Original subtitles

FEMALE NARRATOR: It's hard to remember now,

but Europe was like this in 1 944.

The Second World War was in its fifth year and still going Hitler's way.

German troops controlled most of Europe.

D-day changed all that.

D-day, June 6th, 1 944.

When the allied forces,

under their commander, General Eisenhower,

landed on the northern coast of France.

By July, they were able to begin their own offensive.

By August, Paris was liberated.

Everywhere the Germans retreated.

But with the allied victories came problems.

Supplies still had to be driven from Normandy,

over 400 miles away,

and became dangerously short.

The allied advance began to come to a halt.

Another problem facing Eisenhower was this.

His two most famous generals,

Patton, who was in the south, and Montgomery in the north,

disliked each other intensely.

Their long-standing rivalry had never been more fierce.

There simply were not enough supplies for both armies.

Each wanted to be the one to defeat the Germans.

Each wanted to beat the other to Berlin.

In September 1 944,

Montgomery devised a new and spectacular plan

given the code name Market Garden.

Eisenhower, under great pressure from his superiors,

finally sided with Montgomery,

and operation Market Garden became a reality.

The plan,

like so many plans in so many wars before it,

was meant to end the fighting by Christmas

and bring the boys back home.

(SPEAKlNG DUTCH)

Shh !

(lN DUTCH)

-Can l look out? -No, they might shoot us.

The Germans have collapsed.

(ENGlNES HUMMlNG)

Then the war is over?

Soon.

But what is that noise?

Panic.

(lN GERMAN)

You may begin.

May l first be permitted to say, and l think l speak for all of us. . .

how pleased we are, Field Marshal Von Rundstedt. . .

that you have been reappointed commander of our forces in the West.

Speeches are for victory celebrations.

Let's get to the point. Air power?

Air power, Field Marshal?

Briefly, please.

-Air power is minimal. -Ammunition?

Also minimal.

Tanks. . .troops. . . replacements?

-Minimal. -Morale?

(FOOTSTEPS MARCHlNG)

(SlGHlNG)

Nonexistent.

What do you think we should do?

End the war, you fools.

-Why in the world are you laughing? -Excuse us.

We have such confidence in you.

Everyone knows you never lost a battle.

l'm still young. Give me time.

The first thing we must do. . .

is to turn this rabble into something like an army.

Anything at all on when they plan to invade Holland?

They seem to have paused in Belgium.

Most likely supply problems.

Otherwise we can't imagine why.

l think it's because we're retreating. . .

faster than they can advance.

(PEOPLE LAUGHlNG)

(SHOUTlNG lN GERMAN)

(lN DUTCH)

How many vehicles in the past hour?

Fifty-four.

And for the same hour yesterday?

Ninety-eight.

Last week your mother and l could have captured Holland alone.

Already the panic has stopped.

lt isn't over yet, and those idiots don't realize it.

-War takes time. -Listen to the expert.

l was nine when they got here.

Next month l'll be 1 4. l ought to know something.

(MAN SHOUTlNG lN GERMAN)

Father, the Allies will come.

But when?

l've just got back to England from Brussels

where l had a meeting this morning with Field Marshal Montgomery.

There was an earlier one with General Eisenhower.

They both feel, as l do,

that when the Field Marshal's plan has succeeded,

we shall be able to end the war by Christmas,

in less than 1 00 days.

Actually, the plan's really very simple.

We're going to fly 35,000 men 300 miles

and drop them behind enemy lines.

lt'll be the largest airborne operation ever mounted.

(CHUCKLES) Quite frankly,

this kind of thing's never been attempted before.

Just where is this all gonna take place?

Holland.

And when?

l'm coming to that now.

Right.

The ground forces.

XXX Corps, commanded by General Horrocks, 20,000 vehicles.

And this, as you know, is the German frontline there.

Now, we're going to lay a carpet, as it were,

of airborne troops over which XXX Corps can pass.

We shall seize the bridges,

it's all a question of bridges,

with thunderclap surprise

and hold them until they can be secured.

Now, first of all,

General Maxwell Taylor, Eindhoven.

You take and hold the bridges there

with the 1 01 st.

General Gavin,

with your 82nd, you get Nijmegen.

BROWNlNG: You'll take and hold the bridges.

And, Roy, you get the prize, Arnhem,

Arnhem bridge,

and you hold it.

For how long?

Well, Monty assures me that XXX Corps

will do the 63 miles in two days.

GAVlN: 63 miles in two days.

TAYLOR: Yeah. They ought to be able to handle that.

Oh, l'm sorry. General Sosabowski.

You go with your Polish brigade with Roy Urquhart.

l'm so sorry.

Roy,

when you've secured your bridge and XXX Corps have got across it,

we can turn east,

right into the industrial heart of Germany, the Ruhr.

Once we control their factories,

there's not very much they can do about it.

And that is the plan.

And we go next Sunday.

Seven days?

Why not?

The sooner we go, the better. We've got them on the run.

ls something troubling you, General Sosabowski?

-l've said nothing. -Precisely.

Your silences are thunderous.

General Browning, l. . .

l am a Pole,

considered by some to be smart.

lf that is so,

it makes me member of a true minority group.

Minority groups are more comfortable in silence.

Oh, really?

l should have thought the opposite was true. But you do disapprove.

l am thrilled that your great

Field Marshal Montgomery has devised such a plan.

And l promise you,

l will be properly ecstatic if it works.

-When it works. -Of course.

-When it works. -Thank you.

Well, now let's get down to the details.

Firstly, of course, we should have to have a high level...

(lN GERMAN)

From which direction will their attack come, and who will command?

Montgomery or Patton?

-Model, what do you think? -Patton.

He is their best.

Patton will lead the assault.

l would prefer Montgomery. . .

but even Eisenhower isn't that stupid.

Bittrich's Panzer troops need some rest. . .

if they're to stop Patton.

We should pull them back somewhere safe.

Safe, quiet, out of the way. But where?

Arnhem?

Arnhem.

-l'll be in touch. -That'll be fine.

General, be safe.

HARRY: Why the emergency meeting?

Just keeping me abreast of the little changes.

How big are the little changes?

l'll answer with typical British understatement. Gigantic.

For example, they can't get us all in at once.

Too many men, too much equipment, not enough planes.

lt's going to take three days to get the men into Arnhem,

Poles and the British.

How about us?

We'll be all right. Aside from the fact that we're parachuting in daylight,

we have nothing to worry about.

Daylight? Has it ever been tried before?

Not in a major drop.

You think there might be a reason for that?

Let's hope not.

What do you think?

lt'll be all right. lt's a no-moon period anyway. We have to go in daylight.

lt doesn't matter. Just so they get us over the target area.

Half a mile away, three quarters of a mile, l'll settle for that.

l don't want to hear anything else.

ls there anything else?

Well, you're my Dutch adviser, Harry.

l forgot to tell you something?

Only that the Germans first tried to take Nijmegen Bridge themselves

back in 1 940 and got slaughtered.

(SENTRY lN DUTCH)

Go back!

Do as l say!

But my friend lives down the road.

lt's my birthday and she has a present for me.

Please let me through.

All right. Be quick.

Are your sure about the colors?

l'm sure, Father. Believe me.

Model?

A field marshal in Arnhem? Why?

The British will have an explanation.

Did you pass on the message about the tanks?

Of course. But Model is something more important.

You're a good boy and a wonderful spy.

Now go and help your mother with supper.

Sir?

Yes, Fuller?

-We've got some information on tanks, sir. -What?

Dutch underground reports from the Arnhem area.

Established their strength?

