The Bridge (1959) User Reviews

Coming of Age Playing War

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 3 June 2010]

A couple of days before the end of World War II, seven sixteen year-old German boys of a small village are recruited for military service. The idealistic Hans Scholten (Folker Bohnet), Albert Mutz (Fritz Wepper), Walter Forst (Michael Hinz), Jurgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht), Karl Horber (Karl Michael Balzer), Klaus Hager (Volker Lechtenbrink) and Sigi Bernhard (Günther Hoffmann) join the army on 26 April 1945 with great expectations and enthusiasm to defend their motherland Germany in the front against the will of their parents. Their English teacher Stern (Wolfgang Stumpf) unsuccessfully tries to convince Commander Fröhlich (Heinz Spitzner) to refuse the enlistment of the youngsters. After one day training, the soldiers are summoned to the front but the Commander of the 463rd Battalion of the 3rd Company assigns Sergeant Heilmann (Günter Pfitzmann) to stay with the rookies "protecting" a useless bridge in their village in order to spare the boys. However, in the chaos of the imminent defeat with German soldiers fleeing from the American troops, Heilmann is murdered and the boys defend the small bridge with their lives on 27 April 1945.

"Die Brücke" is another powerful and impressive German film about coming of age in times or war. This anti-war movie probably reflects the thoughts of the brain-washed youngsters by the Nazi ideology and propaganda in the 40's and is heartbreaking to see sixteen year-old boys playing war like a game and without awareness of the seriousness of the situation. Being a father, it is also very sad to see the powerless widows and mothers trying to protect their enthusiastic sons that want to fight to defend their country. The realism of this dramatic movie is awesome and totally different from the approach of Hollywood movies, where Germans are usually evil soldiers and the situation of the civilian population is forgotten, but unfortunately it has not been released in Brazil on VHS or DVD. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

THE BRIDGE (Bernhard Wicki, 1959) ***1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 8/10 · 25 February 2014]

This German contender for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar is an unflinching war effort that obviously draws comparisons – in its narrative depicting the disillusionment experienced by a number of schoolboys-turned-soldiers – with ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930), albeit dealing with the subsequent world conflict. Though only rated * by the "Leslie Halliwell Film Guide", it boasts a favourable write-up therein – on the other hand, I was under the impression that it was given more than *** in the Leonard Maltin equivalent! For the record, it has received its due in "War Movies" – an oversized but appealing book on the subject owned by my father – and is even listed in the all-time top 3,000 movies ranked by the "Wonders In The Dark" website.

The acclaim this garnered upon release won Wicki the co-director gig on Darryl F. Zanuck's super production revolving around the D-Day landings THE LONGEST DAY (1962); his brief Hollywood tenure also comprised THE VISIT (1964) and, another WWII adventure, MORITURI (1965) – a distinguished actor in his own right, he is perhaps best-known for his supporting turn in Michelangelo Antonioni's LA NOTTE (1961). With respect to the film's cast, only the face of a youthful Fritz Wepper – future co-star of CABARET (1972) and the "Derrick" TV series – was familiar to this viewer. Oddly boasting no credits on the print I watched (except for the title and company credits!), this competed at the Oscars against Italy's THE GREAT WAR – a viewing of which followed in quick succession – that concerned itself, albeit on a vaster scale and in a serio-comic tone, with WWI…but they were surprisingly defeated by the exotic French entry i.e. BLACK ORPHEUS.

The movie is basically divided into three parts: the first 40 minutes showing the boys in school; the next 30 illustrating their basic training and posting; and the last half-hour being devoted to the combat sequences. Most of the teenage boys are coming-of-age and experience their first sexual hang-ups before being sent to the front: a blond boy with the only female student in the class; another the salesgirl in his father's shop (who is also the boss' lover); and the cowardly Mayor's son towards the gymnasium instructor in a nearby girls' school. The battle scenes are certainly effectively rendered and appropriately harrowing, if occasionally over-the-top: a G.I., astonished to be confronted by a bunch of 16 year-olds, tells them to run off to their mothers but they find his condescending attitude insulting…and he is literally gutted by their response!; an equally disdainful local, then, has his face blown off and body scarred by a backfiring bazooka, etc. The supreme irony of the film is that, while the boys' superior officer (who is himself shot almost instantly for apparent desertion by his own compatriots!) orders them to defend the expendable bridge ostensibly to keep the kids out of harm's way, the fact that the German forces intend blowing it up regardless so as to stem the Allied advance ensures that all but one of the fresh-faced soldiers sacrifice their lives to the fatherland unnecessarily!

