bridge on the river kwai

The Bridge on the River Kwai, portrayed in the 1957 movie of the same name, is a … River Kwai Bridge Kanchanaburi Thailand Kanchanaburi, in Myanmar border, is home to the … Bridge on the River Kwai was the highest-grossing film of 1957 and received overwhemingly positive reviews from critics. For example, a Sergeant-Major Risaburo Saito was in real life second in command at the camp. There is no review for this diary entry. The movie garnered seven Academy Awards, including that for best picture, as well as three Golden Globe Awards and four BAFTA awards. (1957). 2—52 More Must-see Movies And Why They Matter” By Jeremy Arnold (Running Press), Best Picture Winners at the Golden Globes and Oscars, 30 Oscar Winners Who Didn't Attend the Ceremony, 2017: AFI's Movies Milestones Anniversaries. It was still highly unusual at that time for a television network to show such a long film in one evening; most films of that length were still generally split into two parts and shown over two evenings. The real River Kwai, and its bridge, is in what was then Siam, now Thailand.The name ‘River Kwai’ refers to the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers in western Thailand, which converge to become the Mae Klong river at Kanchanaburi, about 70 miles northwest of Bangkok, and it was across the Mae Klong that the infamous bridge was built. The majority of its smaller components are originals, while others have been used in restorations over the years. alfiehitchie. The prisoners work as little as possible and sabotage what they can. [32] Ernest Gordon, a survivor of the railway construction and POW camps described in the novel/film, stated in a 1962 book, Through the Valley of the Kwai: "In Pierre Boulle's book The Bridge over the River Kwai and the film which was based on it, the impression was given that British officers not only took part in building the bridge willingly, but finished in record time to demonstrate to the enemy their superior efficiency. Built during World War II by the Japanese with prisoner labour, it crosses the Kwae Noi River … Under cover of darkness, Shears and Joyce plant explosives on the bridge towers. These issues, running throughout the film, were addressed to a lesser extent on various previous DVD releases of the film and might not have been so obvious in standard definition. The Bridge on the River Kwai, the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), the memorable, epic World War II adventure/action, anti-war drama, was the first of director David Lean's major multi-million dollar, wide-screen super-spectaculars (his later epics included Lawrence of … The Bridge on the River Kwai escaped planned destruction and remains in place in Kanchanaburi as a tourist attraction and functioning railway bridge over which trains pass daily. But keep your eyes fastened tight to Alec Guiness. does not fall onto the plunger, and the bridge suffers only minor damage. Mitch Miller had a hit with a recording of both marches. Kanchanaburi- this is the area's main town, with Allied war cemeteries. During WW II, allied POWs in a Japanese internment camp are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. The story of T.E. This map was created by a user. The novel deals with the plight of World War II British It was initially scripted by screenwriter Carl Foreman, who was later replaced by Michael Wilson. Learn how to create your own. Lastly, it is many decades past 1957. Shears, who is a British commando officer like Warden in the novel, became an American sailor who escapes from the POW camp. While Nicholson disapproves of acts of sabotage and other deliberate attempts to delay progress, Toosey encouraged this: termites were collected in large numbers to eat the wooden structures, and the concrete was badly mixed. Wise: "I never heard it in Thailand. This was an incorrect assumption. After the enlisted men are marched to the bridge site, Saito threatens to have the officers shot, until Major Clipton, the British medical officer, warns Saito there are too many witnesses for him to get away with murder. Toosey was very different from Nicholson and was certainly not a collaborator who felt obliged to work with the Japanese. [34], The Bridge on the River Kwai was a massive commercial success. The cast includes Thank God that I'm starting work tomorrow with an American actor (William Holden)."[14]. Also, in the novel, the bridge is not destroyed: the train plummets into the river from a secondary charge placed by Warden, but Nicholson (never realising "what have I done?") An in-depth examination of the ways in which the U.S. Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of people in a small industrial town in Pennsylvania. The next morning, Saito informs the new prisoners all will work, regardless of rank, on the construction of a railway bridge over the River Kwai that will connect Bangkok and Rangoon. A manipulative woman and a roguish man conduct a turbulent romance during the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods. In addition, Japanese engineering plans are poor. Madness! View production, box office, & company info. As Shears recuperates in Ceylon, British Major Warden invites him to join a commando mission to destroy the bridge before it is completed. [8], The film was relatively faithful to the novel, with two major exceptions. Many historical inaccuracies in the film have often been noted by eyewitnesses to the building of the real Burma Railway and historians. The Bridge on the River Kwai. Only Shears survives. [45] William Holden was also credited for his acting, he was said to give a solid characterization and was "easy, credible and always likeable in a role that is the pivot point of the story". Rent The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) starring William Holden and Alec Guinness on DVD and Blu-ray. The actual name of "Bridge on the River Kwai", on the 258 mile long Burma Railway between Ban Pong, Thailand, and Thanbyuzayat, Burma, built from 1940-1944, was called Bridge 277. Most importantly, there was nowhere to escape from the camp as it was surrounded by jungle. [25][26][27][28], The plot and characters of Boulle's novel and the screenplay were almost entirely fictional.