The Bridge at Remagen

E.G. Marshall

Brig. Gen. Shinner

**Sorta obscure WW2 flick from the late 60s with George Segal and Robert Vaughn** As the Allies are about to invade Germany in March, 1945, the Germans decide to blow up the last bridge on the Rhine in the area of Oberkassel, but a dissenting general (Peter van Eyck) convinces a major (Robert Vaughn) to keep it up as long as possible so troops can escape Germany. On the American side George Segal plays a lieutenant, Ben Gazzara a sergeant and Bradford Dillman their commander. "The Bridge at Remagen" (1969) is a WW2 film loosely based on real-life events similar to the later “A Bridge Too Far” (1977), but with a lesser cast, albeit more streamlined and colorful, like the contemporaneous “Castle Keep,” but less artsy and more straightforward. It may not be great like “Where Eagles Dare” (1968) or near-great like “Kelly’s Heroes” (1970), but it’s solid and fills the bill if you’re in the mood for WW2 movie from the European theater. The film runs 1 hour, 55 minutes, and was shot in Davle & Most, Czech Republic (the river is the Vltava). Filming was interrupted by the Soviet invasion of August, 1968, wherein Cast & crew were taken to safety via a convoy of 28 taxis. The film was completed in Hamburg, Germany, and various Italian locations. The film unit was amusingly accused by the Soviets & East German press of smuggling weapons into the country, supposedly being a cover-up for the CIA. GRADE: B