Brutal and uncompromising; dramatically captures the sheer folly of war

[ackstasis · 9/10 · 7 October 2007]

Bernhard Wicki's 'The Bridge (1959)' was a film that I'd never heard of before. Aside from an enthusiastic blurb on the VHS case, I hardly knew what it was about nor whether or not it was any good, having snatched it blindly from the library shelf. What I ended up watching was one of the most outstanding WWII films I'd ever seen, a harrowing, uncompromising tale of the futility of war and the tragic loss of childhood life and innocence. 'The Bridge' {German title: 'Die Brücke'} was based on Manfred Gregor's novel, inspired by his own experiences as a child at war, and adapted by Michael Mansfeld, Karl-Wilhelm Vivier and director Bernhard Wicki. It almost certainly drew a lot of inspiration from Lewis Milestone's Academy Award-winning 'All Quiet on the Western Front (1930),' with both films following the doomed fates of a group of young and idealistic German teenagers (though the latter, of course, is set during the First World War).

What impressed me most about 'The Bridge' is that it dedicated a lot of time towards the children's lives before being enlisted in the army. Though I did have a bit of trouble remembering which kid was which (my memory for names, especially foreign ones, is horrid), collectively, the audience really grows affectionate towards them. The quiet trivialities of their small-town existence (English classes, building boats, girls…) are contrasted strongly against the images of death and destruction that they will later witness. There was one particular scene that I thought was beyond all others. For some time, the seven boys have been working with their English teacher (Wolfgang Stumpf) to build a small boat. During the project, one child suddenly arrives, declaring ecstatically they they had all received their report-in orders from the military. As the children excitedly celebrate, we witness the look of pure devastation upon the teacher's face; he already knows that this is the last he'll see of his young and bright students.

The film is set in the closing months of World War Two, with Germany at its knees and waiting for defeat. Amid the boys' petty day-to-day difficulties, this doesn't seem to worry them at all, and they greet the approaching front with great anticipation. Following their first day in the army, the entire infantry force is ordered to march out and greet the forthcoming Allied army. It is an act of sheer desperation, and, in order to spare the newly-enlisted recruits, the seven boys are posted at a small concrete bridge just on the outskirts of their own town. This particular crossing is strategically insignificant, and the commanders plan to demolish it as soon as the Americans arrive, but the boys are not privy to this information. When, indeed, the Americans do reach the bridge in a trio of tanks, the seven young recruits launch a full offensive, a tragedy of misguided courage that results in the death of all but one.

Especially considering the year in which it was made, the battle sequences of 'The Bridge' are really quite graphic, and, if you think that Stanley Kubrick pulled no punches in 'Paths of Glory (1957),' you ain't seen nothing yet! One by one, the innocent sixteen-year-olds are cut down by the confused American soldiers. The young Germans put up an admirable fight considering the circumstances, but it's such a bitter waste of life that you can only feel disgust and anger that such a thing could be allowed to happen. In one particularly brutal scene, one of the inexperienced boys tries to fire a Panzerfaust (an anti-tank weapon), and the hapless elderly civilian behind him in struck in the face by the back-blast. The story ends without any sense of resolution, as the sole remaining recruit – after have shot his own officer in the back to prevent the all-important bridge from being demolished – retreats from the carnage, and the small insignificant structure diminishes into the mist.

That's the way it was

[hank-45-2 · 10/10 · 24 February 1999]

I lived through that time, I was seventeen, and I know fourteen year olds were fighting to the last " boy ". The realism of this film still takes me back to '45. It happened that way.

Deserves a 11 instead a 10.

[bugs-32 · 10/10 · 7 January 2005]

In my opinion is the best war film I've ever seen. The story is one o the best examples of the nonsense and madness of war. Seems incredible that this movie has been done by Germany and released after 14 years since the end of the war. You can see a traumatic passage from childhood to maturity in the principal characters. The film is from the late fifties so there is no big special effects like "saving private Ryan". Also, the movie is not showing a major and historical battle, with a lot of soldiers and tanks fighting between explosions. In fact,the war scenes can be seen only in the last half hour. The final scene on the bridge is one of the most disturbing scenes of war films.