-No, sir, but l've got some men in. . . -Have they been identified?

Not by our intelligence.

So it's the same rumors as before, right?

-l believe these rumors, sir. -Why?

The general consensus of opinion is that our opposition

will consist entirely of Hitler Youth or old men on bicycles.

l don't really know why, sir.

Perhaps because no one in intelligence does.

l just want to be sure our airborne carpet consists of live troops,

not dead ones.

l know everybody thinks l'm overanxious, sir,

but l would like to order another

low-level reconnaissance of the area.

(STAMMERlNG) lf that's all right with you, sir.

Very well.

-All right, Wilson. -Sir.

Very well.

-Oh, Fuller. Fuller. -Yeah. Sir?

l wouldn't be too concerned about what people think of you.

You happen to be somewhat brighter than most of us.

Tends to make us nervous.

Naturally we'll do our utmost to meet your tactical requirements, sir,

but please keep in mind

the one factor which is crippling all our plans.

lt may seem improbable to you,

but we are desperately short of transport aircraft.

l am aware of that.

ln fact, l'm surprised that nobody mentioned it to Monty

when he dreamed up this operation.

l need drop zones as close as possible to the bridge.

Now clearly this area's no use at all.

Can't have my chaps landing on the top of chimneys, but. . .

Now this looks inviting here.

-ROY: What's the terrain like? -Sorry, sir.

All our reports indicate that this terrain here is too soft for glider landings.

You see the nose digs in first on touchdown,

the whole thing goes ass over tip.

Total write-off.

All right.

-What about there? -No. l'm afraid not, sir.

You see, after the drop, when we bank for our return,

we run into a whole lot of flak and rubbish from this Jerry air field

up here at Deelen.

Presumably you're intending to let us land somewhere.

Oh, yes, hopefully, sir,

but, as l was saying,

we cannot afford to lose a single aircraft.

That is the problem.

My problem is l don't just need drop zones.

l need drop zones l can hold and defend.

The rest of my division arrives with the second drop

and General Sosabowski's Polish brigade with the third.

l understand, sir.

But we really think we found the right place.

lt's large enough for your needs, it's flat and firm,

and also easily defended.

Well, where the hell is it?

Well, it's not actually on this photograph, but,

it should be. . . Excuse me, sir.

lt would be, about here, l think.

That could be 1 0 miles from the bridge.

No, just under eight, actually, sir.

lf you'd like to have a look at this.

You see, the terrain is easy to traverse.

All our information substantiates that. . .

Yes, sir?

Just making sure whose side you're on.

Now a drop zone eight miles from Arnhem Bridge

might be thought by some to present problems.

(WHlSPERlNG) My God. He can't mean it.

l'm afraid he does. He must know what he's doing.

That's more than l know.

Why should he have the corner of the market?

. . .cannot under any stretch of the imagination

be considered ideal,

but the gliders will be bringing in a reconnaissance squadron of jeeps

specially fitted with twin Vickers machine guns.

Now the instant we land,

they will race ahead to the bridge and hold it

until the other battalions arrive on foot.

And they'll be quick enough to secure both ends of Arnhem Bridge?

Most certainly.

Good, good. Now if you all know where l shall be.

My headquarters will be in the center with 82nd.

Now just you remember that we're all totally interlocked.

This is a bottom to top operation.

1 01 st pass XXX Corps on to 82nd.

82nd pass them on to British Airborne.

lf any one group fails, it's total failure for us all.

All we need now

are three days of clear skies.

Thank you, gentlemen, very much.

Only the weather can stop us now.

Weather!

(EXCLAlMlNG lN POLlSH)

General Browning, what of the Germans?

Don't you think that since we know that Arnhem is so crucial to their safety,

they might know that, too?

BROWNlNG: Now, look here.

The few troops in the area are second class.

They're not frontline caliber,

not at all.

Do you understand?

l think you ought to have a little more faith

in Montgomery's intelligence reports, you know.

He's done pretty well for us in last three or four years.

l will tell you the extent of my faith.

l am thinking of asking for a letter from you

stating that l was forced to act under your orders

in case my men are massacred.

l see.

Yes, l do see.

Do you wish such a letter?

No.

No, of course not.

ln the case of massacre,

what difference would it make?

-You mean you don't believe me, sir? -STEELE: Well, clearly not.

All right, boys. NAAFl's up. Take your break.

God almighty.

Sorry about that, sir.

But what, then?

l just don't believe these damn radios are strong enough

to carry the eight miles from the drop zone to Arnhem Bridge.

Don't happen to have any cigarettes, do you, sir?

-No. -They're perfectly okay.

l've used them God knows how many times.

You've already told me that God knows how many times.

Well, l didn't have any problems with them in the desert.

Yes, l know.

You see, Cole, what bothers me,

what genuinely and truly has me more than a bit disturbed,

is that Holland being half under water,

is somewhat soggier than most deserts you're apt to find.

Tends to have a lot more trees.

-Any biscuits? -Your biscuits are in your tin, sir.

Shouldn't you tell the General if you're so certain about it, sir?

lf l were, believe me, l would.

What if they really don't work?

Well, what difference will it make?

The General will be on the bridge himself by nightfall.

He won't have to make contact with the bridge

if he's on it.

Will he, sir?

Well,

if anyone rocks the boat, it's not gonna be me.

The regular projector chap's at lunch, sir.

l'll have it in a moment.

You're doing splendidly, Fuller.

Don't worry. l don't eat lunch.

FULLER: Damn !

Nearly there, sir.

lt's really worth your time, sir, believe me.

There.

Splendid view of the Dutch countryside. Can't see any tanks.

Wait a moment, sir. lt's a lot clearer in the next picture.

lf l can just. . .

Now.

Next.

Yes, sir. l've had this one enlarged.

(WHlSTLlNG)

Yes. l. . .

l shouldn't worry about them.

But, sir, you see that they are tanks.

l doubt if they're fully serviceable.

-Still got guns. -So have we.

Sir, if they weren't serviceable,

why would they try to conceal them?

Normal routine, Fuller.

But, sir, we keep getting reports from the Dutch underground.

l've read them

and so has Field Marshal Montgomery.

Now look here,

there have been thousands of photographs from this sortie and from all the others.

How many of them have shown tanks?

Just these, sir.

And you seriously consider asking us to cancel

the biggest operation mounted since D-day

because of three photographs?

No, sir.

Sixteen consecutive drops have been canceled in the last few months

for one reason or another.

But this time, the party's on

and no one is going to call it off.

ls that fully understood?

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Waddy.

HORROCKS: Thank you, gentlemen !

Do sit down, gentlemen. Please sit down.

Look after these for me.

(ALL APPLAUDlNG)

Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you.

Gentlemen,

this is a story that you will tell your grandchildren

and mightily bored they'll be.

(ALL LAUGHlNG)

The plan is called operation Market Garden.

Market is the airborne element

and Garden, the ground forces. That's us.

Now, this is our position on the Belgium border here.

Tomorrow, three airborne divisions will begin landing in Holland.

(ALL MURMURlNG)

35,000 men taking off from 24 airfields

in troop-carrying planes or towed-in gliders.

The American 1 01 st here, around Eindhoven.

The American 82nd here, south of Nijmegen.

And our own 1 st airborne boys

and a Polish brigade here, at Arnhem,

64 miles behind enemy lines.

Now, their job is to take and hold

all the bridges in these three areas.

Our job is to punch a hole

through the German frontline here,

and then drive like hell up this road,

linking up with each airborne division on the way.

Speed is the vital factor.

The plan is to reach Eindhoven in two to three hours,

and Arnhem in two to three days.

