Mr. Movie: Bridges

Bridges play a large part in lots of movies. More than 50 actually. Whew! That’s a lot. But Mr. Movie is here for fans of bridge movies (and movies in general).

Let’s start with the most famous and best bridge movie: 1957’s The Bridge on the River Kwai. This is as suspenseful as they get! And keep in mind that it was made before computers could make anything look real. The film won seven Oscars including Best Picture. It is considered a classic, one of the best movies ever made. Allied POWs are ordered by the Japanese to build a bridge across the River Kwai, linking Thailand and Burma. Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guiness), the ranking British officer, becomes obsessed with building the bridge, despite the fact that’s what the Japanese want. Jack Warden, William Holden and James Donald are also in the cast and they very much don’t want the bridge to succeed. The movie’s last 15 minutes are slam-bang wonderful. And that’s all you’ll get from me!
 

In Bridge of Spies (2015), the bridge is important as the place where the Russians and Americans trade spies. Mark Rylance won his first Oscar as Rudolf Abel, the guy the Russians want back. Tom Hanks is on board as attorney James Donovan, taxed with the task of arranging the trade. American downed pilot Gary Powers is the other part of the swap. The film keeps you on pins and needles as it often seems the trade will never actually happen.

A Bridge Too Far (1977) was called by one reviewer A Movie Too Long. And it sure is long, weighting in at one minute short of three hours! But it has an all-star cast and a story that is perhaps worth the time. It is the true story of Operation Market Garden, involving over 35,000 Allied troops being parachuted into the Netherlands. Their orders are to secure and hold various bridges. They are completely outnumbered but strive valiantly to fulfill their mission.

The Bridge at Remagen (1969) is certainly shorter and another good story based on actual history. Allied troops are assigned to secure the Remagen Bridge over the river Rhine to secure the march into Germany. Stiff resistance from the dug-in Germans make it an iffy situation. Geoge Segal, Robert Vaughn and Ben Gazzara are all quite good.

Brooklyn Bridge (1981) is a documentary by Ken Burns about the construction of the magnificent bridge across the East River, connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan  The construction began in 1890 and the bridge was opened in 1893. It was very controversial at the time. It was the first fixed bridge across the river and the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time. There were numerous deaths of workers on the project. As ever, Ken Burns knows how to make a documentary.
 

All of the movies in this article are available to stream. All are for adults. 

Next time even more bridge movies!