Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

John Guillermin directs another all-star cast in this big budget WW2 adventure about the desperate attempts to take a bridge that provides crucial access across the Rhine into Nazi Germany. The story is set in the dying days of the war and the desperation of the men involved on both sides is more than apparent thanks to the realism of the script, which has a certain darkness to it which works well.THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN carefully tells the story of this battle from both sides, although I found the German characters to be better written and more realistic than their American counterparts. Of the US troops, George Segal is saddled with a dullish character, although Bradford Dillman is better as the prissy major. The Nazi characters are well drawn and the best of the bunch is Robert Vaughn. He's not the first actor I would have chosen to play a Nazi but he does surprisingly well cast against type and brings plenty to this multi-layered character. The action is realistic and sufficiently thrilling to make THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN worth a watch.

"Blue Max" director John Guillermin's military action thriller "The Bridge at Remagen," with George Segal, Robert Vaughn, and Ben Gazzara, ranks at a good World War II movie. Clearly from the attitude of the U.S. Army soldiers—not their pompous superiors—these G.I. Joes see combat as a dirty business that you can get you killed. No doubt, the disillusion that most Americans had with Vietnam had tainted the storytelling. The Richard Yates & William Roberts screenplay has U.S. Brig. Gen. Shinner (E.G. Marshall) sending soldiers from Major Barnes' command (Bradford Dillman) into "Indian country" to capture 50-thousand German soldiers. Guillermin's movie shifts back and forth between the U.S. Army—the Brits and French have nothing to do with what being blown up or shot at here—the German Army. The German General Staff wants General Von Brock (Peter van Eyck of "Shakalo") to destroy the bridge so the Americans will not have a highway into the Third Reich. Naturally, Von Brock is horrified at the cost; 75-thousand German soldiers will be trapped behind the lines. Von Brock balks at the order and now must sign it to assure that he will carry it out. Von Brock assigns the inevitable task to destroying the bridge to German Major Paul Kreuger (Robert Vaughn of "The Magnificent Seven"). Like most 1960's World War II film post-"The Young Lions," Kreuger is treated as a sympathetic character with a daunting task. Of course, history dictates that Kreuger will not be able to hold the bridge, so suspense is limited in most respects. Nevertheless, the logistics of the action scenes, a robust cast, Elmer Bernstein's atmospheric orchestral score, Stanley Cortez's crisp, wide-screen cinematography, and an anti-heroic tone make "The Bridge at Remagen" a movie worth watching. Segal's Lieutenant Phil Hartman is the kind of character that Tom Hanks might have played. Ben Gazzara's skulduggery as a souvenir collector strikes the right tone for the anti-war era during which the film was made. World War II fanatics may complain about the post-World War tanks that turn up here, too. The armored vehicles look like they are hauling butt a little too fast in the opening credits, but it creates momentum. The irony is what happens to the German Major. Although it has nowhere near the scale of "The Longest Day," "The Bridge at Remagen" is a must-see for World War II moviegoers.

I especially liked the deeper plot,character development & constant clashes w/ Upper ranks & NCO's in this movie,but FURY had higher production values as far as authenticism,but less plot developments(also very young looking actors,Pitt,Cera,Logan & that Walking dead actor). Also. both movies accurately depict the Germans conscripting young children to fight the allies,& even shows a young sniper, killing several GI's.I was very curious in seeing the modern looking tanks in the movie,they reminded me of modern day Patton tanks used in ?(late WWII?,Korean War?).I found out from these reviews that they were not Sherman,but M24 Chaffee tanks w/ a elongated 'tail' turret section, not seen on SHermans.I always thought Robert Vaughn would have made a very good 'James BOnd', especially his menacing sounding voice & cold expression, very sinister sounding German officer. All in all,if I had a choice,I would much rather see Bridge than Fury, if only for the involved story telling which really drew me in....(saw this movie on retro TV,THE WORKS,channel 38.6)

Competent war movie benefits from its distinguished cast led by George Segal as the tired unit leader given instructions to prevent the Germans from destroying the Remagen bridge, which is vital to the allies advancement. His nemesis Major Paul Kruger (Vaughn) is similarly under pressure from his superiors to repel the allies, but questions the tactics and futility, his unpopular opinions quietly shared by another battle-weary German officer leading them both into harm's way within their own establishment.Robert Vaughn, while miscast as Kruger, doesn't hamper the overall impact. He adopts all the mannerisms and props, but it's his character's conscience and complexities that go beyond the stereotypical Nazi veneer. Key supporting cast includes Gazzara as the rebellious sergeant Angelo (profiting from the war whenever and however he can), Bradford Dillman as the by-the-book major with whom Segal frequently clashes, and Peter Van Eyck as the sympathetic German officer, a clichéd role (the reluctant soldier) but well undertaken."Bridge at Remagen" boasts some top notch action sequences and stunt-work, along with the occasional human touch that elevates it beyond casual war fodder. Gazzara in particular is given reasonable depth with his characterisation, and given Segal's ambivalence, could even be considered the central character. Bystanders Anna Gael and Sonia Zeimann are the token females with little to offer but some much-needed testosterone balance (although their roles are sexualised to varying degrees), while a number of reasonably well known actors comprise the bit parts (Bo Hopkins, Robert Logan, Paul Prokop, Matt Clark and Fritz Ford). The film tapers off in the final thirty minutes, but is somewhat resurrected by the finale to which the victors go the spoils, and the defeated treated as pariahs while the firing squad awaits. Gritty, worth a look.