The Bridge (Die Brucke)

Very few WWII movies are told from the German perspective. This one has the added, almost unique advantage of having been shot 10 years after the end of the war, when the wounds of the war had not even stopped bleeding. Although it is shot on B/W film, the violence is extremely graphic and no attempt is made to spare the audience the horrible result of bullets going through human bodies. In other words, if you are looking for cartoon violence, look elsewhere. This film was written by people who understood that bullets make holes.

"Die Brucke" is the story of six schoolchildren who are drafted into the Wehrmacht in the spring of 1945, given one day's training, and then thrown into battle when the war is hopelessly lost. A well-meaning officer and an equally human NCO conspire to have them detailed to a useless objective -- a small bridge in the little Bavarian town where they grew up and, only days before, played Cowboys & Indians. Unfortunately, the war does not pass them by, and the boys are too naive to understand that their cause is lost and that people who are shot to death do not get up and keep playing afterwards.

The young "soldiers" are alternately pathetic and frightening with their mixture of boyhood enthusiasm, decency, cruelty, and mischief. One minute they are playing pranks, the next cold-bloodly shooting down an American soldier who tries to get them to surrender. They grasp far too late that their elders don't care what happens to them, that they will receive no medals for their heroics, and that there are people in their own army who are bigger enemies than the Americans are.

The film may be too slow in the beginning for American audiences, but the payoff is well worth it. With an obviously limited budget and resources, director Wicke does a first-class (surprisingly graphic) job of pitting his kindergarten soldiers against American tanks and displaying the disgusting mayhem that follows. All war films are said to be anti-war films, but most American and British pics from the postwar period depict combat as a thrill-ride and the Germans as human targets who are equally sadistic and stupid. "Die Brucke" puts human faces on the men (often boys) in the Nazi uniform without making apologies for Nazism (this film rarely passes up a chance to scorn the Nazis who preached 'holding out to the last round' and then hopped the fastest train away from the battle). People who somehow found films like "Where Eagles Dare" entertaining should watch this DVD and then try to find the humor in slitting a teenage conscript's throat. I would recommend the film to anyone, but especially as an insight onto how things looked and felt on "the other side of the hill."


Awesome. Powerful. Honest.   January 8, 2003
Stephen H. Ehlers (Bellevue, NE United States)
31 out of 34 found this review helpful

Now avialable on DVD, this little masterpiece of a film has, up to now, been all but forgotten. Yet it seems to have created quite a stir back in 1954 when it was released... less than ten years after the end of WWII, and already the Germans were asking themselves hard questions about war, blind adherence to authority, militarism, etc. Black and white, the DVD offers both English Dub and Sub versions of the film. The acting is first-rate, the uniforms, weapons and sets are quite good, and the story is rivetting.

Suposedly based upon a true story, we are offered an open and painful tale, full of self-criticism and honesty. Almost as graffic in places as Saving Pvt Ryan. Almost as powerful as "All's Quiet on the Western Front." One of the best WWII films I have ever seen...


Unique West German WW2 Film   May 5, 2002
24 out of 25 found this review helpful

This is a little known gem that was nominated in 1959 for "Best Foreign Language Film". Give it an extra star if you are a huge foreign, military, history, or WW2 film fan. The fact that it is so hard to find is reason enough, as it was for me, to justify the reviews I read of hard core war atrocities. This time that against the youth of a defeated nation, that forces them to fight a lost fight. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The DVD is excellent in offering both German (English subtitle's), and an excellent English soundtack that's not at a loss compared to the German! THIS IS A HARD TO FIND HISTORICALLY ACCURATE GEM!


Little to add except...   October 10, 2003
18 out of 20 found this review helpful

Others here have already detailed what a fine (anti)war film Die Bruecke is and why. I can only echo those sentiments: this is a gripping film that really makes you think about militarism and war and their costs. I did find one unfortunate problem with this particular release of the film: the subtitles are at times wrong, but more often they cut and simplify the dialogue and seemingly make little attempt to recreate its nuances. On the bright side, this film isn't heavily rooted in dialogue: the plot and images speak louder than words and get the messages across as clear as day. Still, it would be nice to see this film re-released with better subtitling.


Should be part of school programs   June 4, 2003
philrob (New Zealand)
17 out of 33 found this review helpful

Jean Yanne (french cinematographer/writer/actor, now living in California) made the only pun I know which can be translated in about 10 languages -and understood around the world-: "As well the smallest unit in length is the millimeter, as well the smallest unit in weight is the milligram, as well the smallest unit in intelligence is the military.

Boris Vian, another french cinematographer/writer/musician (d. 1958), said the only way to get rid of military people would be to gather them on a very large meeting place rigged to be blown up, but also said there would still be a problem: getting rid of the one(s) in charge of the fuse.

If this movie was shown in every school to every kid 13/16 old, anyone wanting afterwards to join the army for the fun of it (or even for the glory) should be categorized as a very sick jerk and get cold showers in a straight-jacket for at least 5 years, and, if not cured, be used as compost.

I saw this movie when it was released in Paris in 1960 (I was 16), and have since recommended it relentlessly as the 1st war movie to be watched, since it's the only one I've seen which unmasks in the most accurate way the insanity/irresponsibility of trigger-happy warmongers, as well as irresponsible manipulation of young minds by people who should not be in charge of anything, not even themselves.