A Bridge Too Far - Carry On Volume 4 - Convoy [Imprint]

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

I was in Europe and the Middle East in 1975/1976 when I was age 13/14 and happened to be staying outside of Nijmegen in the Netherlands when A Bridge Too Far was being filmed. Local and NATO troops were used -- and it was pretty wild to see hundreds of British, US and Nazi soldiers marching down local roads from one filming location to another. The movie did a good job of showing the 'politics' of the Allies military leadership behind the huge and complex operations of the war. And yep -- sometimes politics won out over actual military smarts ...

[@terrytalksmovies]

Politics, strategy and materiel issues. The script is fantastic.

[@brianartillery]

I grew up with the 'Carry On' movies. I've seen all of them multiple times, and every one has something in it (including the lesser, later films) which will give me a laugh. My favourite of all, is 'Carry On Screaming', which definitely has a 'Hammer-ish' feel to it. I love 'Carry On Doctor', though, and was always amused at the deliberate use of out of place sound effects - listen to the engine noise of that beautiful Bedford ambulance - it's a Grand Prix racing car. Brilliant. Some people just don't 'get' these movies, though. Here's a tip, people - there's nothing to 'get' - just sit back with some snacks, and enjoy some sublime silliness, performed by professionals who know what they are doing. Simple as that. Great reviews, as always, Terry. Thank you, yet again. 👍👍👍 The battle of Arnhem featured the eccentric British officer, Major Digby Tatham Warter, who would go into battle wearing a bowler hat and brandishing an umbrella. He actually disabled a German armoured car using his umbrella. You couldn't make it up.

[@terrytalksmovies]

He carried an umbrella because he could never remember passwords. He knew no German would ever carry an umbrella.

[@brianartillery]

@terrytalksmovies - Yup. He's the sort of guy that makes history even more fascinating.

[@Scuzzbopper.]

Just re-watched "A Bridge Too Far" this past week. The theme music from it is also a movie classic.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Yes. John Addison was an underrated soundtrack composer.

[@captlazer5509]

Khyber Pass, being a cockney slang for arse is hilarious. Yes, the Carry On movies were loaded with blue humor on so many levels. Love 'em for it.

[@terrytalksmovies]

I watched Carry On Doctor last night. The earthiness of the humour was great fun.

[@brianartillery]

@@captlazer5509 - I once read a review for it that made me cry with laughter. It began: 'The villainous Khazi Of Calabar, is played by Kenneth Williams (wearing Lee Van Cleef's nostrils)...'

[@alanbeaumont4848]

"Hey you, fakir - OFF!"

[@peterkarargiris4110]

A Bridge Too Far was one of those movies that was re-played over and over again in the 70s and 80s. It's always been one of my favourite films in any genre. So I'm very surprised that you've never seen it. My friends and I used to quote it. Our favourite scene was where Elliott Gould, cigar in mouth, surveys the ruins of a bridge that has been blown up a matter of seconds before he and his platoon get there. With his immortal one-word line, "Shit!" An outstanding war movie and a true classic. Of all the Carry On films, I'd have to pick Carry On Henry (1971) and Carry On Cleo (1964) as my favourites. Cheers Terry.

[@terrytalksmovies]

I also like Carry On Spying.

[@tomdale1335]

Yep, a Carry On movie makes everything better. Doctor:” It’s an enigma, Matron, an enigma.” Patient: “I’m not having another one of those!” Classic stuff.

[@terrytalksmovies]

And Sid James' line delivery really lands it. A throwaway line delivered to perfection. Happy hols to you and the fam, Tom.

[@charlescontreras4135]

I had no idea that Convoy was released on 4k. I do have it on dvd and region B blu ray, but I may have to look for it on 4k anyway. Convoy, as well as Smokey and The Bandit, sparked my interest in trucking, which I did for a while. Very nice video, thank you for posting it.

[@terrytalksmovies]

My pleasure, Charles. Convoy is worth the upgrade. I'd double feature it with White Line Fever.

[@andreaslermen2008]

A Bridge to Far is a A Bridge to far is the kind of war movies, they don't do any more. There is a guy on KZbin, that checks how much those movies keep to the history and this one got a very high rating.

[@terrytalksmovies]

William Goldman waa always great at historical accuracy.

