Starring william holden, alec guinness, jack hawkins, and sessue hayakawa. This complex war epic asks hard questions, resists easy answers, and boasts careerdefining work from star. Digital technology rebuilds bridge on the river kwai tony paley. The bridge on the river kwai 78 movie clip kill him. We follow the engaging alec guinness as he masterfully and stubbornly manipulates and debates with a japanese colonel, while another man escapes their prison camp to only return to blow up the bridge the british pows forced to construct. The bridge on the river kwai and lawrence of arabia both won lean best director and best picture oscars, and the majority of critics would cite those as his best works. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 david lean synopsis. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 tt0050212 the classic story of english pows in burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their japanese captors. This episode is about the bridge on the river kwai. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of colonel nicholson, they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a.
Released december 18th, 1957, the bridge on the river kwai stars william holden, alec guinness, sessue hayakawa, jack hawkins the pg movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 41 min, and received a. But the reality was a bit different than the movie. My parents have suggested that we stay an extra night and do a day trip to see the bridge over the river kwai they have explained that the bridge is nothing special, but the day trip and the war graves are good. Watch the bridge on the river kwai online putlocker. What the film did not win was the respect and admiration from members of the far east prisoners of war fepow due to the fictitious portrayal of events. Bridge on the river kwai, the 1957 movie clip is it. Bridge over the river kwai exclusive limited edition steelbook. The bridge on the river kwai the real story duration. The classic story of english pows in burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their japanese captors. Oct 25, 2012 the bridge on the river kwai opens in a japanese prisonerofwar camp in burma in 1943, where a battle of wills rages between camp commander colonel saito sessue hayakawa and newly arrived. The bridge on the river kwai, britishamerican war film. The bbc is not responsible for the content of external websites.
The bridge on the river kwai is david leans last film not to succumb to bloat. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 kaleidescape movie store. Nov 11, 2016 the bridge on the river kwai tells the story of british pows labouring in a japanese internment camp. The bridge on the river kwai is david leans last film not to succumb to. British pows build a railway bridge across the river kwai for their japanese captors, oblivious of the allies plans to destroy it. In realworld terms the movie focuses upon the construction and subsequent demolition of the kanchanaburi bridge which spans the mae klong river by british prisoners of war on the burma railway.
After the film was released, the thais faced a problem as thousands of tourists came to see the bridge over the river kwai, but no such bridge existed due to boulles aforementioned misassumption. Something seemed to carry over from his days in the ealing comedies portraying the foibles of the british national character. T he bridge on the river kwai is david leans last film not to succumb to bloat. The bridge on the river kwai 18 movie clip the cowards. Purchase and download today in 4k hdr with dolby atmos audio. The bridge on the river kwai is a gripping drama, expertly put together and handled with skill in all departments.
Classic pow film whose tension comes from a psychological battle of wills between. Ive been thinking the matter over and have decided to put majors and above in administrative duties, leaving only the duty. Jerry tallmer blows up river kwai the village voice. Historically, the real river kwai ran parallel to the real railroad line, and the world war ii bridge was actually built over the mae klong river next door. David leans antiwar epic may be about to spark another battle as a digitally restored version screens at the london film festival. The bridge on the river kwai 1957, directed by david lean. As good as both are, however and they are very good bridge is a tighter movie, with a little more meat and less fat. Loren and scott take on classic and current films and break them down, explaining what makes them tick and why people love them today. We recommend booking bridge over the river kwai tours ahead of time to secure your spot.
The bridge on the river kwai also brought alec guinness to international stardom. Saito insists that nicholson order his men to build a bridge over the river kwai, which will be used to transport. The real story the bridge on the river kwai is famous in thailand thanks to the david lean movie of the same name but the real story of what happened the building of the bridge during world war ii is far different from whats depicted in the film. In the films final act, the tension is turned up as the british commandos try to blow up the bridge, and a train, and only then does nicholson realise what the bridge really is. Although its certainly a matter for argument, many cineastes consider david lean. The bridge on the river kwai sits in infamy as a classic world war two movie. Whats strange about bridge on the river kwai is that it seems to be thought of as one of leans lesser works compared to lawrence of arabia, oliver twist or brief encounter. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the bridge on the river kwai near you. All critics 57 top critics 12 fresh 54 rotten 3 it is a stirring drama of world war ii, in which spiegel has had the excellent help of british director david lean, in charge of the action, and of a fine company of international players. Movies you should love is like film school without the tuition.
Despite its grand, oscarbait stature, the 1957 epic subtly develops its themes about the irrationality of honor and the hypocrisy of britains class system without ever compromising its thrilling war narrative. The bridge on the river kwai subtitles 229 subtitles. Thanks to the film, the bridge, situated in the thai town of kanchanaburi a couple of hours drive from bangkok, is one of thailands most popular tourist attractions. The bridge on the river kwai won best picture and six other oscar nods from the academy of motion pictures arts and sciences at the 1958 academy awards.