I strongly recommend this film to anyone interested in the practice of childhood conditioning for political ends.

[orosco_designs · 10/10 · 23 May 2006]

I only saw this movie once, many many years ago, but I never forgot it.I had no idea it was made in 1959 until a client referred me to this website to see if it was useful for work I do for fliers I create every year. I have searched for this movie in video stores for over twenty years and all they ever found in their databases were references to a movie similarly titled about drug smuggling. I gave up years ago. I now know it is still available (but where?). I served in the Marine Corps but was discharged a year before Vietnam. Thank God I did not have the opportunity to implement my training while overseas. I was older than these schoolchildren but just as conditioned and idealistic. Discharged in 1964, I slowly woke up and participated in the protests of the late '60s. Indoctrinated by the educational system of the '50s and John Wayne movies, I would have behaved and felt just like these manipulated young boys in "The Bridge". I strongly recommend this film to anyone interested in the practice of childhood conditioning for political ends. War is sometimes justified, but dying for an empty cause never is. I count this movie in the top 10 best anti-war movies ever made.

A rare find, but worth it

[JAM-31 · 18 September 2000]

I had heard about this film from a book on war movies. It actually took me quite some time to find it, but I'm very glad I was finally able to see it.

Since this movie is old, and seemingly all but forgotten, I have little knowledge about the making of it, the writer and director's background, or anything else besides the film itself and the comments on this page.

With that in mind, I can say that I was fascinated with this film and was moved and disturbed by its conclusion. Yes, I agree with someone's comments below that there is not much evidence in the movie that the war is humiliatingly flattening Germany. However, I do believe that there were some small town areas that escaped the bombs, and were able to survive from the farmer's produce. What is probably least authentic about the movie is the absence of refugees (although they are mentioned) and the boys' lack of serious Hitler-Youth indoctrination--they do believe in the third reich, however, they never wear HJ uniforms or go to meetings. The Hitler Youth were fanatically loyal to the Nazis, and became the main menace to the allies in the closing months of the war.

The main theme of this movie is the pure waste of Germany's youth by the Nazis. That is the main difference between the closing sequence in this movie and the one in "Saving Private Ryan." These boys died for nothing. The boys that died in this film were like thousands of others killed in this war--brainwashed youth fighting and dying to prolong the Third Reich and Hitler's worthless life for a few more weeks.

This is a very interesting movie for today's American viewers. Although it was made about 15 years after the war, it still has an aged, foreign look and feel to it, and the war has to have been recent in the filmmaker's minds. It is also interesting to see the Americans portrayed as "the enemy." They are treated in the same fashion that American filmmakers usually depict their enemies. The movie will still have everyone sad for these forgotten, abandoned boys. I felt particularly sad for the boy strafed by the plane. Grade: B+

They don't make enough that even vaguely compare to this, anymore

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 10/10 · 10 September 2009]

I was extremely fortunate to find this for sale, and immediately purchased it when I heard it compared to the likes of All Quiet on the Western Front, by someone I trust to know so. And he was absolutely right. This shows, with the ferocity of few others, how battle can destroy people, lives, families. The chaos of it is depicted perfectly. Plot, and script in general, is marvelous. The story doesn't span a long period of time, but the impressions are strong nonetheless. There is an incredible level of detail, and in 100 minutes, this tells you an immense amount, more than you would normally expect in such little time. The sheer authenticity is amazing, and it is partially due to the fact that this was made about fifteen years after WWII ended, by Germans(you do get the most out of this if you know a lot about them, during the time it takes place), and in their country and native tongue. Things remained relatively fresh in the memories, and it's astounding that this could be made, with the wounds still open. We follow a group of kids, enrolling in Hitlerjugend. I won't reveal anything else. The production values leave nothing to be desired. Dialog is well-written and delivered with compelling sincerity. The acting is flawless, every single performance is powerful. Characters are credible and consistent. This has extraordinarily high realism. On that, I suppose one could complain about the early scenes(and their lack of tension), as at least one reviewer does, however, apart from that, it's invariably spot-on, both physically and psychologically speaking. Also, this has excellent suspense, intensity and drama. Effects in this are almost exclusively convincing. There is bloody violence and disturbing content in this. I recommend it to any fan of anti-war films. Find it if you can. 10/10

WELCOME EXCEPTION TO OTHER 50'S GERMAN WW2 FILMS

[J. Steed · 7/10 · 22 November 1999]

Until recently I thought that the impact as "anti-war" film of Die Brücke was far greater than that of any other anti-war film. This was from memory, not having seen the film for over 15 years. Recent re-seeing of the film did not convince me entirely anymore, though it is still to be preferred to films like Stalingrad or Saving Private Ryan.

