MOVIE TRIVIA … A BRIDGE TOO FAR

MOVIE TRIVIA …

10 THINGS ABOUT

“A BRIDGE TOO FAR”

A Bridge Too Far – 1977 - An historic telling of the failed attempt to capture several bridges to Germany in World War II in a campaign called Operation Market-Garden.

Released in Australia 4 August 1977

1.    Steve McQueen and Audrey Hepburn were originally cast to play Major Julian Cook and Kate Ter Horst respectively. But they were dropped when Hepburn's asking salary price was too high, and McQueen only wanted to appear in starring roles, not all-star assembled projects.

2.    According to the DVD version, Gen. R.E. Urquhart had no idea who Sean Connery was or why his daughters were so excited that he had been chosen to play their father in the movie. Richard Attenborough picked Connery because of his strong resemblance to the younger Urqhart.

3.    Film critics derided producer Joseph E. Levine for casting a then 36-year-old Ryan O'Neal to play an army general. But in reality, Brig. Gen. James M. Gavin was only 37 years old at the time of the battle. In fact, shortly after this battle, Gavin was promoted to major general and at 37 was the youngest man ever to hold that rank.

4.    Over 2.7 million feet of film were shot.

5.    Originally, Richard Attenborough did not want to direct this picture, as he was keen to make Gandhi (1982) after Young Winston (1972). However, major studios were reluctant to finance the picture, so he sought producer Joseph E. Levine for financing. This film was part of the agreement in exchange for financing "Gandhi".

6.    The Para playing his flute during a lull was playing the third movement from the Brandenburg Concerto #6 (BWV1051), written by Johann Sebastian Bach.

7.    Due to permissions and budgetary constraints the movie was not shot in Arnhem but in Deventer, which lies 35KM up north. The sceneries and the bridge however are very much look alike compared to Arnhem.

8.    According to his recent memoir Roger Moore was offered the role of Brian Horrocks. He was forced to decline due to a scheduling conflict with The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) but became available again when the Bond movie was delayed. However Horrocks had approval over the character and turned Moore down, and the role instead went to Edward Fox.

9.    Sean Connery plays a private in The Longest Day (1962) and a Major General in A Bridge Too Far (1977). All these fictional promotions would have occurred in the 3 1/2 months between the actual events.

10.    Charles Bronson was seriously considered for General Sosabowski with Robert Redford receiving a reported $2m for a total of 2 week's work on this production.