That, gentlemen, is the prize.

The bridge over the Rhine,

the last bridge between us and Germany.

Kickoff will be at 1 435 hours tomorrow afternoon.

The lrish guards, under the command of Colonel Vandeleur,

will take the lead.

Christ, not us again.

What do you say to that, J.O. E.?

Oh, delighted, sir. Truly delighted.

l've selected you to lead us

not only because of your extraordinary fighting ability,

but also because

in the unlikely event that the Germans ever get you,

they will assume from your attire

that they've captured a wretched peasant

and immediately send you on your way.

Now, maintaining the speed of our advance

will no doubt be tough going

as it's a single highway,

but no matter what,

we must reach those 1 st airborne boys

in 48 hours.

Now, gentlemen,

l'm not saying that this will be the easiest party that we've ever attended,

but l still wouldn't miss it for the world.

l like to think of this

as one of those American western films.

The paratroops, lacking substantial equipment,

always short of food,

these are the besieged homesteaders.

The Germans, well, naturally, they're the bad guys.

And XXX Corps,

we, my friends, are the cavalry

on the way to the rescue!

(WHlSTLlNG)

Oh, do you want me to pack that as well, sir?

Ah, no, thank you, Wicks, l'll carry it.

Sir.

You haven't forgotten my golf clubs, have you?

Well, they'll be coming later in the staff car, sir.

And, what about. . .

(DOOR SLAMMlNG)

Sorry, sir.

What about my dinner jacket?

Are you sure you'll be needing that, sir?

Well, let's hope so.

EDDlE: Why don't you quit that?

Chock-full of vitamins.

Here, Eddie, have a little strength.

Hey, where'd you put that?

Oh, damn it, Eddie, give it back.

All right.

There you are.

l wish you hadn't done that.

See, my problem is l'm not totally crazy

about the prospect of dying.

So don't die.

Drinking that garbage isn't gonna keep you alive, is it?

Well, what is?

What is? Well,

not getting shot.

What can guarantee that?

Nothing.

For sure.

You will.

l will, what?

You tell me, Eddie.

You tell me l won't die.

All right, you won't die.

No, no. Guarantee me.

l want you to guarantee me l won't die.

l guarantee you.

Come on.

Let's get some food in you.

-Come on. -l wasn't kidding.

Hey, Eddie!

Were you kidding?

SlMS: Major Fuller.

My name is Sims.

Mind a bit of company?

Of course not, sir.

Busy times.

You must be exhausted.

Are you exhausted?

Who isn't?

Well, we've been getting reports from a number of your friends.

They're worried about you.

They think perhaps you need a rest.

We all need rest. Why are you saying this to me?

ls it because l rocked the boat?

l'm a doctor.

l'm only concerned with your health.

l think perhaps you ought to take a bit of sick leave.

But why?

l'm not ill or anything.

l haven't done anything wrong.

Of course not.

You're just a little tired.

Yes.

l am tired.

l think, perhaps, we might go.

Can't it be stopped?

No.

l don't want to be left behind.

Please.

lt's out of my hands, laddie.

l didn't want to miss the party.

Come on. Move it, buddy.

That's the way.

Come on, move yourselves! Move!

Come on, get up there. Move on down.

Home, sweet home.

Yes, when you think we only had seven days

-to get everything organized, it's quite a. . . -Bloody miracle.

lt took six months to set up the D-day drop.

That was only half as big as this.

How do you feel?

Fine. l'll feel even better when we're in Holland.

Do you remember a few months back

when l was first appointed to this command?

l told you l had never jumped but thought l ought to give it a go.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, you did me a big favor.

Oh, really? What?

You said, "Roy, you're far too old

"for that kind of thing and much too large."

(CHUCKLES) Did l?

What was the favor?

Well, l didn't quite tell you everything at the time

(EXCLAlMS)

but l'm prone to airsickness.

Good gracious!

What, every flight?

Well, we'll soon find out, won't we?

(AlRPLANE ENGlNE HUMMlNG)

OFFlCER: All right, get that goddamn fleet out of here!

(SlNGlNG) Who would true valor see

Let him come hither

One here will constant be

Come wind, come weather

(AlRPLANES HUMMlNG)

There's no discouragement

(AlRPLANE ENGlNES WHlRRlNG)

His first avowed intent

To be a pilgrim

GAVlN: Soon be home, Harry.

Better than the desert, eh, sir?

What was that?

Easier than walking, sir.

lf you say so, Hancock.

Yeah. Fine, sir.

HORROCKS: And the artillery should be able to clear the way pretty well.

Your initial advance.

Yes, we'll move off as soon as their barrage has got going.

Yes, that's absolutely fine. Fine.

Just follow behind it as close as we can.

But you know J.O. E. ,

this isn't gonna be the pushover that everybody seems to thinks it is.

No, l didn't think so.

Morning, Alan.

Your sleeping beauties know there's a war on, do they?

Absolutely, sir.

ls it true that the Germans have put more troops into the line ahead of us?

Yes, they obviously don't intend to just let us walk in the front door.

Hello, Bob, hope that's not my funeral they're going to!

And l'm still desperately worried about

having to throw everything up this road,

but there's no alternative.

-Morning, Tom ! -Good morning, sir.

So l've decided to run the road like a railway.

Nobody, repeat, nobody will be allowed to put any vehicle

on that road without my permission.

lncluding me?

-OFFlCER: Good luck to you, sir! -You, too!

Especially you, J.O. E.

-Morning, Derek! -Morning, sir.

Glad to see somebody knows where we're going !

(HORROCKS LAUGHlNG)

Time, J.O. E. , that's the killer.

We can't afford to drop behind schedule.

So, for God's sake, keep your tanks on the move.

Good God almighty!

That's just the 1 01 st.

The other two groups are on the northern route.

H-Hour in 90 minutes.

-l'd better be going, sir. -Right you are, J.O. E.

Any last minute changes, Bob?

Yes, sir. lf the advance runs into difficulty,

we're to call in the air force with purple smoke.

First class and good luck, J.O. E. !

Thank you, sir.

Do you think you'll be able to manage it?

l've got nothing else planned for this afternoon.

(HORROCKS LAUGHlNG)

l told you, you should've had the bloody thing out.

(CLUCKlNG)

What the hell's that?

lt's flak.

(lN GERMAN)

General Bittrich !

l'm in here, Matthias.

Fantastic, isn't it?

Just once to have such power in my hands.

Red on.

lf there's no more opposition than this on the river road,

we shall be all right.

SOLDlER 1 : Where the hell do you think you're going?

SOLDlER 2: "A" company over here!

"B" company to me!

"A" company over there!

Hurry up.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

(lN GERMAN)

Excuse the interruption, Field Marshall, but. . .

British paratroopers have landed. . .

three kilometers from here.

Why should they do that?

There is nothing important here.

Me! l am important.

They must all be coming just to capture me.

Call my chauffeur and car.

Evacuate the headquarters.

And don't forget my cigars.

Oh, my God !

OFFlCER 1 : General !

You all right?

Yeah.

OFFlCER 2: Okay, you guys,

come on, gather your stuff, and move, move, move!

OFFlCER 3: "C" company, form by the yellow smoke!

This is it, Jim.

Okay, sir.

You okay?

Right. Let's go.

(lN GERMAN)

Then keep trying.

There must be someone there!

My apologies. l can get no sense from anybody.

They say thousands of troops are dropping all over Holland.

-Yes, west of Arnhem. -Right on top of Field Marshal Model.

l can't get through to his headquarters.

A strong force has landed south of Nijmegen.

(PHONE RlNGlNG)

Nijmegen? They're after the bridge.

