Battle of the Bulge (1966)
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67% of critics liked it
(6 reviews) -
68% of users liked it
(8,213 ratings)
In December of 1944, the Allied high command is convinced that German forces in Belgium are in a low state of readiness, and perhaps even about to withdraw. Only one officer on the front lines, intelligence specialist Lt. Col. Kiley (Henry Fonda), believes otherwise -- that the Germans are actually… More In December of 1944, the Allied high command is convinced that German forces in Belgium are in a low state of readiness, and perhaps even about to withdraw. Only one officer on the front lines, intelligence specialist Lt. Col. Kiley (Henry Fonda), believes otherwise -- that the Germans are actually planning an attack. His opinion is rejected by his immediate superior (Dana Andrews) and his commanding general (Robert Ryan). Kiley spots several suspicious signs of German activity behind enemy lines on a reconnaissance flight, and he is at the front looking for evidence when the German counter-offensive starts. Taking advantage of Allied unpreparedness and a weather front that grounds all aircraft, their heavy tank units, supported by infantry, roll over the American forces, assaulting the lines at five different points in an attempt to ultimately divide the Allied forces in the west. The German top tank officer, Colonel Hessler (Robert Shaw), has planned his operation perfectly, but he is in a race against time, to take as much territory as possible before the weather front moves out and American aircraft can fly again, and to capture the American fuel supplies so that the offensive can continue right to the port of Antwerp. He has the total dedication of his men, but engenders doubts from his aide, Conrad (Hans-Christian Blech), who is weary of the fighting and wonders what it is all for. Meanwhile, Kiley is trying to uncover the weak spot in the German offensive, and he crosses paths with several other key players in this drama: Charles Bronson as a combat officer charged with the defense of the collapsing American position, James MacArthur as a neophyte lieutenant who becomes a leader, and Telly Savalas as a conniving sergeant in command of a tank who unexpectedly finds a nobler, less mercenary side of himself. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
- Directed By
- Ken Annakin
- Written By
- Philip Yordan, Milton Sperling
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1998 Wide
- Studio
- WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES
Critic Reviews
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...one comes away merely admiring its craftsmanship. (TCM Greatest Classic Films: War)
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
The most harrowing sequences in the show occur at the beginning and the end... It's the two-and-a-half hours in between that are the problem.
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Keith Breese, Filmcritic.com
when all the dust settles, Battle of the Bulge is a really long, really talky movie
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Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Precise, compelling tale of one of WWII's biggest battles.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Henry Fonda
as Lt. Col. Kiley
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Robert Shaw
as Colonel Hessler
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Robert Ryan
as Gen. Grey
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Dana Andrews
as Col. Pritchard
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Telly Savalas
as Guffy
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Ty Hardin
as Schumacher
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George Montgomery
as Sgt. Duquesne
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Anna Maria Pier Angeli
as Louise
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Barbara Werle
as Elena
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Charles Bronson
as Major Wolenski
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Werner Peters
as Gen. Kohler
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Hans Christian Blech
as Conrad
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James MacArthur
as Lt. Weaver
- Axel Anderson
- Richard Baxter
- Janet Brandt
- Victor Brandt
- Donald Pickering
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Steve Rowland
as Bit part
- Ben Tatar
- John Clark
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William Conrad
as Narrator
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Karl Otto Alberty
as Von Diepel
- Carl Rapp
- Robert Woods
- Pier Angeli