Situated within the German WW2 cinema of the 50's (starting with "08/15" to "Hunde wollt ihr ewig leben" of 1958) the film surely is an exception in its honesty and well-meant premise. But as Wicki said in interviews and what clearly is stressed in the film, not "war" itself is the subject, the propagandist influence on youth (and I say: from any regime/government for that matter) is the main subject. The influence of the older generation who believe in stupid ideals makes the youth stupid idealists. Wicki shows a number of precisely defined examples. The boy whose parents believe in Prussian (military) ideals: he believes what his father says.

All boys are military idealists even before they are drafted, indeed they can not wait to be drafted. As the film starts they are 16 years of age, but already they have undergone "Vormilitärische Erziehung" (pre-military education) in earlier years. Whether they have got this as member of the Hitler youth or otherwise is not clear, and may not be important. The fact is that from early youth on they are educated to be a soldier and thus can be employed as soldier from day one they are drafted. They are educated in the believe that all is well when done in the name of "Führer, Volk, Vaterland". Thus: not the young soldiers are to blame, but the parents, the older generation, the political system.

To wind up: this is the main "message" Wicki has to tell and he is good at it. War itself is never the main subject (and only takes about 1/3 of the film). Oh yes, he does show how horrible it can be in very impressive scenes. Wicki does show that war is not a game of "cowboys and indians" meant for boys of 16. But does he ever show that an offensive war is to be discarded at all? It seems to me that he only shows the ridiculousness of the last days of the war, when German HQ refused to give up and employed male youth as soldiers. I also wonder whether the film should have included the war scenes at all; would it not have been a stronger film if Wicki would have elaborated the 2/3 drama into a complete drama?

Wicki's direction of this his first feature is very good and in general he made a tight drama (and sad to say is still his only really good film). But the film is alas occasionally marred by some bad melodramatic acting by some of the young actors and also by some inappropriate (vis-a-vis the realism) melodramatic turns in the script. The reaction of Karl to the relationship of his father with Barbara is logic, but executed in a banal way. And whether an American soldier would be so kind to plea seize fire without carrying a weapon is very questionable; it probably should have been a dramatic turn, but it does not work at all.

Great cinematography by Gerd von Bonin who captures the right realistic atmosphere. Certainly the film is recommended viewing. One other unintended thing the film achieved was that after this one WW2 would not be a subject for the German cinema anymore for a long time. (7/10)

One of the most Powerful Movies I've seen..is it available on video?

[Figgiedan · 10/10 · 27 January 1999]

I saw this film at Umass for my German film class in 1990-- this was easily the best of the films that I saw throughout that semester - and the plate was full - Metropolis, Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Blue Angel, M - all fantastic films but this one was the best. Very riveting and fantastic performances from the teens. Saw "The Thin Red Line" two weeks ago and was sorely disappointed - this is one of the best war movies of all time - too bad nobody over here in the States has ever seen it but me and maybe 20 others. They have to settle with Hollywood crap. A 10 out of 10.

Anti-War From the German Side

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 8 July 2015]

In 1945, Germany is being overrun, and nobody is left to fight but teenagers.

In a sense, this is the next generation of "All Quiet on the Western Front". As that film focused on German soldiers in World War I and how awful it was, this time we have the soldiers of World War II. And not just your nasty Nazi types, but teenage boys... reminding us that the majority of German soldiers were just innocent people caught up in their country's decisions.

The interesting thing is that this film was actually made in Germany, whereas "All Quiet" was made in American and actually was banned or at least censored in Germany. Hitler never learned the first time that we can all be friends.

One of the best war films ever!!!