(REPLYlNG lN GERMAN)

That doesn't matter.

Perhaps they've landed in the Field Marshal's soup.

Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Now listen.

l'll take care of Arnhem.

You get to Nijmegen as fast as you can.

Take anything that'll move. . .

every man that can walk, and hold the bridge.

(REPLYlNG lN GERMAN)

No! Field Marshal Model !

Nothing must cross it. ls that clear?

You must hold that bridge under any circumstance.

-Understood? -Clear.

Ryan and Rossi, come with me.

Cover the right flank.

How far away is headquarters?

HARRY: Half a mile, maybe more.

(MACHlNE GUN FlRlNG)

Brigadier Lathbury's just left, sir.

Johnny Frost and the second battalion are already on the river road.

Good.

Thank you, Baker.

Any news of Freddie Gough's jeep squadron?

Well, it's unconfirmed. . .

lt's rather bad luck, sir,

considering how few gliders we lost on the way in.

Well, it appears that a lot of the special jeeps failed to arrive

and those that did have been badly shot up in an ambush.

So no one's going to get to Arnhem Bridge except on foot.

Splendid.

(PEOPLE LAUGHlNG)

They must be from the lunatic asylum, sir.

lt's located on the far side of the wood.

They escaped when it was bombed this morning.

Do you think they know something we don't?

All guns commence firing !

Get moving. Get moving.

Driver, advance!

(SCREAMlNG)

Message received. Thank you. Out.

(MAN SHOUTlNG lN GERMAN)

(MEN CHATTERlNG lN GERMAN)

(OFFlCER SHOUTlNG lN GERMAN)

Start the purple!

VANDELEUR: Take cover!

(MAN SHOUTlNG lN GERMAN)

Fire!

(MEN SHOUTlNG lN GERMAN)

Come on, get the wounded down the line!

Get that wreck off the road !

J.O. E. , how the hell. . .

How the hell do they expect us to keep to schedule on a road like this?

You don't know the worst.

This bit we're on now. . .

Yes?

lt's the wide part.

STEELE: Peter, General's coming in.

How's it going now?

Not too well, sir.

We haven't been able to make contact with General Browning,

XXX Corps, or England.

So no one knows we've arrived safely?

Not as far as we know, sir.

What about those VHF sets?

Well, sir,

it appears the sets have been delivered with the wrong crystals.

So they're quite useless?

Yes, sir. l'm afraid they are.

Are Brigadier Lathbury and Colonel Frost aware of what happened

to the special jeep squadron?

Not as far as we know, sir.

At the moment we're unable to contact any of the units moving into Arnhem.

Not a very satisfactory state of affairs, Steele.

No, sir.

We can't quite understand it, sir.

lt's perfectly good equipment.

-Then for God's sake, get it sorted out. -Yes, sir.

Before we have a bloody disaster on our hands.

Sir.

Hancock, l've got lunatics laughing at me from the woods.

My original plan has been scuppered now that the jeeps haven't arrived.

My communications have completely broken down.

Do you really believe that any of that can be helped by a cup of tea?

Couldn't hurt, sir.

(lN GERMAN)

Forgive me for returning, Field Marshal.

l must press for permission. . .

if it becomes necessary. . .

to blow up the bridges at Arnhem and Nijmegen.

This is out of the question.

Never. ls that clear?

We need them for our counterattack.

Counterattack? With what?

Paratroopers cannot fight long. They are too lightly equipped.

lsolated, they are lost.

l have spoken to Von Rundstedt.

All reinforcements come to us first.

Every hour we get stronger and they grow weaker.

-But if we blow the bridges-- -They don't want the bridges.

Do you really think if they wanted the bridges. . .

they would have landed 1 2 kilometers away?

lt's ridiculous.

Thank you for the tea.

Well, our lightning-like assault on Arnhem Bridge

is certainly a smashing success.

FROST: l've an aversion to apples. l'm so sorry.

l'm sure the Germans will be thunderstruck with surprise.

OLD MAN: Are there many of you?

Yes, there are thousands of us.

-Thank you for coming. -Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. . .

Now, look here, this isn't a victory parade, you know?

Oh, come on, sir. Enjoy the moment.

l will enjoy the moment when we reach the bridge

and when we find the bridge intact.

lt will be.

Things couldn't be going better. Nothing's wrong.

Yes, l know. That's exactly what is wrong, Harry.

Jesus Christ.

Stay down !

Shit.

Still no contact, sir.

Then keep at it. l shall be back shortly.

Brigadier Lathbury can't have gone that far. All right, Brown.

l'm sure we'll have them fixed by the time you get back, sir.

Can you get a message down to XXX corps on that dingus?

Yes, sir, Colonel.

We just got word from the 82nd up ahead.

They captured the Grave Bridge completely intact.

Oh, that's terrific, except XXX Corps ain't about to reach

the goddamn intact Grave Bridge

until the goddamn Son Bridge gets fixed !

Tell our British cousins to hustle up some Bailey stuff.

Yes, sir.

l'll meet them in Eindhoven when they get there.

Tell those schmucks to do this right

and have their Bailey stuff at the front of their column. Got that?

Yes, sir.

And be sure to say "please."

Yes, sir.

J.O. E. , l make it just under six miles to Eindhoven.

We won't make it tonight.

lt'll be dark shortly.

Well, l hope to God the 1 01 st's gonna hang on till tomorrow.

Giles, remember what the general said,

"We're the cavalry."

lt would be bad form to arrive in advance of schedule.

ln the nick of time would do nicely.

(lN GERMAN)

These plans should have been left in England.

They're top secret.

And now we have all we need--

units, defense plans, objectives. . .

and the schedule for further drops.

l have prepared Nijmegen Bridge for demolition. . .

if l blow it up tonight.

This Operation Market Garden must fail.

Why do all my generals want to destroy my bridges?

Come, Ludwig. We'll have dinner.

Dinner?

But what about these plans?

These plans? They are false.

Just a trick. We were supposed to find them.

White wine or red?

RADlO OPERATOR: Dog, charlie, fox. . .

We're, still getting nothing from Colonel Frost's battalion

on the river road, sir.

Thank you, Cole.

Dog, charlie, fox. Dog, charlie, fox. Over.

Let's hope Johnny's meeting less resistance than we are.

Gerald, we've got to break through to the bridge.

But we're completely blocked ahead of us.

There's a good deal more resistance than we've been led to expect.

l must see for myself how he's doing.

All right, Cole. What is their strength?

Well, l can't estimate yet.

Some Dutch underground people were here earlier

trying to explain the situation,

but l'm just not sure how much they know.

Get back that gun over here!

-What about Brown? -They've both had it, sir.

Christ almighty! They've got round behind us.

l think it might be safer if you spent the night with us, sir.

Gerald, l've got to get back to HQ.

Yes, but alive, sir.

Look, if we can reach them, there are some houses over in that direction.

We can get ourselves organized

and try and find out what the hell's happening.

OFFlCER: Pull out. Pull out!

Right.

Sergeant Major.

(DOORBELL RlNGlNG)

You know something's just occurred to me.

What's that, sir?

We're wearing the wrong camouflage.

lt's all very well for the country,

but l doubt very much if it's gonna fool anyone in the towns.

Come on. Come on.

(DOORBELL RlNGlNG)

Look here, l'm awfully sorry,

but l'm afraid we're going to have to occupy your house.

Yeah.

All right, chaps. We're in here.

Come on.

-Dick. -Yes, sir?

Now take your men. Occupy that house across the road.

Make sure you can cover the bridge from your side.

Right, sir. Sergeant, follow me.