[@paddy864]

Funny then, how the most significant event in the course of Operation Market Garden, the inexcusable failure of General Jim GAVIN to have his division capture the Nijmegen road-bridge at the earliest opportunity when it was virtually unguarded, is largely ignored? It was not taken for another three days (Sept.20th) as a result, by which time the men at Arnhem Bridge were out of ammunition and vastly outnumbered, and the road from Nijmegen to Arnhem was blocked. Also ignored is the fact that the Guards Armoured Division arrived at Nijmegen ahead of schedule, and not late as depicted in the film (not that it would have mattered seeing the Bridge was still in German hands!). Another even more blatant lie perpetuated in the film is that having crossed the Bridge the British refused to progress further to relieve their comrades at Arnhem, despite the fury and threats of violence by an American officer. This of course is complete and provable garbage, as the British soldiers concerned, Sgt, Robinson and Capt. Peter Carrington of the Grenadier Guards pointed out when the film was released in 1977. There are more innacuracies and indeed outright lies in the film of course, and as a historical record it is sadly lacking. As a war-film however, it is pretty good.

[@dcanmore]

ah the Khyber Pass, that well known part of Wales (where it was filmed) lol!

[@terrytalksmovies]

A different kind of welcome in the hillsides in the real Khyber Pass.

[@evilpixie96]

a bridge too far is my all time fav war film, i know way to much about the film and the battle it self, the james caan bit is 100% true, carry on up the khyber is my 2nd fav carry on film, cleo being my number1 never ever got the ryming slang untill you pointed it out, convoy is also up there for me i remember it set off a craze for CB radios. one last thing i have never seen Marty

[@terrytalksmovies]

Marty is worth it. Borgnine had range.

[@fje6902]

Another film in the working man revenge genre was "Take This Job and Shove it." Also based on a song. It had a nice cast: Robert Hayes, Barbara Hershey, Art Carney, Eddie Albert. I never knew Sam Peckinpaugh directed Convoy.

[@terrytalksmovies]

He did. Convoy is worth checking out.

[@timeliebe]

Wasn't Dirk Bogarde in some of the CARRY ON movies?

[@nealepaterson3496]

'Event' war movies in the cinema, with their massive casts of big name actors, and then the older war films on Saturday afternoon telly, were very much part of my upbringing. It was what boys watched for kicks, along with reading Biggles and 'Combat' comic books and making Airfix Spitfires. It all changed with Star Wars, when I suppose the studios realised it was simpler to do big bangs with VFX in the studio than it was to blow up real tanks and bridges, and memories of the War were starting to fade. A Bridge Too Far must have been one of the last of its bulldog breed. I think of Samuel Fuller's The Big Red One with Mark Hamill, and Harrison Ford in Force 10 From Navarone, as the point when the baton was handed over...

[@terrytalksmovies]

The Big Red One is incredibly underrated.

[@nealepaterson3496]

Yes, I think so. I find it interesting how Hollywood was trying to leverage its new breed of stars - Hamill & Ford - into old school war films and it just didn't work. There wasn't a really successful film in that style for a decade or more after Star Wars (if I recall correctly), despite having been a staple before...

[@d.bcooper7819]

Convoy takes me back, I was 8 years old when CW McCall’s song was super popular. At that age his song was the coolest thing in the world. Yes I bought the album and saw the movie. Ps I always have cat treats near by when I’m watching in the hopes for a Luna cameo.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Luna is random. Nobody knows when and where she will show up.

[@kermitsghost]

Hi Terry, I have the Carry On Box Set from Imprint winging its way to me too, I love these comedies, the UK only put four of the films out then stopped, bizarre when you think how much they were loved over here in Blighty 🧐 I’m a big fan of Convoy, that opening CB song was in the charts in the 70’s and it was so cool 😎 A Bridge Too Far is a solid gold classic, it’s nice to see it put out for future generations to appreciate. Cheers mate, take care👍😃👍

[@terrytalksmovies]

Hi Alan. The Carry Ons are great. I watched Carry On Doctor the other day. The humour was earthy but sophisticated, too. Happy holidays to you and your family, mate.

[@kermitsghost]

Thank you Terry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family too 👍🎅🏻👍

[@jimmulvihill5272]

Thank you Terry, for a wonderful video. You’ve just convinced me to buy a bridge too far. the Carry on films we have already from the UK. Convoy is a possibility at some stage.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Any of them is a good choice.😀

[@juniormike]

Hope you enjoy our CONVOY box!