[Darnoc · 10/10 · 24 November 2003]

I've just managed to get this movie on DVD and watched it. After that, I just sat there and couldn't get up. I wasn't really shocked by the violence (it's all in black-white and there are films who have a lot more violence) but by the conclusion of the film, the meaningless of the fight of these teenage boys. They were just boys, dreaming to be heroes and now they had to face the bloody reality of WWII. One after another of them dies while they are defending this bridge only to learn at the end that their fight was meaningless, because the command has all the time planned to let the brigde explode instead of defending it. This is probably one of the best anti-war films ever made. It really shows the meaningless of war. It is also very interesting because it shows the other side, the side of the Germans. I think, sometimes we only see the side of the winners and forget that also the Germans were just humans (in this case just children). Perhaps this is also a reason why I like this film, only "Das Boot" shows also in a very good way the german side. I recommend for everyone to watch this film.

slow first half and action second half

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 8 January 2016]

It's 1945 in a small German town. Seven young innocent boys still buy into the propaganda even as the Americans are closing in. They are recruited into the Army and after one day of training, they are sent to guard the local bridge. A veteran leads the group who plans to protect the boys by blowing up the bridge. He is mistaken for a deserter and shot to death. The boys, with no other orders, decide to defend the bridge against the overwhelming American forces.

The first half deals with the boys in an idyllic town during the last days of the Nazi regime. It's not that thrilling. There are a few compelling scenes but it moves too slowly overall. The young actors don't distinguish themselves out of the pack. I like some of the scenes with them together but the first half could be condensed. The second half has more of the action. It's sometimes shoot in a melodramatic fashion but it is a compelling story.

War through rose-coloured glasses

[Varlaam · 4/10 · 1 February 1999]

A group of German boys, their first day in the army, are told to guard a bridge in order to keep them out of any real fighting.

I last saw this film in the early '70's when I was a little younger than the boys are in the film and when a certain war in South-East Asia was very fresh in everyone's mind. Needless to say, I thought it was one of the best things I had ever seen.

A quarter century has passed since then, so my perspective now is quite a bit different.

Is this actually supposed to be a realistic portrait of a German town in the spring of 1945? Especially one that's supposed to be only a few miles from the front line? You can't tell there's even a war on. No one seems to care about imminent, humiliating German defeat. There's no panic. No refugees. No malnutrition. No Hitler Youth or Gestapo. Is this a town in Germany, or some spa in neutral Switzerland? There is no tension in the town or in the film. The teenagers in "American Graffiti" were under greater emotional strain. The mood here is so relaxed it's like the fishing scenes in "A River Runs Through It". Surely I'm exaggerating? I only wish I were.

I was reminded strangely of the early scenes in "All Quiet on the Western Front" -- euphoria, jubilation, enthusiastic students joining up and receiving their first training. But those scenes take place in the flag-waving "Deutschland über alles in der Welt" of 1914, not the collapsing Germany of 1918.

I was appalled watching this. It hardly seems the same film I remember at all.

Things don't improve much once the battle gets underway. It's their FIRST DAY in the army. They know how to belt-feed a light machinegun, do they? They face hardened US vets, but our boys are knockin' out tanks with panzerfausts like they're hittin' cans with peashooters. The US Army in 1945 was noted for its hardened and totally inept infantrymen and tankers, was it? The Allies in 1945 were accustomed to fighting fanatical Hitler Youth children. As I understand it, their customary response was to shoot back, not shout "Go back to kindergarten!"

Panzerfausts are the sole reason for history buffs to see this film. You get to see them used. You get to see someone hit by the backblast. The film is "brutal" to that extent anyway.

Am I missing the whole point of "The Bridge"? Maybe. Or maybe I assimilated the point a couple of decades ago and my standards are higher now. Have I seen "Hell Is For Heroes", or "Castle Keep", or either version of "Red Badge" recently? No, I haven't. Perhaps I would see those classics with more discriminating eyes too.

I happened to see the subtitled video version of this film. The subtitles are © 1995, but you can tell they are still the haphazardly translated, low quality ones from the '50's. Panzerfausts are called "tank grenades". When a German says "Diese verdammten Schweine!", that is translated as "The swine!" in order to protect sensitive Eisenhower-era viewers from "strong" language. The translations are poor to say the least. Someone says "Schokolade"; it appears on screen as "candy" since there's no such English word as "chocolate". I think we are losing some of the impact the film probably does have, due to the casual and arbitrary way in which it was translated. If a German says "Yes, Captain", why do the titles read "Yes, sir"? How is that a quantifiable improvement? The German words "Heimat" and "Vaterland" both appear as "Fatherland". What happened to subtlety and shades of meaning? If a German says "Mutter", it's translated as "Mammy", but if he actually does use the informal "Mutti", then that's translated as "Mother". Isn't it easier to translate the actual film dialogue than to invent your own? Why aren't we being allowed to see the same film that Germans get to see?

