A Bridge Too Far

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

24 mistakes - chronological order

(4 votes)

Factual error: In the conference between Feldmarshalls Rundstedt and Model, they decide to move the 2nd SS Panzer Division, under Bittrich, to Arnhem to refit before fighting Patton's anticipated attack. Actually, it was Bittrich's II SS Panzer Korps (with the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions) that were at Arnhem. The 2nd SS Panzer Division did not fight at Arnhem.

Continuity mistake: When they're building the Bailey bridge to replace the destroyed Son bridge, work continues into the night. Cut to scene of a soldier waiting for them to complete the bridge - in daylight. Cut back to the continuing work on the bridge - it's dark again.

Factual error: The shot of a tank wreck being pushed off the road following the first tank battle shows a Chaffee light tank, which was only used by the Americans and not the British. Anyway, it was first used in Europe in November 1944 after Operation Market Garden took place.

Factual error: As they storm the bridge there is a row of modern sodium street lights prominently visible that didn't arrive until the 70s.

German Aide: Excuse me for interrupting, but ... British paratroopers have apparently landed. Three kilometers from here.
Field Marshal Model: Why should they do that? There's nothing valuable here. I! I am valuable here! They have all come to capture me!

More quotes from A Bridge Too Far

Trivia: The character of umbrella wielding Major Harry Carlyle was inspired by real life Major Allison Digby Tatham-Warter, who said that he 'carried the umbrella because he could never remember the password, and it would be quite obvious to anyone that the bloody fool carrying the umbrella could only be an Englishman'. Unlike Carlyle in the film, Major Tatham-Warter survived the battle and was captured by the Germans. He escaped, and in the weeks that followed, aided by Dutch Resistance, helped hundreds of other soldiers in similar situations to be evacuated to safety.

Gaff1981

More trivia for A Bridge Too Far

Question: In the scene where the American 82nd Airborne is storming the river bank at Nijmegen, there is a brief shot of one of the German defenders, who looks quite startingly like a puberescent boy. Anyone know whether this assumption is correct, and if so, what's the background to this story?

Daniel4646

Chosen answer: The Germans did use some Hitler youth movement in the war.

More questions & answers from A Bridge Too Far

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.