[@terrytalksmovies]

It's a solid release. I'm a big Peckinpah fan.

[@juniormike]

@@terrytalksmovies You'd enjoy the big box I'm doing now for his 100th anniversary, 7 blu-rays incl. my new docs on WILD BUNCH, CABLE & PAT GARRETT (out 2/2025 in Germany) Best, Mike Siegel

[@juniormike]

@@terrytalksmovies I just finished a 90-minute doc on WILD BUNCH, out 2/2025

[@taker68]

Never seen a Carry On film although I've heard of them for years. My library has a set called Vol. 1 but it has those you mentioned and 4 more. Odd. Saw A Bridge Too Far when it came out, my father is a big history buff so any WW2 or Civil War film and he's got to see it. As a kid, I noted the bleakness of the film, not a rah-rah film or an unrealistic men on a mission film. Amazing that they did it all without computers, no way would they be willing to do this now. I saw the new Midway film and it was good but the CG grates after awhile. I liked the many 70s trucker/CB radio films, always felt Convoy was butchered so I'd love to see the extended cut. Borgnine does make a great villain, recently saw him in Emperor of the North Pole, great. I'll be your secretary if I could only move to Aus. Hey, where's that TTM box at the end of the video?

[@terrytalksmovies]

A Bridge Too Far is one of the early realistic war movies. Before that they tended to be there to honour the people who saved the world and were more hagiography at times. This one has a feeling of honesty I appreciated.

[@keithf1652]

I've not actually seen 'A Bridge Too Far', Terry, but the cast list looks amazing. Seems to have everybody in it except ... Rod Taylor ! LOL

[@terrytalksmovies]

It's honestly an epic.

[@dogzdad123]

Terry: "Carry On series"- I was never able to appreciate/understand British humor...probably due to undue influence as a child growing up on 3 Stooges comedies. "A Bridge Too Far" (aka: "A film too long") is a masterpiece of WWII action films. The story is really about the folly of hubris and egos that get people killed. Every character in the massive cast takes its cue from other docudramas of the past (The Longest Day/Tora, Tora, Tora). Would have been interesting to view the story from the young boy's perspective at the beginning of the film. James Caan's micro story/segment is a stand-out. Sean Connery's portrayal of a doomed Allied combat commander is worthy too. "Convoy"- Peckinpah...love him or hate him...your choice. Still get belly laughs from his "Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia"!

[@paddy864]

If you think Op. MARKET GARDEN was all about "folly, hubris and egos" then you need to do some proper research and reading on it frankly.

[@dogzdad123]

@@paddy864 I was speaking to this film adaptation. Think to prior films like "The Longest Day" and "Tora, Tora, Tora". This is a loose docudrama...emphasis on drama with A-list actors. Attenborough like his contemporaries put a lot of focus on the mistakes and missed opportunities of that awful mission. If I had the time to do a deep dive into real historical record...I'm sure it would bear a different perspective.

[@22many77]

a pickled peck of peckinpah pickles would absolutely love 'The Boys' if asked about super hero stuff

[@terrytalksmovies]

The Boys kicks arse and uses the c word in context. 🙂

[@bartholdy74]

My parents let me watch the Carry On films when I was a kid. The innuendos flew over my head, but I liked how silly the situations & characters were. 😺 This heat's test on my endurance is a bridge too far. 😼

[@terrytalksmovies]

A Bridge Too Far is worth it. Stay hydrated.

[@bartholdy74]

Thanks, Terry. I'm also trying to keep my birds cool & hydrated. I hope your cat is nice & cool.

[@danthsmith]

Khyber is probably the absolute high water mark of the series

[@terrytalksmovies]

It's definitely top 5. 😀

[@megansavage7152]

I'm In UK and imported the carry on boxset because they stopped releasing the carry on on blu-ray in uk

[@terrytalksmovies]

Have they no respect for their cultural heritage? 😀

[@megansavage7152]

@terrytalksmovies I think they stopped releasing on blu-ray due to poor sales they only released four of them on blu-ray here in the uk and then stopped

[@nealepaterson3496]

You've gotta love the Carry On movies. I think they retain much of their charm because while they were unashamedly sexist they were never, I think, misogynistic, and rarely racially insensitive, occasional brownface notwithstanding. In fact if they were released now I think some people might consider them degrading to men, rather than women. Frankie Howerd was never really a Carry On actor, as unlike the others he wasn't a team player, and as for Phil Silvers, he didnt even exist on the same planet...