Soon the entire world was talking about this war epic, and it earned enough buzz to win many awards and accolades. The bridge on the river kwai, the movie the bridge on the river kwai 1957, the memorable, epic world war ii adventureaction, antiwar drama, was the first of director david leans major multimillion dollar, widescreen superspectaculars his later epics included lawrence of. The first of david lean s largescale epics, the bridge on the river kwai was filmed not in thailand, where the real bridge still stands, but on location in sri lanka, the large island in the indian ocean off the southern coast of india. This river was renamed the kwai a few years after the movie, some believe because of its newfound fame. The bridge on the river kwai details and credits metacritic. The film uses the historical setting of the construction of the burma railway in 19421943. The year 1957 was a memorable one for cinema as the bridge on the river kwai premiered. Bridge over the river kwai kanchanaburi all you need to. If theres a misstep here, it would be in the character of camp medic maj. The thai river kwai can be seen in the vietnam sequences of michael ciminos oscarwinning the deer hunter. Peter taylor was not present at the awards ceremony. Ending dialog in the bridge on the river kwai movies and tv. British pows are forced to build a railway bridge across the river kwai for.
Nicholson, the commander who supervised the bridge s construction, has acquired a sense of. The bridge on the river kwai directed by david lean. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. The bridge on the river kwai is one film that is hard to top, the only film able to do that is lawrence of arabia, both directed by the meticulous eye of david lean. Many of the films at visions du reel expand the notion of the real in. As the film and book meant to portray the bridge over the mae klong, the thai authorities officially renamed the river. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 yts movie torrent. The bridge over the river kwai life in black and white. The bridge on the river kwai was one of those exceptional movies that seemed to please everybody ingroup, outgroup, the film professionals, the middlebrow critics, the mob, the. Based on the real building of the burma railway from 19421943, the film the bridge on the river kwai depicts the fictional construction of a similar bridge by british and american pows during world war ii. What is the whistling song in the bridge over the river kwai called in english usage. The film deals with the situation of british prisoners of war during world war ii who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the burmasiam railway.
The bridge on the river kwai opens in a japanese prisonerofwar camp in burma in 1943, where a battle of wills rages between camp commander colonel saito sessue hayakawa and newly arrived british colonel nicholson alec guinness. Movie map the bridge over the river kwai if you are looking for movies like the bridge over the river kwai these could be interesting candidates. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. A british colonel alec guinness builds a bridge for his japanese captor sessue hayakawa. After settling his differences with a japanese pow camp commander, a british colonel cooperates to oversee his mens construction of a railway bridge for their. Bridge on the river kwai director david leans masterful 1957 realization of pierre boulles novel remains a benchmark for war films, and a deeply absorbing movie by any standardlike most of leans canon, the bridge on the river kwai achieves a richness in theme, narrative, and. Apr 28, 2017 the 1957 movie bridge on the river kwai may be one of the most famous war movies ever made, winning seven oscars including best picture and best actor for alec guinness. The closer two names are, the greater the probability the two movies are similar. The film won several academy awards including the oscar for best picture and stars alec guinness, william holden, jack hawkins. The cliffhugging tracks and the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains and valleys are well captured in the david lean movie. One director who could put intimacy in epic circumstances. A squad of british soldiers arrive at a japanese pow camp in the burmese jungle, and after.
The cast included william holden, jack hawkins, alec guinness, and sessue hayakawa. Do you think you can recall the details of this fine film. If youd searched alta vista for bridge on the river kwai and march, bun, youd have found the answer at the very first site it gave you. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the bridge on the river kwai. The line heads northwest to kanchanaburi, over the bridge on the river kwai, along the kwae noi little kwai and over the wampo viaduct to nam tok, the current terminus for passenger trains. After settling his differences with a japanese pow camp commander, a british colonel cooperat. British and american intelligence officers conspire to blow up the structure, but col. The assault on the bridge itself is a peerless piece of action filmmaking, visually and metaphorically stimulating. Carl foreman and michael wilson were blacklisted at the time and received no screen credit. The true story april 28, 2017 lenny flank 5 comments the 1957 movie bridge on the river kwai may be one of the most famous war movies ever made, winning seven oscars including best picture and best actor for alec guinness. With william holden, alec guinness, jack hawkins, sessue hayakawa. This complex war epic asks hard questions, resists easy answers, and boasts careerdefining work from star alec guinness and director david lean. True story of the bridge on the river kwai 1996 survivors of the death railway as they describe the 250mile bangkokrangoon railroad constructed by the japanese during ww ii, were shocked by the images portrayed in the hollywood movie. Nicholson, the commander who supervised the bridge s construction, has acquired a sense of pride in his creation and tries to foil their plans.
