1957 Directed by David Lean
The classic story of English POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American intelligence officers conspire to blow up the structure, but Col. Nicholson , the commander who supervised the bridge's construction, has acquired a sense of pride in his creation and tries to foil their plans.
El Puente Sobre el Río Kwai, Most na rijeci Kwai, Most na Rzece Kwai, Broen over Kwai, 戦場にかける橋：1957, Мостът на река Куай, El pont sobre el riu Kwai, Most přes řeku Kwai, Broen over floden Kwai, Die Brücke am Kwai, Η γέφυρα του ποταμού Κβάι, El Puente Sobre El Río Kwai, El puente sobre el río Kwai, پل رودخانهی کووای, Kwai-joen silta, Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï, הגשר על נהר קוואי, Híd a Kwai folyón, Il ponte sul fiume Kwai, 戦場にかける橋, ხიდი მდინარე კვაიზე, 콰이강의 다리, Tiltas per Kvai upę, Most na rzece Kwai, A Ponte do Rio Kwai, Podul de pe râul Kwai, Мост через реку Квай, Most cez rieku Kwai, Мост на реци Квај, Bron över floden Kwai, Kwai Köprüsü, Міст через річку Квай, Chiếc Cầu Trên Sông Kwai, 桂河大桥, 桂河橋, 桂河大橋
UKPG
London
UKPG
AustraliaPG
USAPG
FranceU
Japan
Brazil12
SpainAPTA
Italy
Germany12
Greece13
Netherlands12
Sweden15
PortugalM/12
South Korea
Hungary12
Sweden15
Netherlands12
Sweden15
Netherlands12
Sweden15
Netherlands12
Australia
Brazil
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Portugal
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
UK
USA
”There are times when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything.”
According to Letterboxd this was my 1000th movie so to mark this occasion I decided to visit a renowned work of one of my favorite filmmakers of all time: Sir David Lean and his majestic, impossible to resist and superb The Bridge on the River Kwai. And unsurprisingly it turned out to be a true absorbing classic. Just timeless.
David Lean is famous for the grandeur and epic scale of his films, it didn’t matter if it was the vast boiling…
David Lean directs a proud and accomplished war film that boasts all the qualities as to why he is noteworthy: constantly riveting cinematography, small yet terrifyingly lethal conversations, stern and compelling performances and gripping action. There’s a consistently impressive feat of visuals that are composed of various beiges, greens, and browns and while that may seem undiverse or dull, it proves itself to look shockingly stunning. It’s clear to see why the film went on to snatch so many awards - especially back then as I cannot imagine how audiences perceived this - yet, to me, the tension and marvel are released solely from the last thirty minutes. A glacial build-up is, however, required for such a striking final act.
There's a lot to admire about The Bridge on the River Kwai. It's a grand production that's put together amazingly well and benefits a lot from composed direction, some excellent performances as well as the expertly executed third act. Yet when compared to its near-unanimous praise, it turned out to be slightly underwhelming experience for me.
The story takes place in a Japanese prison camp during the Second World War where the newly arrived British prisoners of war are ordered to construct a railway bridge; a task which is later overseen by their senior officer after his conditions are accepted but he's completely oblivious of the allies' plan to destroy it.
Directed by David Lean, this is the second film…
**Part of the Best Picture Project**
David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai is a film about men and their principles. To each man, their principles are a thing of valor, and something that defines them. Nicholson (Guiness) believes in the book, and cooperating with the Japanese to make the best of things. Warden too, believes in the book, but in a vastly different way, and only seeks to get the job done. Shears, meanwhile, values no book but his own, the one of survival. Then there is Saito, who is stuck to his own Japanese code of honor.
It's ultimately fascinating to watch all these principles come into conflict over the title bridge built by British prisoners. For…
Viewed purely as entertainment, The Bridge on the River Kwai delivers an enthralling, beautifully lensed WW2 yarn. In terms of history accuracy though, it's more suspect. Not only does it downplay the brutality of conditions in Japanese POW camps as well as the privations prisoners conscripted to work on the building of the infamous Burma Railway were forced to endure, but the titular bridge is a fiction. The real bridge (actually two bridges, a steel construction and a temporary wooden one) spanned the then-named Mae Klong river and was destroyed during Allied bombing raids after two years of use. Alec Guiness's portrayal of Colonel Nicholson also appears to deviate from the real-life subject, Lieutent Colonel Toosey. Toosey, by all accounts,…
Madness!...Madness!
This film was madness, indeed. Not surprised to see that David Lean the director of the epic Lawrence of Arabia made this. Also a superb showcase of creating tension and suspense by silence. Every single character gets enough depth to make this incredibly conflicting journey an engaging and interesting one. Even wished that these characters got even more depth or more character moments for them alone.
Everyone wants to be remembered. To create. To have their name on their grave indicating that they were here on this world, but how much can we influence it or does it even matter? You’ll ask yourself questions like this, while watching this giant picture. It’s a stunning film as well, with multiple…
The Bridge on the River Kwai is an epic war movie that will surely remain a classic in the years to come. Director David Lean is at the top of his game here, creating a compelling and thrilling story of courage and private struggle against the backdrop of a grand campaign. Alec Guiness leads the stellar cast as Colonel Nicholson, the deeply principled British officer who refuses to give in to his captors despite their relentless pressure. He navigates his way through a dangerous situation with dignity, courage, and an infectious sense of humor.
The supporting cast is also excellent, particularly Sessue Hayakawa as the Japanese commander and Ann Sears as the young nurse who plays to Nicholson's humanity. As the…
David Lean strikes again! The Bridge on the River Kwai is a masterpiece in pacing, performances, and scripting. This is a war movie that does not focus on gun fights, explosions or violence of war per se, but the futility of it and the arrogance inherent in manmade destruction. Part adventure, part humane allegory, the film is also a deeply ironic portrayal of stubbornness and persistence. Performances are all perfect, photography is legendary, and the entire production is just suffused in an epic scale that only Lean that deliver. The film is cinematic in ways that other films don't even come close to achieving.
