I had wanted to write more...thought I had deleted the comment with the wrong spelling....anyway, I read the book in sixth grade and my dad and I went to see the movie when it was first released (I think I was 10). The National Guard had brought jeeps and trucks that were on display outside of the movie theater. My dad loved the music for this movie and before he passed I found a copy that he was able to listen to. What I really like about this movie was that they showed it from the perspective of both the Germans and from the Allies. The Longest Day and Tora, Tora, Tora being a few of the other ones....ironically enough I had just watched this movie a few weeks ago and was curious where Easy Company was when the Son bridge was blown up.....turns out they weren't far, I looked up which 101st Regiment was at that bridge and I think it was the 501st regiment. I will have to watch this in pieces, got about 30 minutes in and had to run....I don't know if the copy you watched had an intermission, but the copy I have does....lol, don't see that much anymore.
John Thomas
2023-11-29 01:04:55 +0000 UTCIn the case of "The French Connection," it was because the main character played by Gene Hackman said something racist. I've actually never seen the movie, but I watched a video by Dan Murrell talking about the change. Murrell was unhappy about the movie being altered, especially since the Hackman character wasn't necessarily supposed to be likable, and his racism was relevant to the backdrop that the story took place in.
WastedPo
2023-11-28 23:15:34 +0000 UTCI'm glad to hear! It's not a movie I would have watched, since I never heard much about it, but I'm glad that I did.
Verowak
2023-11-28 23:07:32 +0000 UTCI was thinking of that afterwards, if there are lines running all the way to the bridge, it makes sense some lines could easily have been cut. I feel like during the movie I'm confused, but by the end it all makes sense and I can then place which side was doing what when I was confused π 10,000 is a LOT π It's great to see the different resistances throughout the war. I'm glad we got to see the Dutch in this one, and they were very helpful (if the higher ups would have paid attention to the information that was given, like the tanks!) Thank you for the extra info!!!! I like how Henrietta was included :D
Verowak
2023-11-28 23:07:02 +0000 UTCIt's very sad that versions are erased from history basically. I think all of them should be available so more people can enjoy the movies. Why were some lines edited out of "The French Connection" π€
Verowak
2023-11-28 23:04:08 +0000 UTCI forgot Episode 4 was 1977!!
Verowak
2023-11-28 23:02:31 +0000 UTCGlad to see you are watching thjs.
John Thomas
2023-11-28 22:23:02 +0000 UTCHey loved your reaction. I've waited a long time for someone to react to this movie so thank you. As far as the bridge not blowing up when the Germans pressed the plunger what probably happened is the wires got cut by an artillery or tank shell as the paratroopers were crossing the river. Lots of reactors have trouble identifying soldiers by uniform unless they are military history buffs so don't feel badly about that. You did pretty well by the end. Over 10,000 Dutch civilians in and around Arnham died during this operation, many who were trying to help the British but others who were just caught in the crossfire. The Dutch resistance was able to use the phone lines by dialing special codes throughout the war and were an important intelligence source for the Allies. The chicken was real. It was a pet named Henrietta that one of the paratroopers didn't want to leave in England lol.
Stephen Knueppel
2023-11-28 20:05:01 +0000 UTCOkay, I'm taking the bait. I'll be the guy who says that the original Star Wars movies we see now are not representative of the way they should be. (I wouldn't mind so much if the original cuts were still readily available.) Return of the Jedi in particular--where Jabba's Palace and especially the ending are dramatically altered--suffered the most. It's kind of mind-blowing to me that cinephiles just accept we're never going to see the actual original movies ever again (in any good quality). There was a recent freakout when "The French Connection" had some lines edited out of it. But the alterations to Star Wars were way more extensive than that.
WastedPo
2023-11-28 19:20:27 +0000 UTCReally good movie with a stacked superstar cast! Technically, Star Wars (Episode IV: A New Hope) came out a few weeks before this one, so yeahβ¦ Iβm that guy π. Unless someone wants to be even more pedantic than me and say that the OT Episodes that people watch in the present are the versions from 1997 onward that were βtampered withβ. π
Laxjedi
2023-11-28 19:00:18 +0000 UTC