The Boys' War

[jandesimpson · 20 April 2004]

Made in 1959, "The Bridge" is one of the few films from the former West Germany that squarely faces the theme of Nazi defeat. It is a courageous work where content is all important, so much so that it hardly matters that the direction is rather limp and pedestrian and the acting somewhat less than impressive. It is an elegy to lost youth concluding with a caption that vents such anger through the irony of understatement that it earns without question a rightful place among the most seriously committed of anti-war films. The setting is an unspecified small town in Germany where to begin with, apart from a bomb dropped in the river and conversations about hardship and shortages, the war seems far more than a distant rumble away. We follow a group of seven 15 year old boys at school and play until the time when the rapidly approaching American front necessitates their call up and hasty military training. As the military front creeps ever closer they are given the role of defending a bridge over a river, the wisdom of which is seriously questioned by several of their superior offices but which they eagerly take on in the spirit of boyhood heroism combined with what one can well imagine to be the ideology instilled into them by past experience of the Hitler Youth. The terrible last half hour in which their baptism by fire is recorded in graphic detail through the stages of excitement, terror and death is gruelling to watch, the more so because the youth of the sufferers generates so much anger at such waste and loss. I would not for one moment claim the "The Bridge" is in the same league as Kubrick's "Paths of Glory", Helma Sanders-Brahms's "Germany, Pale Mother" or Klimov's "Come and See" - Bernhard Wicki is a lesser director who never quite succeeds in making each of the seven protagonists a memorable character - but nevertheless he manages convincingly to flesh out in dramatic form the terrible reality behind that awesome newsreel footage of Hitler encouraging boy troops amid the rubble of Berlin. "The Bridge" brings home more than most films the madness of it all.

It taught me to respect human values even if they are considered enemies

[meterdo · 10/10 · 6 April 2006]

I have seen this movie in 1966, when I was still a student in the third class of high school and was preparing for the university. All I knew about the Second World War were the stories of great allied heroes saving the world from merciless German "beasts" who have no human feelings at all! This movie has changed my entire point of view and my feelings towards the people of the "enemy". From that moment on, I have learned to respect the people as humans with feelings, I hated ideologies which spoil the human values in people. By any standards, it deserves to be classified as one of the best war movies ever made. Considering the difficulties and limitations and shortages he faced during the making of this film, Bernhard Wicki, according to my opinion, has made the impossible.

A true anti-war movie with little sidelines, plain & clear ...

[berolina · 10/10 · 20 December 2005]

Once you got used to the fact that this movie is b&w (which I think does create the movie atmosphere the more 'authentic'), you get a good insight in the German state of mind towards the end of WWII. The elders get the sense that "the cause" is lost (nobody in his right mind after Stalingrad believed in the >Endsieg< - definitely the least the Nazis themselves!), the teens however are stuck with their NS idealism, marred by the fact that first love, sex and self expression are difficult to handle during these times of change ... Well, I love the movie since I first saw it in Germany as a teenager,it is also very apparent to me that Steven Spielberg has seen this movie - it definitely influenced his 'Private Ryan' epic, which is surely a better "graphical" war movie, however typically for the US mentality today and yesterday: war is still good if your a patriotic guy on the good side ...

well just get it, watch it!

Imperfection can be gripping

[Ismaninb · 9/10 · 7 April 2007]

Die Brücke was on Dutch or Belgian TV some 20 years ago, when I saw it. Like many others I was deeply impressed. There has been criticism on acting and directing. This criticism is correct. But it does not matter. What counts is the script. Only seldom I have seen a movie with a better script. Here a modified quote from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly applies: never seen wasted young lives so badly. With a fairly simple story Die Brücke makes mercilessly clear what war and National-Socialism is. I can understand, why nobody has the courage to do a remake. Perfection might lead to a lesser impact in this case. One can argue, that Paths of Glory and Hamburger Hill are better. Not a bad word about these two, but Die Brücke is emotionally the most gripping.

Schoolboys defend a village bridge in falling Nazi Germany.

[kako · 10/10 · 2 October 1998]

1945 in the collapsing Nazi Germany, 15 year old schoolboys are appointed to the defence of their home town's village bridge.

