Movies by necessity need to simplify complex battlefield events into simpler stories that fit into a 2 hour structure. But Battle Of The Bulge, despite a 167 minute running time, falls into an oversimplification trap.

What Battle Of The Bulge does well is to stage fairly massive tank battles, with director Ken Annakin making the most of the widescreen Ultra Panavision format. The terrain as portrayed in the film may be all wrong, but there is no denying the grandeur of the scenes of advancing German tanks swatting away feeble opposition, and then meeting American tanks in hulking steel-on-steel duels.
The film, intriguingly a Spanish co-production, also benefits from a good cast. Fonda represents the ignored voice in the wilderness warning of a sneak German attack against the weakly defended Ardennes front, and Robert Shaw is an adequate foe, although his role suffers from a jarring split personality. Hessler abruptly transitions from a reasonable and realistic commander in the first half to a fire-breathing mental case in the second half. Maybe that is what war does to people.
In support is Charles Bronson, who is incredibly listed deep in the credits although his role as Major Walenski, leading the platoon defending the leading edge of the American front line, is more prominent and interesting than most of the stars billed above him. Telly Savalas plays the typical Telly Savalas role, a minor but loud-mouthed tank commander much more interested in his smuggling business than the war, but who gets caught up in the thick of the action all the same. Robert Ryan strides around as the fictional General Grey, representing both the lack of preparedness of the American leadership, and then their rallying to turn the tide of battle.
Battle Of The Bulge may have dodgy value as a history lesson, but as an old-fashioned, action-packed, star-powered World War Two epic, it is enjoyable.
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