Message:Ryan O'Neal played Brigadier General James M. Gavin in the 1977 epic war film A Bridge Too Far. O'Neal portrayed the commander of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division responsible for securing the bridges in Nijmegen during Operation Market Garden.
In the film, he addresses Major Julian Cook (played by Robert Redford), stating a leader needs to be "tough enough," "experienced enough," and "dumb enough" to take the bridge.
Here's the real skinny, here's #4 on most lethal Generals of WW2 (at 4min in):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7gtt-p9IWI
Yours,
IronRed
09-Feb-2026