The Bridge at Remagen

When I was young and visited my Aunt Cokie and Uncle Billy in Corsicana, Texas, I often looked at a display case mounted on their wall. There were several medals in it, most of which were unknown to me. But even at that age I knew what a Purple Heart was, and there was one of those in the case. I don’t know if I ever asked him how he got it, or the others. If I did, he must not have told ... Read more »

The Bridge (Bron)(Broen)/The Tunnel/The Bridge

The Bridge (2011-2018) (Danish: Broen; Swedish: Bron) (Sweden, Denmark) Here is a story with a fascinating history, including two remakes in different settings.*

We begin with this one, the original, kicked off by the murder of a women (that’s not a typo; wait for it.). The body is left exactly on the line between Denmark and ... Read more »

The Bridge of San Luis Rey

I read this book in high school. Actually, I was forced to read it in high school. Weren’t you? I’m not saying it was a bad book, I’d probably enjoy it today, but I only read enough to pass the tests back then, and all I remember is a bridge collapsed and killed some people. It was filmed twice before, in 1929 and 1944. Now here comes this glossy, gorgeous ... Read more »

Bridge of Spies

Inspired by real events. Based on a true story. These words almost guarantee you’re getting a highly fictionalized account. I wouldn’t trust more than half the stuff you see in this movie. Fact: Rudolf Abel (real name Vilyan Genrikhovich Fisher) was a Soviet spy who was arrested and convicted in 1957. Fact: Francis Gary Powers was a U-2 pilot for the CIA who was shot down over the USSR. ... Read more »

The Bridge on the River Kwai

Before Michael Bay and his big CGI extravaganzas, there was David Lean, the master of the sweeping epic with little or no special effects. He also directed Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. This is one of the all-time great movies. But first I need to get to the history …

I could wish that the author of the book, Pierre ... Read more »

A Bridge Too Far

William Goldman, who adapted the screenplay from the book by Cornelius Ryan, wrote a whole book about the making of this huge movie. It’s a good read, full of excellent anecdotes about the huge problems entailed in the filming. In particular the critical hour, which was all the time they had to shoot all the scenes on a bridge in Holland. It was as intricate an operation, in its way, as ... Read more »

The Bridges of Madison County

I suppose it was a reaction to the amazing success of the little novel, one of the best-selling books of the 20th century, that put me off this for so long. I still haven’t read the book, and probably won’t, but I realize now that I should have trusted the director and co-star, Clint Eastwood, and his leading lady, Meryl Streep, because it’s a much better movie ... Read more »

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

2003 was Oscar time for our little Renee. 2004 is paycheck time. Lee and I both saw Bridget Jones’s Diary, and neither of us can remember a thing about it except a vague feeling that we had a good time. I don’t say that as a putdown; I like being entertained by well-done fluff as much as the next guy. Maybe more than the next guy, as I often enjoy those movies ... Read more »

Brief Encounter

Directed by David Lean early in his career, adapted from a play by Noel Coward. It details an affair that never quite happens between Trevor Howard, a doctor, and Celia Johnson, who is married. They meet at a train station and gradually fall in love, but can meet only once a week, when it wouldn’t raise suspicion. The film is indeed brief, only 86 minutes, but ingeniously structured. We ... Read more »

Bright Young Things

Lovely to look at, but when all is said and done, this is nothing but Party Monster with Benny Goodman music instead of disco. It may take you a while to see that, as we’re trained to think the Brits are so, so sophisticated, but this group in 1938 are fully as shallow and empty and repulsive as Michael Alig and his Club Kids. Since it is based on a comic novel ... Read more »