The Bridge (1959): cast, story & where to watch
1959 · Film · ★ 7.4
Released in 1959, The Bridge is a drama, war and history film directed by Bernhard Wicki, running about 103 minutes.
What it’s about. A group of German boys are ordered to protect a small bridge in their home village during the waning months of the second world war. Truckloads of defeated, cynical Wehrmacht soldiers flee the approaching American troops, but the boys, full of enthusiasm for the "blood and honor" Nazi ideology, stay to defend the useless bridge. The film is based on a West German anti-war novel of the same name, written by Gregor Dorfmeister,
Who’s in it. The Bridge stars Folker Bohnet as Hans Scholten, Fritz Wepper as Albert Mutz, Michael Hinz as Walter Forst and Frank Glaubrecht as Jurgen Borchert, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.4/10, The Bridge has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel and rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Bridge page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Bridge tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Bridge (1959)?
- In US, The Bridge is available to stream on Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Bridge worth watching?
- The Bridge holds an audience score of 7.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, war and history. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Bridge?
- The Bridge stars Folker Bohnet, Fritz Wepper, Michael Hinz, Frank Glaubrecht and Karl Michael Balzer.
- When was The Bridge released?
- The Bridge was released in 1959, with a runtime of about 103 minutes.