May 15, 2008 the bridge on the river kwai was one of those exceptional movies that seemed to please everybody ingroup, outgroup, the film professionals, the middlebrow critics, the mob, the. Based on the real building of the burma railway from 19421943, the film the bridge on the river kwai depicts the fictional construction of a similar bridge by british and american pows during. Even its theme song, an old wwii whistling tune, the colonel bogey march. Most war movies are either for or against their wars. The bridge over the river kwai is a movie that was made in 1957 about a japanese prisonerofwar camp and the men in the camp who are involved in the construction of a bridge over the troublesome kwai river in order for japanese trains to transport troops and supplies. The bridge river kwai became famous all over the world, when it was featured in movies and books. The bridge on the river kwai takes place in japanoccupied siam later thailand in 1943, after the imperial japanese empire has conquered vast territories of asia. Nearly everyone knows the famous whistle or has heard it before, often used to signal work on some difficult or unnecessary task. An epic movie which is large in scope and personnel, the bridge on the river kwai speaks of the code of honour amongst men during war, the respect shared by enemies of war, and the madness which. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 full movie video. Like robert graves world war i memoir, goodbye to all that, it shows men grimly hanging onto military discipline and pride in their units as a way of clinging to sanity. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 is one of the few that focuses not on larger rights and wrongs but on individuals.
In the war movie, the bridge on the river kwai 1957, at the end major warden has a brief dialog with the women porters. The bridge on the river kwai nprs film critic bob mondello recommends a new bluray edition of the 1957 alec guiness epic about british pows building a bridge. Be happy in your work a classic story of english pows in burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their japanese captors. The real bridge on the river kwai train from bangkok to. We are staying in bangkok in february for 3 nights.
The bridge on the river kwai 1957, the memorable, epic world war ii adventureaction, antiwar drama, was the first of director david leans major multimillion dollar, widescreen superspectaculars his later epics included lawrence of arabia 1962 and doctor zhivago 1965. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 movie theaters moviefone. Over a muddy jungle river called kwai, a japanese colonel, saito sessue hayakawa, must complete a railroad bridge vital to japans war effort. The death railway starts at nong pladuk, a junction on the bangkok to singapore main line some 80km west of bangkok. The film, a tremendous success with both audiences and critics, won seven oscars, including best picture, best director for lean, and best actor for alec guinness. Alec guinness was not present at the awards ceremony. But this is the movie that won him his first set of oscars, and is one of the few movies to actually deserve the title best picture.
A rewarding, engaging, and utterly thrilling oscarladen movie with alec guinness in a careerbest role. However, the true history of what really happened during the building of the bridge over the river kwai has almost been erased by the popularity of the movie. The enemy below here is one of the best war movies ever. Find out more about the bridge on the river kwai at. A momentous cut from director david lean, british and japanese officers james donald, keiichiro katsumoto lament the conflict between their superiors, then the climax of the escape attempt by american prisoner shears william holden, in the bridge on the river kwai, 1957. The last words in david leans the bridge on the river kwai are madness. Gallery of 59 movie poster and cover images for the bridge on the river kwai 1957. What makes the bridge over the river kwai such a classic. The bridge on the river kwai, kanchanaburi, thailand. It won seven academy awards, including best picture and leans first as best director, and has been named to the library of congress national film. Ten interesting facts about the bridge on the river kwai. The bridge on the river kwai is a 1957 epic war film directed by david lean and based on the 1952 novel written by pierre boulle. British world war ii pows build a bridge for the japanese, while an allied commando team plans to destroy it. The story is fictional but uses the construction of the burma railway, in 19421943, as its historical setting, and is partly based on pierre boulles own life experience working in malaysia rubber.
Best the bridge on the river kwai quotes quote catalog. Directed by 1 writing credits 3 cast 22 produced by 1 music by 1. Although he was not the first actor considered for the role of colonel nicholson, guinness proved to be an inspired choice. The bridge on the river kwai is that rare film about something as seemingly blackandwhite as world war ii that is colored entirely in shades of gray, and the better for it. Spike from the burma railroad when the japanese launched their lightning attacks in december. Join britannicas publishing partner program and our community of experts to gain a global audience for your work. The bridge on the river kwai or is it river mae klong. Bridge over the river kwai kanchanaburi 2020 all you need. The bridge on the river kwai is an easy film to take for granted, but its the last time lean challenged his audience with characters possessing obscure motivations without the window dressing of flat, freddie young cinematography and a maurice jarre musicbox score. The bridge on the river kwai rare 1957 arnold malcolm music. When british pows build a vital railway bridge in enemyoccupied burma, allied commandos are assigned to destroy it in david leans epic world war ii adventure the bridge on the river kwai. An epic movie which is large in scope and personnel, the bridge on the river kwai speaks of the code of honour amongst men during war, the respect shared by enemies of war.
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