In 105 minutes we are presented the entire war; the birth and self-suffocation of nationalistic fanaticism, the innocent ardour turned into shattered morality.

The plot carries through with a steady pace and the rhythm makes the piece very approachable -- even American. The scenes start from day-to-day lives and we are confronted with real people, with real human conflicts and real human worldviews. By the end, the drama of the plot is made very much second with your emotions towards the people on the screen.

Suddenly the reasons for the war seem clear. Shouldn't you have done that earlier, by now you stop hoping to find someone to blame.

A very heartening experience of absolute realism is created, crystallized in the sincerity of the boys' faces and emotions. There's such an unbroken fresh touch, and such vividity of characters and scenes, that every viewer should be made to esteem the German (and European) origin. This goes all the way. Should the boys speak English instead of German and the film be in color instead of black and white something very fine would be lost.

This makes Private Ryan want to go home to grow up. An enlightenment on the human nature and a shaking envisionment of history is guaranteed. Recommended as an introduction to European cinema.

My #1, too.

//kako

A provoking and intelligent warfare movie in which seven schoolboys defend an important bridge from an Allied attack

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 17 March 2021]

In 1945 Germany is being run over, two days before the end of WWIi at a litle town seven new teens soldiers defend a fundamental bridge while Wehrmacht Army is fleeing from the American advances. As soon as the Allied tanks arrive in the town happens unfortunate and tragic consequences . They look for love in a world of violence !

A nice and thought-provoking warlike film about seven German schoolboys are drafted to defend an essential bridge from American tanks . This is an emotional and sensitive anti-war movie , being adapted from real events , in fact it is based on the autobiographical novel of Manfred Gregor . As the adolescent soldiers show their brainwashed personalities , their stubborness for the honor and blood , giving wrongly their lives for their defeated country and for an useless purport . With an unknown cast providing fine interpretation , such as Michael Hinz , Karl Balzer , Gunther Hoffman , exception for Fritz Wepper who subsequently played in Cabaret movie . A very good film in German with subtitles that will appeal to WWII aficionados .

This thoughtful and brooding motion picture was compellingly written , produced and shot by Bermhard Wicki . He was a prestigious actor and director. Wicki was imprisoned for ten months at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp because of his earlier affiliation with the Communist Party . Bermhard starred a lot of pictures and started directing films from 1958 . He made interesting war film as this "The Bridge" , "Morituri"and co-directed "The longest day" along with Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton , Gerd Oswald . And other films as " The Miracle of Father Malachia, The Visit , Transit, Spider's Web, The Conquest of the Citadel" . Rating : 7.5/10 . Better than average . Well worth watching . Essential and indispensable seeing for Warfare enthusiasts .

Seeing WWII through the eyes of German youth

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 25 January 2023]

German war drama from Deutsche Film Hansa and director Bernhard Wicki. In the waning days of WW2, a group of German high school friends all get drafted into the army, much to their excitement. However, with literally only a single day's worth of training, they are sent to their hometown to guard a small bridge until it can be destroyed by a demolition crew. The young men take their task very seriously, leading to tragic results

The 100 minutes film spends the first hour establishing the characters of each of the young men, so that the frenetic last act becomes even more devastating, as these are fully fleshed out individuals instead of the too-frequent ciphers and cliches found in many war films. The tone is distinctly anti-war, but the movie is never preachy, and the futility of their actions is made apparent naturally, without contrivance. The filmmaking in the final stretch of the film is ahead of its time in the use of rapid edits, traveling camera shots, and zooms. The movie was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar (it lost to Black Orpheus). Recommended.

Can't do much wrong with this story

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 12 May 2015]

I have to say that the biggest strength of this film is probably the script, or I could also say the original novel. The story is just brilliant and you have to be really bad to mess this one up. The filmmakers here certainly did not and same goes for the makers of the remake almost 50 years later. The novel writer behind this is still alive today, way into his 80s and most of the younger actors are as well. "The Bridge" won a Golden Globe, strangely enough with all four other nominees, and also scored an Academy Award nomination, but lost to a French-Brazilian version of Orpheus and Eurydice. The film's director is Bernhard Wicki, really more known for being an actor, for example in "Paris, Texas". The movie runs for roughly 100 minutes and is in black-and-white, which is not too common anymore for around 1960. It was the big winner at the German Film Awards that year and has some actors who are known in Germany to this date, mostly Fritz Wepper probably.