[@terrytalksmovies]

In the Carry On movies, the women usually prevailed, too.

[@ChuckG92]

Bridge Too Far is a classic, but in the States they want $110 for that as an import. At that price, I’ll wait.

[@terrytalksmovies]

We pay about that for it in AUD. Collectors' editions are a premium product.

[@ChuckG92]

@ Yikes! I can wait for a $35 version

[@Brianfromtenn]

Have you seen Kriss Kristofferson in Flash Point? Lone Star is good too

[@terrytalksmovies]

Lone Star is incredible. Such a great ensemble cast.

[@kenriddell]

is that the flim with the click click to show they were allies and it was a complete fubar

[@terrytalksmovies]

Nope

[@alastairward2774]

Is that in a movie about the Normandy landings? I remember a scene where an American soldier gets shot when he mistakes the sound of a German soldier reloading his rifle for the clicking that should signal an ally.

[@JonFuller-t5z]

Pretty sure that scene is from THE LONGEST DAY.

[@rattussapiens2854]

Sorry, have to correct you about the whole ‘Bridge Too Far’ thing as you’re repeating bad history. First off, the source material is flawed - Ryan is a selective ‘historian’ with a noted anti-British sentiment. ((Hold up and cool your jets - I know we all like to have a dig at the Poms and their ways, but Fascism was defeated because of that set of islands.)) Second, the plan for ‘Operation Market Garden’ was BASED on a plan by Montgomery and his staff, the earlier iteration being called ‘Comet’. Like all Generals and Field Marshalls, Monty (and his staff) made many plans, did what we’d now call a feasibility analysis, and developed credible plans and rejected others. Comet was pulled just days before launch BY MONTGOMERY who’d noticed a lack of available air support (among other factors) as mitigating against success, only to see Comet revived as Market Garden and handed to Major General Brereton, commander of the newly formed First Allied Airborne Army. Brereton, an American and overall commander of the operation, had no command experience with airborne troops, and served in the United States Army Air Force and his second-in-command was Major General Browning, a British officer with little experience in ground operations with airborne forces. This was not a good skillset to bring to managing a complex and risky operation. Suffice to say, it is easy for a commander’s staff to be competent and loyal, if you like groupthink. There was groupthink. Third - resourcing. There were failures in getting resupply drops to the forwarders of forward units. The drop and landing zones at Arnhem were six miles from the centre of Arnhem - jeeps were landed in gliders, light artillery as well, but no plan survives first contact with reality. The ground operation at Arnhem needed a second lift of men and materiel on the first day of the operation - that didn’t happen; because the air component didn’t look too flash in the ‘How many DC-3s do we have left, now..?’ Department, and they didn’t get a lift in until the following day. The Germans were awake and flak happy this time. That’s Arnhem, which everyone remembers as the ‘bridge too far’, but no-one *koffRyankoff* pays particular attention to what was going on further back down the road, which kind of brings up … Four. The Nijmegen bridge, the capture of which was tasked to General Gavin in command of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division. His orders were confused and he was ordered to clear the heights above Nijmegen before moving in on the bridge- the failure of U.S. airborne forces to seize the bridge at Nijmegen utterly flushed the troops at Arnhem down the gurgler. So have a pop at the Poms all you like, even my old Dad said Monty could be a pompous twat and he served under him briefly, but give credit for the failure of Operation Market Garden where it belongs. With the Seppos. Not that you’ll read this in revisionist history by the likes of Ryan, and with Hollywood gathering the movie together for one last genre hurrah, they weren’t going to flip the script on all the preceding war movies in which WW2 was won by the U.S.A. ((Even the ‘Battle Of Britain’ movie of 1969 - recreating events taking place long before Pearl Harbour - suffered by having one of the star characters be a ‘Canadian’ played by an American actor.)) So, sorry about the rant, but I’m a bit disappointed in the tone of your narrative there, Terry - you’ve repeated a lot of the snide orthodoxy which has become writ large about Market Garden, and swallowed Hollywood history hook, line and sinker.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Wow, I liked your TED talk. I did as much research about the movie as I could in a short period of time and for me, the movie is the thing and it hangs together well as a piece of cinema.