RADlO OPERATOR: Dog, charlie, fox, hello, dog, charlie, fox.

(GLASS SMASHlNG)

OFFlCER: Take your men up to the next floor.

Rip down those curtains.

Pile all this furniture against the window. All right?

Dog, charlie, fox. Hello, dog, charlie, fox.

We've reached our objective. What is your position? Over.

There's nothing, sir.

l can't contact brigade at all, sir.

Tried the other battalions?

Any luck?

Keep trying.

Hello, dog, charlie, fox.

(SPEAKlNG DUTCH)

Shall we have a go at the far end now, sir?

"Having a go" is hardly textbook terminology, Harry.

But you'll let us try, sir?

CARLYLE: All down ! Take cover!

Cover fire! Quick!

Smoke!

All right, come on, lads!

(MEN SCREAMlNG)

Go!

Come on ! Come on !

Keep going !

Hurry! Hurry!

Fall back!

(GROANlNG)

Are you all right?

Yes, sir, l'm fine.

Well, we'll deal with them later, when it gets dark.

-Made it so far, Doddsie, eh? -Aye.

Hey, Corp. , you better hit that slit first time.

Hey, Corp. ,

l said you'd better hit that slit first time, or we. . .

l heard you, boyo.

Oh, great.

After you, corp.

Come on, let's get on with it.

Now.

Now we're in trouble! You bloody missed it!

Well, you knocked my arm, you clumsy bastard.

Now we'll never get out of here.

We've hit an ammunition dump! Bloody ammo dump! Shit!

(lN GERMAN)

Fool's courage.

She says you're much too noisy.

She does realize that there is something of a war going on, doesn't she?

She has never liked noise.

She hates it, hates it.

Colonel Frost, they're coming, sir.

Oh, excuse me.

Many of them?

Can't tell, sir. Can only hear them at the moment.

Hold your fire!

(lN GERMAN)

Fire!

FROST: Commands. Wait for the commands.

. . .go after that man.

Open fire! Fire!

Fire!

(SPEAKlNG GERMAN)

(SCREAMlNG)

Jesus!

FROST: Cease firing !

Cease firing !

Sorry, mum.

Whitney,

try and rustle up some more bandages, will you?

All right, lad. You'll be all right.

l'm going to check up with Cornish. See you later.

-Get him patched up, will you, Doc? -Right.

l'm terribly sorry about all this, you know.

-Wicks. -Sir.

Right. Off you go.

Get that bloody stretcher inside!

All right, here we go.

-Good morning, sir. -Morning.

-Mr. Cornish is straight through there. -Right, thank you.

Hello, Dick.

-Hello, sir. -lt's all right. Sit down. All right?

-Fine, sir, it's only a flesh wound. -Oh, good.

How are things?

-Not too bad, sir. -Good.

Well, what is bad, l'm afraid, is this.

-Careful. -Sorry, sir.

We hold the north end of the bridge,

Germans hold the south.

But now they probably control most of the town,

including the church tower.

So, what you're saying is that we're surrounded?

Yes, something like that.

-Now, what else? -Sir.

l was a bit surprised to find Bittrich's Panzer troops here, sir.

Yes, well, surely you didn't believe all that nonsense they told us, did you?

l mean, about the enemy being made up of,

what was it, old men, children?

l'll have to risk it.

lt's halfway through the morning and things aren't getting any better.

LATHBURY: Well, Sergeant, how is it?

Sir. We can't clear the street, sir.

Enemy strength keeps increasing

and it's just impossible to get through to the bridge.

-That's all. Thank you, Sergeant. -Sir.

Gerald, it's imperative that l get back to HQ

before the situation gets completely out of hand.

Well, if it's all right with you, sir,

Cleminson and l will come part of the way. All right, Jimmy?

-Let's move. -Out.

CLEMlNSON: End house, bottom window, sir!

-Cleminson, get over here! -Sir.

Hang on, Gerald.

ln here. Come on.

Can't you move your legs?

No.

Must be the spine. Can you help us?

How?

-ROY: Don't you know a doctor nearby? -We can take him to the hospital.

You go. He will be fine.

Go, sir.

You go.

Go up.

They're certainly at the back.

What's it like at the front?

We're surrounded, sir.

Yes, quite.

Oh, l was rather expecting to see you again, General Sosabowski.

Do please, sit down.

Polish drop has been canceled again.

l would like an explanation.

Yeah, well, l expect the fog has a certain amount to do with it.

l'm told there are aircraft flying 50 miles to the south.

Explain to me, please, why my men and equipment cannot be moved

from here to there and then fly to Arnhem?

Well, now that's a very reasonable question.

And l don't want to bother you with a lot of meteorological mumbo-jumbo,

but the fact is, you see, whether we like it or not,

fog, it moves.

Of course, it moves. Where?

Well, that's very difficult to say, General.

(STAMMERlNG) lt's very slippery stuff. Fog, l mean.

Now, you think you've got it and then it,

it reverses itself and leaves you behind.

Won't you please sit down?

What l'm trying to say, General,

is, l mean, even if we move your troops the 50 miles,

where, l grant you, just now the sun is shining,

the chances are that by the time we get there,

the fog could quite easily have preceded us.

So we simply have to wait.

And do nothing?

l think that puts it rather well.

(BAND PLAYlNG)

(SlNGlNG lN DUTCH)

Hey, you ! You Vandeleur?

Yes.

-l'm Bobby Stout. -How do you do?

Hell of a day, huh? Look at them. Wild.

Have you ever been liberated?

l got divorced twice. Does that count?

Yes. That counts.

Hey, that Bailey crap. You got it amongst this stuff?

When you refer to Bailey crap,

l take it you mean that glorious precision-made British-built bridge

which is the envy of the civilized world.

Yeah.

Right, well, the trucks are down there somewhere,

but how you're gonna get them through this crowd, l don't know.

No problem. l got a side road pegged out. lt'll avoid all this.

-American ingenuity. -Oh, really?

Actually, l was born in Yugoslavia, but what the hell.

Yes.

SOLDlER: Okay. l'll take it, sir.

Where the hell have you been?

With some Dutch friends at Nijmegen. Look.

This is why we can't take the bridge.

The Germans have moved in SS Panzer troops.

You'd think they didn't want us to get across or something.

They've sealed off the whole area.

Here.

You can see on this map.

Every street leading to that bridge is blocked.

Every house around it is occupied.

The Dutch underground people say it's just impossible to break through.

They could be right.

Where's the captain?

Dead.

l didn't ask you how he was. l asked you where he was.

(SOLDlERS SPEAKlNG lN GERMAN)

Orderly, we're all out of bandages over here.

Okay, bring them here.

Bring it.

Hey, you !

Don't block that ambulance space!

-Sir. -Not now, Sergeant.

l'd like for you to look at my captain.

l'm sorry, Sergeant, put him down.

What in the name of hell do you. . .

You told me to put him down, sir.

Look, Sergeant, l'm in no mood for crapping around.

Well, if you don't look at him right now, he's gonna die.

Dead now.

lt would mean a lot to me, sir, if you'd check him out.

Come on, Sergeant, for Christ's sake, get him out of here!

Would you look at him, please, sir?

Right now,

or l'll blow your fucking head off.

Right now.

l can give him a quick examination, if you like.

Thank you very much, sir.

Son of a bitch.

Orderly!

Well, l got the bullet out of his skull.

He's gonna live though, right?

Gonna have one hell of a headache.

Oh. . .

Guess you can turn me in now, sir.

That was a court-martial offense.

-You understand that, don't you? -Yes, sir.

