The Bridge (Die Brucke) 1959

     All the German boys in the village of draft age receive their notices.  Their parents cannot believe they have been drafted since they are teenagers still in high school?  The time period is WWII during the last months of fighting between the Germans and Allied Forces.  After their training sessions, a German officer places them on guard duty for a bridge.  He thinks this will be a safe assignment and they will be able to handle the job.  They see trucks are driving quickly across the bridge by seasoned German troops racing away from the Allies.  The boys really believe they can hold this bridge when several American tanks appear heading for the bridge.

     The boys don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into when they begin battle with the tanks.  They also don’t know the other soldiers are fleeing because Germany has already lost.  They are holding this bridge at the risk of their lives but how can this stance make any difference at this point in the war?  This is difficult to watch during the scenes of fighting.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

103 min, War directed by Bernhard Wicki with Folker Bohnet, Fritz Wepper, Michael Hinz, Frank Glaubrecht, Karl Michael Balzer, Volker Lechtenbrink, Gunther Hoffmann, Cordula Tantow, Wolfgang Stumpf, Gunter Pfitzmann, Heinz Spitzner.

Note:  Imdb 7.7 out of 10, 100% critic 85% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 50 reviews.

Special Note:  This film was also released in 1998 and 2015.