The Bridge (1959)
Audiences love it.
The FilmyChill Score combines audience ratings and critics' reception, and updates twice a day. No studio or platform can pay for a score. How the score works
The Bridge is streaming in Germany on ARD Plus, Magenta TV+.
What the audience says
The Bridge has pulled the kind of numbers most German films never see. It holds a 7.6/10 on TMDB from 205 ratings, well above what most films manage.
Should you spend 1h 43m on it?
1h 43m of German drama, leaning history, not one for younger kids. Runs about as long as you'd expect, so no scheduling gymnastics needed.
- Why
- Currently 7.6/10 from 205 ratings, which is a good sign this early.
- Skip if
- you're after something that moves faster than it feels
- Best for
- A normal night, nothing to plan around
Story
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.
Good to know
| Runtime | 1h 43m |
| Watch with family? | 12 · Older kids & up |
| Genre | Drama / History |
| Language | German |
| Best screen | Stream at home |
Director
Bernhard Wicki
Cast
Where to watch in Germany
Included with a subscription — no extra charge on these platforms.
Availability as of 11 Oct 2026 — platforms may change over time.
More: All ARD Plus titles in Germany
Trailer
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