Hope to hell it was worth it.

l guess only time will tell on that, sir.

My response is strictly limited,

regardless of my personal preference, you understand that, too.

-l do. -Like somebody cheating in school,

once word gets out you can behave any way you God damn please,

if your discipline's gone,

forget about getting it back.

So you're gonna have to be arrested, over and out.

Lieutenant Rafferty.

Yes, sir. Colonel.

Lieutenant Rafferty, this is Sergeant. . . What's your name?

Dohun. Eddie Dohun.

Sergeant Dohun pulled a gun on me and threatened to kill me

unless l did precisely what he ordered.

-l want you to put him under arrest. -Yes, sir.

l want you to keep him there. l want you to keep him there for at least 1 0 seconds.

l'm not all that sure l understand, Colonel.

Count to 1 0, Lieutenant, fast.

1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 0. Like that, sir?

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Colonel.

This is yours, l think.

Yes, sir, it looks like mine.

You scared the shit out of me, you stupid bastard.

You did a fine job yourself, sir.

lf it makes you feel any better.

God damn right, it does.

-Eddie? -Sir.

You wouldn't really have killed me, would you?

Thank you, sir.

Right! Let's haul a little ass!

Go! Go! Go!

Go!

Look out.

Hold, hold !

Hold !

Come on !

Move it! Come on, soldier. You're not building a sand castle. Move it.

STOUT: Come on, boys, use your muscle.

Heave!

Come on, heave!

(CREAKlNG)

Unload, quickly!

lt's all right, sir. Come on, move yourselves!

Come on, push !

All together! Lift!

Come on, soldier, pound it!

Pound it. We got a schedule to meet.

Steady!

Heave!

Steady. Steady.

How much longer now?

About another four hours, sir.

Shit!

STOUT: Come on, boys, we're not doing this for fun !

-Hey, soldier, get over here! -Yes, sir.

-And pull on this rope. -Yes, sir.

STOUT: Didn't you ever build a Bailey bridge before?

No, sir.

Neither did l.

Hold up!

Clear the way!

Clear! Clear! Clear!

Come on, get up.

Roll it, fellas!

Right, come on, all aboard ! Let's go.

STOUT: Thanks, fellas. We'll be seeing you.

What's wrong, sir?

They're 36 hours behind schedule.

Lieutenant?

Sir.

We'll be turning you over to the 82nd now.

They're good soldiers, the 82nd.

Just be sure you keep your hand on your wallet at all times.

Yes, sir.

They're here.

lt's XXX Corps. They're here, chaps!

You're late, you lazy bastards, but we'll forgive you !

That was gracious of me, don't you think?

Take cover!

Bring up the PlAT!

Make sure it's within range.

Come on ! Come on ! You'll miss him !

(SOLDlERS CHATTERlNG lN GERMAN)

Right, lads! Go! Go! Go!

All right, boys!

Corporal ! l need a jeep.

-Well done, laddie. -We thought you were dead, sir.

-We were told. . . -l can assure you it was an error.

SOLDlER: Short of ammo around the back.

That was the bleeding general.

ROY: Good morning, gentlemen.

OFFlCER 1 : Good morning, sir.

-OFFlCER 2: Good morning, sir. -Carry on, thank you.

-Morning, sir. -Morning, Baker.

Morning, James.

-Morning, sir. -Morning. Harry.

Apologies for my enforced absence.

-Dennis. -Sir.

General Lathbury's been put out of action.

l'd like you to go into town and take over the brigade.

-How soon can you leave? -Right away, sir.

Good. Pull them together and keep pushing forward to the bridge.

Sir.

Did the rest of the division arrive safely?

Yes, sir, but we've run into all kinds of trouble.

lt would seem that we've landed on top of two SS Panzer divisions.

Good God !

As you can imagine, it's hard to stop tanks with rifles and machine guns.

Show me.

Well, you can see what we're up against.

Johnny Frost and some of his chaps have managed to get as far as the bridge,

but the Germans are driving down here towards the river

and may even now have cut them off completely.

l see. Still, now that the entire division is here,

we should be able to break through to him.

Sir?

Well, certainly it gives us more of a chance.

Sosabowski's Polish brigade is due in at 1 2:00.

lf it arrives.

Yesterday's airlift was three hours late due to fog in England.

And the gliders bringing the Poles' equipment didn't arrive at all.

Now give me the good news.

l'm afraid there isn't any, sir.

As you can see, we're more or less surrounded.

So far, we're holding our own,

but we're desperately short of food, medicine,

and above all, ammunition.

Aren't we getting our daily supply drop?

Oh, yes. The Royal Air Force are flying in on schedule.

The trouble is the Germans have overrun the dropping zones.

Don't our pilots know that?

Afraid not, sir.

ln heaven's name, why?

lt's the radio, sir.

We still haven't been able to make contact with anyone outside Arnhem, sir.

Bloody fools!

Bloody fools, this way!

Over here!

We're here!

Over here!

Drop them over here!

What the hell are they doing? They must be able to see us.

They can see us all right, laddie,

but they're under orders to ignore signals from the ground.

For all they know, we could be Germans.

But they're giving it all to the bloody Germans.

(ENGlNE SPUTTERlNG)

Charles.

Poor bastard.

Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow.

There.

Where's he going?

He'll never make it.

Those bleeding snipers will get him.

Come back!

Come on, Ginger, mate. Come on !

He'll never lift it.

Bring it back, mate. Come on !

Come on !

Run, laddie! Run !

(GUN FlRES)

Oh, Jesus Christ!

WOMAN: Taxi ! Taxi !

(PEOPLE SPEAKlNG DUTCH)

Did you get any of that?

l think she wants someone to order her a taxi.

RADlO OPERATOR: What is your position?

Taxi !

(MACHlNE GUN FlRlNG)

SPAANDER: Kate.

KATE: Doctor.

Good evening, Kate. May l introduce,

Mrs. Ter Horst, Colonel Weaver.

ls your husband not returned?

He should have been here by now. He must be having

difficulties coming through the German lines.

Well, in that case,

we will have to ask you for a decision.

Colonel Weaver has a request to make.

Well, what we've done is we've set up a defensive pocket,

more or less thumb-shaped, with the river as the base.

Mrs. Ter Horst speaks surprisingly good English, Colonel.

Oh.

Well, then you understand that we're in quite a strong position

for holding out until XXX Corps reaches us,

but we have to make certain arrangements.

The words come through.

l don't know l'd follow the military strategy.

We have the main hospital, of course, but it is full to bursting.

(CHlLDREN CHATTERlNG)

Perhaps. . .

You understand that we have great need of additional space.

Our house would seem suitable.

lt's just for the slightly wounded.

You know, we'll patch them up, send them back, that sort of thing.

l feel it will need a little more than that.

We wasting time. Come.

Thank you, Kate. Thank you.

l will see you, Colonel. l will come back.

Come. Do come in. That's it.

Please sit. Come take this chair.

Here.

-Come over here. -Thanks very much, ma'am.

Do sit down.

Let me help you.

Oh, Colonel, the major wants you upstairs, sir.

Okay. Thank you.

All right?

(SOLDlER GROANlNG)

All right.

Excuse me. Thank you.

Still in one piece, Dodds?

Good. All right, Potter?

That's far enough !

We can hear you from there!

lt's rather an interesting development, sir.

My general says there is no point in continuing this fighting.

He is willing to discuss a surrender.

Tell him to go to hell.

We haven't the proper facilities to take you all prisoner!

Sorry.

What?

We'd like to, but we can't accept your surrender.

Was there anything else?

All right.

(lN GERMAN)

And now?

Flatten Arnhem.

