On my DVD of "A Bridge Too Far," there are some extra features, and one of them was a "making of" kind of documentary. I'll never forget the interview with a young Anthony Hopkins who played Lieutenant Colonel (later Major General) John Frost. The real John Frost served as a technical adviser for the film. Hopkins described one scene where his character needs to get from one side of the street to see his wounded soldiers in a makeshift field hospital. The street was covered by German MG fire, so Hopkins ran and dodged across the street. The real Frost objected stating that's not what happened in reality. He said any British soldier seeing his commander run and dodge like that would be given to panic. Frost told them if they wanted reality, Hopkins would have to move out smartly and quickly walk across the street.
The filmmakers rejected Frost's reality, stating the audience wouldn't consider it to be realistic.