23rd May 2026
A Bridge Too Far: Hollywood in Deventer
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the production of the classic film ‘A Bridge Too Far’ when Deventer was completely captivated by the bridge. The large-scale adaptation of Operation Market Garden attracted no fewer than fourteen international film stars, including Sean Connery and Anthony Hopkins, to the city.
From 28 March, 2026, until 31st October, Museum De Waag will celebrate the filming of what was then the most expensive film of all time with an exhibition. City walks to film locations, storytelling sessions, and special VIP evenings with free admission are also part of the celebration. A richly illustrated book with stories and memories of the film will also be published. Meanwhile, the museum is exploring the feasibility of creating a commemorative plaque on the bridge.
Deventer served as a film set in 1976 because Arnhem, the actual battleground of Operation Market Garden during World War II, had been so modernised after the war that its historic character had largely been lost. Deventer, on the other hand, offered an authentic, austere, and slightly dilapidated urban environment. The fact that the Wilhelmina Bridge in Deventer strongly resembled the Arnhem Rhine Bridge made the city the most fitting backdrop.
For many residents, it was a remarkable period in which the daily cityscape was suddenly filled with hundreds of vehicles, thousands of extras, and enormous sets and explosions. The film, directed by Richard Attenborough, became the most expensive film production of its time and still leaves its mark on the city’s collective memory today.
The Exhibition
From 28 March 2026, Museum De Waag presents the exhibition “A Bridge Too Far, Hollywood in Deventer.” The exhibition takes you back to the time of those historic film shoots. With photos and videos from the Beeldarchief Gilde Deventer, props from the film, documents and personal stories and anecdotes. You’ll learn a great deal about the impact the film had on the city and its residents. The exhibition is made possible in part by the municipality of Deventer, VSBfonds, Fonds Sluyterman van Loo, and the Cultuurfonds Overijssel.
All activities and presentations will soon be available at abridgetoofar.nl.