(SPEAKlNG DUTCH)

(CHATTERlNG lN DUTCH)

BOY: Papa!

-Any movement at Nijmegen? -None.

No way of blasting through to the bridge?

l'd lose all my men for nothing.

There's God knows how many lying out there already.

You mean it's over, sir?

l didn't say that, did l?

We've paid for that bridge and we're going to collect,

but to do it, l need tank support.

Well, you've got it, Jimmy.

The Grenadier Guards will be happy to oblige.

-ls that all right, Alex? -Absolutely, sir.

lt's not just tanks. l need boats.

lf XXX Corps were American, we would have boats.

-Did you bring any? -Mike?

l think we might have a few about somewhere, sir, yes.

Well, can you get them here by tonight?

Well, it won't be easy, sir.

We've got one road, 1 0-mile traffic jams on it

and Germans throwing shells at us.

l don't know quite what we can do but. . .

Except try! You can do that, can't you?

Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you.

Now, look here. About these boats.

What is your opinion, l mean, how many. . .

The general's a bit scratchy today, sir.

But it's nothing personal.

When we dropped on Sunday,

l think he cracked his spine.

-How many boats have we got then? -About six in each truck.

GAVlN: Where's Major Cook, soldier?

l think over there, sir.

Thank you.

SOLDlER: Better believe it.

Julian, where the hell are you?

Here, sir.

We're going to take Nijmegen Bridge tonight.

What's the best way to take a bridge?

Both ends at once.

l'm sending two companies across the river by boat.

l need a man with very special qualities to lead.

Go on, sir.

He's got to be tough enough to do it.

And he's got to be experienced enough to do it.

Plus, one more thing.

He's got to be dumb enough to do it.

Start getting ready.

What was all that about, Major?

Well, someone's come up with a real nightmare.

Real nightmare.

We just got word from the Dutch resistance people at Arnhem.

-And? -lt's not going too well for the British.

Their main force never reached the bridge,

and those that did are hanging on by their fingernails.

-And General Urquhart? -He's got his back to the river.

The Germans have trapped his men in a pocket

and they're squeezing it smaller and smaller.

How long can he hold?

Where are those goddamn boats?

Just keep it clear.

Right.

They're no further than we thought.

-Julian. -COOK: Sir?

We've a little change in plans.

We're going to make the crossing in daylight.

Daylight.

Traffic's all screwed up for miles.

By the time we're ready, it'll be 0800.

That's when we go.

Fine.

l'd like to wait and go tomorrow night, but the British can't hold.

Better by daylight.

Much.

-Any news of the boats? -No.

We're switching. . . You want some?

No, thank you.

We're switching the start till 9:00 just to make sure.

You start laying smoke just before we go.

Fine. Fine.

They're gonna get creamed from the far embankment.

Your smoke screen's gonna be their only protection.

Don't worry.

We'll cover you.

Please.

Okay, can l have your attention, please?

Can l have your attention?

l'm pleased to inform you that our 9:00 departure

has been postponed till 1 0:00.

So you can all have an extra hour's fun and relaxation.

-Major. -Yes?

We got any more information on those boats?

We're reliably informed that they float.

Outside of that, we don't know squat.

Not how many, not how heavy, not how big.

We are sure that the river is wide and that the current is strong.

And as any more cheery information comes my way,

l'll just be too happy to pass it along.

ln the meantime, just think of this as on-the-job training.

What's the matter, no sense of humor?

God damn it!

We go at noon.

Come on ! Clear it off the road !

You men are probably wondering why l've called us here together.

l've reached a decision that l'd like to share with you all.

l intend to go across like George Washington,

standing on the prow.

You guys can do the rowing.

That's it! Move them out!

Come on.

What the. . .

What'd you expect, destroyers? Come on, put it together. Unload them !

Careful. Careful !

Pull it! Son of a bitch ! Pull it up!

How many more?

Get those sides up.

Fire!

(lN GERMAN)

What else can you see besides smoke?

Nothing yet, but they are going to try a river assault.

lt will fail.

Of course it will fail, but. . .

what do we do if it doesn't?

l ask your permission to blow up the bridge.

Out of the question.

l understand, Field Marshal.

They will not cross the river and we will blow no bridges.

Have the demolition charges been checked?

Yes, sir. Everything is wired and ready.

Captain Kraft is standing by as ordered.

The bridge will not fall into enemy hands.

As soon as the first British tank starts to cross. . .

l'll blow it sky-high.

-Let's get going ! -All right! Go, go, go!

Hurry, get to the water! Go on, go on, go, boy, go!

Let's go, come on !

Jump in, boys. Let's move.

lf you don't have an oar, use your rifle butt!

Anything ! Row! Row!

(CHANTlNG) One! Two!

The current's taking us down. Stay to your right!

-Support fire ordered, sir. -GAVlN: Right. Thank you.

Row!

Get down !

Go! Go!

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Hail Mary.

Over to the right!

Hail Mary, full of grace. Hail Mary, full of grace.

Hail Mary. . .

Hail Mary, full of grace.

(CHANTlNG) One! Two!

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Keep rowing !

Straight ahead !

Hail Mary, full of grace.

We're drifting ! Pull to your left!

-Come on, pull ! -COOK: Hail Mary, full of grace.

Go, boys. Keep rowing !

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Hail Mary, full of grace. Hail Mary, full of grace.

Stay down !

Hail Mary.

Come on, boys!

COOK: . . .full of grace. Hail Mary.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Thy will be done.

-Hail Mary, full of grace. -Thy will be done.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Thy will be done.

Let's go!

Snipers! Snipers!

Help me. Help me.

Go up the side!

-Can we make it through the tunnel? -No way, sir.

-Get up the bank. -l'm with you, sir.

Cover. Cover.

Come on.

Let's go. Right here.

Follow me up here.

Sergeant! Take four across. Draw fire.

Harry and l'll go up the side. You cover.

-Go! -Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!

-Come on. -Come on ! Let's go!

(lN GERMAN)

Are you ready?

Yes, General.

Cover me.

Damn it. God damn it.

(lN GERMAN)

Now.

Now!

Again !

(lN GERMAN)

My God, they're only 1 8 kilometers from Arnhem.

Who can stop them now?

No one.

Come on !

Oh, hell.

Any chance, Whitney?

Not unless we're relieved in the next few hours, sir.

FROST: Harry?

Try and get him down to the cellar, will you?

Very good, sir.

lt's working.

l'm through to HQ. Where's the colonel?

-Down below. -Well, get him ! Get him.

Colonel Frost!

-What is it? -Up top!

Up top, sir!

RADlO OPERATOR: lt's headquarters, sir, on the radio!

Coming !

RADIO OPERATOR: Sunray on set. Pass your message. Over.

What's your situation, Johnny? Over.

l hadn't expected the pleasure, sir. Well. . .

We're holding out.

We need reinforcements and, above all, ammunition. Over.

l'm not sure if it's a case of us coming for you,

or you coming for us.

Well, we'll just wait for XXX Corps then.

That would probably be best.

Very reassuring talking to you, sir.

l'm sorry, Johnny.

Getting stuck on that bloody bridge four days on your own.

Have you anything else for me?

No, sir. l'll give you a call when our friends arrive.

-Over. -All right.

Good luck. Out.

-Sergeant Tomblin ! -Here, sir!

l'm coming over!

Where's the covering fire?

Sergeant Taylor!

COOK: l don't understand. Why aren't you moving?

What's the matter with you guys?

Those are British troops at Arnhem.

They're hurt bad.

You're not gonna stop, not now.

l'm sorry. We have our orders.