The story is about a group of very young men, pretty much still boys, who have to go to war. Some are thrilled, some are the exact opposite when it comes to defending the Heimat for the Fuehrer. They are given the (pointless) task of defending a bride from the allied forces. The result is a massacre for both sides. There is almost a clean split around the 45 minute mark. Everything before that is introduction to the characters and how they live, while everything afterward is war action. About the latter, we see on several occasions how the young guys are just not ready for war, for example when they forget their helmets and guns or when one of them, during one scene, holds a gun the wrong way and accidentally kills a man. This is also a pretty easy film to watch, especially during the second half as all the action only takes place on one location and it's always exactly the same characters. Nothing truly confusing about this film. I pretty much enjoyed watching this film for the most part. the story is simply great, but I said that before. i also liked what the filmmakers made of it. The last shot is truly a thing of beauty (or should I say ugliness? in a positive sense of course). One difference compared to the remake is that the focus is not really only on one boy here, basically on every member of the group. It's a bit difficult to display many great characters and elaborate convincingly on them in a running time considerably under 120 minutes. I think they did okay with that, although I really had trouble with keeping them apart or knowing who is who. Maybe this will come on another viewing. However, I think there will not be one anytime soon. It is a good movie, but I do not feel a great desire to rewatch it anytime soon. Still, recommended, especially to those with an interest in politics and war movies.

A youth cruelly ended from one minute to another

[CKDexter-4 · 9/10 · 20 April 2002]

Until today I hadn't seen "Die Brücke" for quite a few years. Today I was even more impressed than ever before. As powerful as possible, the movie shows how a carefree youth is ended in the cruellest way literally from one minute to another. The black and white cinemtography creates an eerie, yet laconic and realistic atmosphere. The whole film is to be highly recommended but there is one sequence that stands out (***SPOILERS AHEAD***): Trucks with hundreds of frightened, wounded German soldiers pass the bridge. They desperately try to stay ahead of the American tanks who follow them. You can tell from their faces what they have experienced on the front. They just want the war to be over. Our seven teen soldiers - fanatic and faithful as they have learned it in the Hitler Youth - just can't understand what's going on. No one bothers about them, so they are left for good on the bridge. And then they can hear the tanks. For some minutes the tanks can only be heard, what creates an incredible suspense.

One former comment criticized the "quiet life" in this town in the first half of the movie. I think this to be quite realistic. The town that is portrayed seems to have 10, maybe 20,000 inhabitants. Towns like this were not necessarily destroyed by bombs, even in 1945. In some rural areas, life went on day-by-day almost like in peace times.

Children At War

[boblipton · 7/10 · 14 January 2020]

On April 27, 1945, adolescents are swept up by the German army to defend a bridge against American troops.

Like most serious German movies of this period, it was anti-war, and director Bernhardt Wicki makes his points by showing the unthinking jingoism of the elders, offered with shouts and and anger. Gerd von Benin's clean and simple camerawork offers a clear view of the hardship and insanity, as people try to continue in their everyday life.

There are a couple of a historical botches. Most of the youngsters sent off to the front are too old to play their roles; putting a 25-year-old man in short pants and planting him on a bicycle makes him look like he's on holiday, not like he's 14. Even with that flaw, the message gets through. The movie was nominated for Best Foreign Movie in the next Academy Award ballot.

Germany surrendered two days after the events depicted in this film.

I was expecting MUCH more...

[Worf101 · 4/10 · 15 February 2012]

I've been getting "The Bell and Blade" catalog since forever. One film in there has intrigued me for the longest time "Die Bruke" from Germany made in 1959. So many reviews of how marvelous this film is and how any WWII historian should view it to get one of Germany's first post war views of itself. Well, I couldn't rent it from Netflix so I finally broke down and bought the thing. I watched it last night... I must say I was quite disappointed. While I wasn't expecting "The Best Years of our Lives" I was expecting a more in depth treatment of the late war, Hitler Youth mentality than I got!. It' wasn't the worst but man, the climactic bridge battle scene was from hunger. Farm tractors (literally) painted up to look like Sherman Tanks. Death scenes straight out of the silent era for muggery and anquish. Pheh... I'm sorry but I was very disappointed.

Worf