10 Incredible War Movies About Doomed Missions
9. A Bridge Too Far
While critical reception to the film was varied upon initial release, Richard Attenborough's classic outing, A Bridge Too Far, is now widely regarded as war genre royalty.
The 1977 epic war film boasts one of the most impressive ensemble cast lists in the history of cinema, featuring the legendary likes of Michael Caine, Sean Connery and Anthony Hopkins to name but a few.
Based on the calamitous Operation Market Garden during the final months of World War II, the movie dramatizes Allied attempts to create a "bulge" spanning into German territory. However, the objective failed after the Allies failed to capture the requisite nine bridges, most notably coming up short in their attempts to secure the tactically vital structure at Arnhem. By the time the dust had settled, approximately 15,000 dead, wounded, or captured soldiers stood as the conservative estimate of the operation's cost.
Standing alongside the likes of The Longest Day as one of the most standout "epic" war outings of the 20th century, A Bridge Too Far is indispensable genre viewing. Throw in an exemplary screenplay from William Goldman and a host of memorable characters like Christopher Good's umbrella-wielding Major Carlyle - plus the likes of James Caan, Elliott Gould and Gene Hackman - and this sprawling WWII saga remains one of the very best.