We busted our asses getting here, half my men are killed,

and you're just gonna stop

and drink tea?

Look, we're now facing a completely different situation.

We can't lead with tanks up that road.

Jerry will pick us off like sitting ducks.

Our infantry is still fighting in Nijmegen.

When they get here, we'll move on.

For Christ's sake, must you do everything by the book?

Our orders are to wait for the infantry.

l'm sorry, but there it is.

Sir.

Sir. Sir.

lt's Major Carlyle, sir.

FROST: All right.

All right, Wicks. l'm all right.

-Hello, Harry. -Hello, Johnny.

Things not too good, huh?

l've been meaning to ask you something,

and l haven't because l know you were so anxious that l should,

and l wouldn't give you the satisfaction.

But, why the hell do you always carry that bloody umbrella?

-Memory. -What?

Bad memory.

Always forgot the password.

l knew no Jerry would ever carry one.

l had to prove

l was an Englishman.

Harry.

Get back! Back! Back into your houses! Back!

Hello. XXX Corps. Please hurry.

Please.

(BOMBS EXPLODlNG)

Hello. XXX Corps.

-RADlO OPERATOR: Nothing, sir. -All right. Thank you, Corporal.

lt's no use in any event. Take my boot off, will you, Wicks?

Hello, XXX Corps. . .

Oh, God !

We're out of ammunition anyway.

Right. Off you go, Wicks. Join the rest of the lads.

Try and get back to the main force.

-What about you, sir? -l'll be all right.

Just didn't make it this time, did we?

XXX Corps. Hello, XXX Corps. . .

XXX Corps, come in.

(SPEAKlNG GERMAN)

My General says, "Please take it.

"lt's very good chocolate.

"Your planes dropped it to us yesterday."

English.

(PLANE ENGlNES ROARlNG)

OFFlCER: Red on.

Action stations!

God bless Field Marshal Montgomery!

(SOSABOWSKl EXCLAlMlNG lN POLlSH)

(SOSABOWSKl MOANlNG)

(KATE SPEAKlNG DUTCH)

(lN DUTCH)

-Sleep tight, honey. -Sleep tight, Mom.

Would five minutes be too much?

Just five minutes' respite?

(BOMBS EXPLODlNG)

Dear God. . .

grant these young men. . .

die in peace and quiet.

MAN: l'm sorry, lads, but you got to have to move.

Please. . .

Take my hand.

(GASPlNG)

We're a bit late with this one, mate.

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,

"and from the noisome pestilence.

"He shall cover thee with his feathers,

"and under his wing shalt thou trust:

"his truth shall be thy shield and buckler."

There you go. Head back.

You'll be all right now, chum.

(lN DUTCH)

Can it get worse?

Oh, yes, much worse.

Bring up the bulldozer. Bring up the bulldozer.

Stretcher bearer!

Help me!

Stretcher!

TAFFY: Easy, now. Take it easy.

Morphia!

Taffy, l must have morphia.

Morphia's only for the people who are really hurt.

l thought l was really hurt.

You're wrong.

No, l asked him to come over.

But Dr. Spaander does agree with me, sir.

-We've got to do something about it. -Yes, what? Good day, Doctor.

General Urquhart, we have no more space,

and we have no more supplies.

And since a prisoner of war has more chance than no chance at all,

l have a mind to ask the Germans to accept our wounded into their hospitals

if we could arrange evacuation.

Have l your permission to try?

Certainly, if Weaver agrees, but l hardly think the Germans will.

Those are our guns out there. That's XXX Corps.

l don't think my permission is going to be

-your major problem. -Excuse me, sir.

(MEN SPEAKlNG POLlSH)

l've come with a message from General Urquhart, sir.

How you manage that?

(PANTlNG) l swam the Rhine, sir.

l'm afraid the radios are all up the spout.

The General asks if you'll get your men across the river.

Now, we've been holding out for six days now.

And any help at all would be of considerable assistance.

You'll swim back with a reply?

Yes, sir.

Well, we can't swim, not with equipment.

We have small rubber boats. That's all.

Well, l'm afraid rubber dinghies may

-be a bit flimsy for the Rhine, sir. -Yeah, l agree. Agree.

Tell the General we're coming.

We're coming tonight.

Yes, sir.

(PULLEY SQUEAKlNG)

(lN POLlSH)

One two for one. . .

Quiet. Silence, silence.

Stop! Stop!

Rope.

Pull the rope! Rope!

Rope!

Pull them out! Pull them out!

Quickly!

(SPEAKlNG DUTCH)

Not possible.

lf you would just say yes, it would be very possible.

Forgive me, but there's a battle, and we are in the process of winning it.

Winning and losing is not our concern.

Living or dying is.

Cease fire.

One hour, two. . .

Just to evacuate our wounded.

Afterwards you can kill us as much as you want to.

(lN GERMAN)

General Ludwig.

(WHlSPERlNG)

(SPEAKlNG GERMAN)

Ceasefire at 3:00.

(SPEAKlNG GERMAN)

-Will you thank him, please? -l just did.

Please, you can go.

(FLUTE PLAYlNG)

How short are we, a mile?

Why don't we just try to bash through?

For God's sake, it must be worth it.

They're trying to force Urquhart away from the river.

Now, once they do that, once they've got him surrounded,

he'll be annihilated.

Not in Monty's plan at all.

We've replaced the boats we lost in Nijmegen?

Yes.

Well?

Well, then?

Well, that's it, then. We're pulling them out.

lt was Nijmegen.

lt was the single road getting to Nijmegen.

No. lt was after Nijmegen.

And the fog in England.

Doesn't matter what it was.

When one man says to another,

"l know what let's do today, let's play the war game,"

everybody dies.

ROY: "Withdraw."

Two days, they said. We've been here nine.

One bloody mile. You'd think they could accomplish that.

MACKENZlE: Hancock, here are another. . .

Thank you, sir.

The last two l could find.

Charles, we've been given our marching orders.

lf they discover we're leaving, they'll go all out to destroy us.

So we must take every precaution.

Now, l've designed this like a collapsing bag.

Macdonald here has agreed to man the wireless

in order to give the Germans something to listen to.

And all the padres and the medical staff have volunteered to stay behind as well.

Now, the wounded, who are too bad to move,

will replace the men firing,

so our defense will seem as before.

By the time the Germans find out what's happening,

we should all be safely across the river.

-Pleasant journey. -ALL: Thank you, sir.

-Are you all right, laddie? -Thank you, sir.

l'm beginning to believe we're actually going to make it, sir.

l thought everyone knew God was a Scotsman.

General Browning will be down right away, sir.

He wondered if you perhaps might like to change.

Change?

Your clothes, sir.

No, thanks.

(DOOR OPENlNG)

Hello, Roy.

How are you?

l'm not sure that l'll know for a while,

but l'm sorry about the way it worked out.

You did all you could.

Yes, but did everyone else?

They've got a bed for you upstairs if you want it.

l took 1 0,000 men into Arnhem.

l've come out with less than two.

l don't feel much like sleeping.

Quite.

l've just been on to Monty.

He's very proud and pleased.

-Pleased? -Of course.

He thinks Market Garden was 90% successful.

But what do you think?

Well, as you know, l've always thought that we tried to go a bridge too far.

Mind his head.

WlCKS: Thanks, Taff.

(MURMURlNG PRAYER)

Amen.

(MEN HUMMlNG)

(SlNGlNG) Abide with me

Abide with me

Fast falls the eventide

The darkness deepens

Lord, with me abide

When other helpers fail

And comforts flee

Help of the helpless

O abide with me

Hold thou thy cross

Before my closing eyes