Richard Attenborough's re-creation of the World War Two Arnhem landings and their aftermath is almost exactly the long blockbuster action film one would have expected from the director of Oh! What a Lovely War and Young Winston. The preamble is lengthy and the action and special effects are ruthlessly efficient. One tank battle early on vividly expresses the violence of war, although the lesson is needlessly rubbed home in later sequences. As well as Dirk Bogarde, Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier for the Brits, Attenborough's all-star cast includes such Hollywood heavyweights of the day as Robert Redford, James Caan, Ryan O'Neal and Gene Hackman. But the really impressive performances come from Edward Fox (as Brian Horrocks) and Sean Connery - and from Frank Grimes in a minor role.

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