[@paddy864]

Well done for taking the time to begin setting the record straight but in the interests of strict accuracy may I point out that Lewis Brereton was in fact a Lieutenant General, as was Browning, as well as being Deputy Commander of 1AAA he was also commander of it''s 1st Allied Airborne Corps, ie the three AB division involved in Market Garden. Browning was in fact the "father of British airborne forces" having been involved from the very beginning in raising them, and so was far more informed about their characteristics and use than was Brereton. The planning for MG was conducted by HQ 1 AAA and involved Brereton and his Air commander, Williams, who based the plan largely on Monty's cancelled Operation COMET, though considerably enlarged and with the final objective changed to Arnhem instead of Wesel. The controversial selection of the Drop and Landing Zones was also decided by them as was the loading plan and drop times/Dates. Significantly, they ruled out any glider-borne "coup-de-main" assaults to seize the bridges and failed ,almost inexplicably, to make any use of close air support. I've referred to the matter of Jim GAVIN at Nijmegen in another comment further down but you're correct of course, thougj I don't think his orders were as opaque as he later made them out to be.

[@rattussapiens2854]

Thanks @ - I admit to being rusty on details but the TED Talk was pretty much off the cuff and what I could dredge up in a hurry. Market Garden has - rightfully - attracted a lot of attention over the years, and many self-serving myths have taken root thanks to bad history and revisionist untruths.

[@creech54]

Haven't seen any of these movies, so I'll just leave you an FYI that you'll never need in the future. Franklyn Ajaye pronounces his name like "eye", accent on the 2nd syllable.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Thanks. I try to get pronunciation right but sometimes...🥺

[@megansavage7152]

I live in the original Liverpool in the uk

[@terrytalksmovies]

Been there. It's a groovy place.

[@crystalset]

i didnt think foreigners would understand carry on..

[@captlazer5509]

@@crystalset Played on PBS in America and the CBC in Canada for years.

[@terrytalksmovies]

Australians do.

[@grantman7181]

good reviews I gave spelberghs west side story 2 out of 5 too squeaky clean for me almost a Disney version of the musicial

[@terrytalksmovies]

Spielberg remaking better films is a weird late career pivot.

[@DJW1959Aus]

Nice box set. I think I've seen all the 'Carry On ' films. I wasn't interested in 'Convoy'. Always preferred 'A Bridge too far" to those other big war movies.

[@terrytalksmovies]

All three are sweet!

[@alastairward2774]

Convoy was apparently big in the USSR kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIevn4qvar53g7csi=XfNsV-c2ODDqMsfk

[@terrytalksmovies]

Yep but Peckinpah didn't get the royalties.

[@markgreene1162]

Nothing in the world has changed. People are still getting shafted by the man. It's actually worse today because the cost of housing and food is higher than it was in the 1970s, and added to that, the equity is poorer. I need two jobs, and it still doesn't feel like enough. 🙆‍♂️

[@terrytalksmovies]

I agree 100%, Mark. The wealthy are bleeding working people dry and they don't care.

[@timeliebe]

I saw A BRIDGE TOO FAR about the same time that I saw a lot of big budget, creatively meh war pictures that all kind of looked the same, like THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, EYE OF THE NEEDLE, FORCE TEN FROM NAVARONE.... I do remember the ironic closer where one of the characters, who has been at the sharp end, rounds back on his superior about all the destruction, and the guy says with typical British understatement, "Well, I did feel Monty should have known it was a bridge too far."

[@terrytalksmovies]

Montgomery was a monstrous idiot.

[@sean640307]

@@terrytalksmovies if you're open to some genuine exchanges of ideas on this, I'm happy to politely point out why you're entitled to your opinion but it's actually flawed. :) Montgomery was no idiot - you do not get to be the most successful Allied commander in the ETO and a Field Marshall, to rise to the command of CIGS, and be Deputy Commander of NATO by being an idiot (although it seems you CAN rise to the level of US President by being one, but that's because other idiots voted him in!!)

[@paddy864]

@@terrytalksmovies Frankly, only an idiot, or perhaps an ignoramous with virtually no knowledge of the man, would say something like that.

[@MiddleAgedGeekGrrrl]

You have to get an assistant to help you be organised? Apparently the unpaid intern you’ve had for the past decade isn’t good enough anymore! 😢

[@terrytalksmovies]

She's too cheeky.