Rating: 
Summary: Is America great or what!
Review: I watched this movie at an air force base theater Keesler AF base Mississippi in the fall of 1963. Keesler was a techincal training base for newly enlisted AF personnel housing approximately 20,000 impressionable young men ages 17-24 (I was 17 at the time). I saw this movie and it blew me away. Most of us were facing Vietnam and I couldn't believe that they were showing this at the Base theater. The person who selected the movie was either creatively subversive or asleep. I agree it is the best anti-war movie I have ever seen. I remembered it for 35 years and recently was able to obtain a copy.
Rating:
Summary: Should be part of school programs
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Most powerful anti-war film of my teenage years.
Review: Like the reviewer from Spokane, I saw this film when it was in theatrical release in 1959 or maybe 1960. It blew my socks off and I've never forgotten it. I've looked for it in videotape occasionally and would love to view it again to see whether it still impresses me after 40 years of maturing.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome. Powerful. Honest.
Review: 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...
Rating: 
Summary: A very good German war film
Review: One of the few post-war (1959) German films to depict actual combat against the Americans, "Die Bruecke" (The Bridge) was shot on location in Bavaria in black-and-white with a low budget and mostly local actors. Still, it tells its story well and avoids the blah-blah, angst-ridden, self-psychoanalysis that plagues much German cinema. Set in the last days of World War Two, the film tells the story of a group of teenage schoolmates drafted into the home guard and assigned to defend the bridge into their village against the approaching Americans. Their leaders are middle-aged WW1 veterans (who recall their own combat experiences with bitterness) and die-hard Nazi fanatics (who can't admit the war is already lost). In simple, realistic scenes the director portrays the futility, confusion, terror and waste of all war, and the hopeless anarchy that existed in 1945 Germany. A well-wrought little gem. Too bad it hasn't found a larger American audience. Compares favorably with "A Walk in the Sun," which is at least available on VHS.
Rating:
Summary: A very good German war film
Review: One of the few post-war (1959) German films to depict actual combat against the Americans, "Die Bruecke" (The Bridge) was shot on location in Bavaria in black-and-white with a low budget and mostly local actors. Still, it tells its story well and avoids the blah-blah, angst-ridden, self-psychoanalysis that plagues much German cinema. Set in the last days of World War Two, the film tells the story of a group of teenage schoolmates drafted into the home guard and assigned to defend the bridge into their village against the approaching Americans. Their leaders are middle-aged WW1 veterans (who recall their own combat experiences with bitterness) and die-hard Nazi fanatics (who can't admit the war is already lost). In simple, realistic scenes the director portrays the futility, confusion, terror and waste of all war, and the hopeless anarchy that existed in 1945 Germany. A well-wrought little gem. Too bad it hasn't found a larger American audience. Compares favorably with "A Walk in the Sun," which is at least available on VHS.
Rating:
Summary: A very good German war film
Review: One of the few post-war (1959) German films to depict actual combat against the Americans, "Die Bruecke" (The Bridge) was shot on location in Bavaria in black-and-white with a low budget and mostly local actors. Still, it tells its story well and avoids the blah-blah, angst-ridden, self-psychoanalysis that plagues much German cinema. Set in the last days of World War Two, the film tells the story of a group of teenage schoolmates drafted into the home guard and assigned to defend the bridge into their village against the approaching Americans. Their leaders are middle-aged WW1 veterans (who recall their own combat experiences with bitterness) and die-hard Nazi fanatics (who can't admit the war is already lost). In simple, realistic scenes the director portrays the futility, confusion, terror and waste of all war, and the hopeless anarchy that existed in 1945 Germany. A well-wrought little gem. Too bad it hasn't found a larger American audience. Compares favorably with "A Walk in the Sun," which is at least available on VHS.
Rating:
Summary: Little to add except...
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: "IGNORANCE IS BLISS . . . .'tis folly to be...."
Review: Powerful, Disturbing, Moving, yet SO underrated. Perhaps it's the subject matter [Youth foolishly defending their little village against the Victors]. Conclusion? There's absolutely nothing noble about warfare, conquest or victory. Shot in glorious black and white with almost a documentary feeling we are led through the short lives of a few bravely foolish German teens nobly defending their little town against the conquering victors - says quite a lot about ideals, and wars devised by the elderly and fought by the innocent and young. A close companion? BBC's documentary "The War Game" - another chilling portrait of "legalized" destruction! Also the brilliant [and somewhat forgotten] "The Victors", "The Young Lions" [a must see for the enthusiast], "All Quiet on the Western Front" [original], "A Time to Love and a Time to Die" [the remake], and the mandatory "The Hill" - Sean Connery's best!
Rating: 
Summary: Good little German Movie
Review: THE BRIDGE is a fine B&W WWII movie that is set in a village deep in Western Germany. All of the action occurs the last week of April, 1945.
This Movie is unique because of the time, location, and entirely German perspective of this tiny War story.
The eight kids who are assigned to guard, then defend, the bridge are 16 year olds. The climatic battle with the American Armored patrol is very well done (for the most part). What is interesting is that, because this is a German made film, the American soldiers and Sherman Tank gunners are all very bad shots (except for an American sniper with a scoped rifle). Where as in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (an American made film), the German Wafen SS troops and Tiger Tank gunners who attack the bridge at Ramelle are also very bad shots!
Still the action is riveting for a low budget, foreign film. Unfortunately, the viewer has to wait an hour for the final battle, because most of the picture is character development, and it consists largely of teenagers yelling at their parents, which can be very obnoxious to listen in German dialouge.
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