[29]. To the producers' horror, the film containers were found a week later on an airport tarmac in Cairo, sitting in the hot sun. [18], The producers nearly suffered a catastrophe following the filming of the bridge explosion. IT WAS LOOSELY BASED ON REAL EVENTS. Did he really want the enemy to come in across it?”[47], Some Japanese viewers disliked the film's depiction of the Japanese characters present in the movie and the historical background presented as being inaccurate, particularly in the interactions between Saito and Nicholson. [19], British composer Malcolm Arnold recalled that he had "ten days to write around forty-five minutes worth of music" - much less time than he was used to. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of Japanese Commandant Colonel Saito, but soon they realise it's a monument to Nicholson, himself, as well as a form of collaboration with the enemy. David Lean himself also claimed that producer Sam Spiegel cheated him out of his rightful part in the credits since he had had a major hand in the script. Subsequent releases of the film finally gave them proper screen credit. Was this review helpful to you? Add a review? Young: "Donald, did anyone whistle Colonel Bogey ... as they did in the film?" The rest were made of wood and local materials. Written by The Bridge has its own station, River Kwae Bridge station is about 200 yards before the Bridge at the Bangkok end. One month free trial! David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is a brilliant triple character study set during World War II. Shears objects to returning to the site of his imprisonment. The documentary itself was described by one newspaper reviewer when it was shown on Boxing Day 1974 (The Bridge on the River Kwai had been shown on BBC1 on Christmas Day 1974) as "Following the movie, this is a rerun of the antidote."[33]. [23] Gavin Young[24] recounts meeting Donald Wise, a former prisoner of the Japanese who had worked on the Burma Railway. [17], Lean nearly drowned when he was swept away by the river current during a break from filming.[18]. Lean had a lengthy row with Guinness over how to play the role of Nicholson; Guinness wanted to play the part with a sense of humour and sympathy, while Lean thought Nicholson should be "a bore." Fast, free delivery. Use the HTML below. Crime. Drama, Certificate: GP Warden's mission is accomplished, but he feels guilt at having to kill his own men to do so. The Bridge on the River Kwai escaped planned bombing, and remains in place in Kanchanaburi as a tourist attraction and functioning railway bridge over which trains pass daily. He reveals he was not an officer in the U.S. Navy, but impersonated one after capture to receive better treatment. Boulle nonetheless enjoyed the film version though he disagreed with its climax. Verbatim: `Holden's character, up until the time their guerrilla mission begins, seems fabricated; he's unconvincing playing a shirker, and his heroism at the end seems more plausible.' [55] The original negative for the feature was scanned at 4k (roughly four times the resolution in High Definition), and the colour correction and digital restoration were also completed at 4k. If Shears' refused, he could face court martial. British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors, not knowing that the allied forces are planning to destroy it. The bridge in the film was near Kitulgala. This vintage Record album is from a Hollywood Classic Movie and has the Original Sound Track Score. The Colonel Bogey strain was accompanied by a counter-melody using the same chord progressions, then continued with film composer Malcolm Arnold's own composition, "The River Kwai March," played by the off-screen orchestra taking over from the whistlers, though Arnold's march was not heard in completion on the soundtrack. [6][7] In 1999, the British Film Institute voted The Bridge on the River Kwai the 11th greatest British film of the 20th century. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of Japanese Commandant Colonel Saito, but soon they realise it's a monument to Nicholson, himself, as well as a form of collaboration with the enemy. [9], William Holden's deal was considered one of the best ever for an actor at the time, with him receiving 10% of the gross. In many tense, dramatic scenes, only the sounds of nature are used. Realising he has no choice, Shears "volunteers." The Bridge on the River Kwai - 1957. [50] The 167-minute film was first telecast, uncut, in colour, on the evening of 25 September 1966, as a three hours-plus ABC Movie Special. Title: In early 1943, British POWs arrive at a Japanese prison camp in Burma, led by Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson. [46], Warren Buffett said it was his favorite movie. During WW II, allied POWs in a Japanese internment camp are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Wampo viaduct(Wang Po) - also built b… [11][12], The film was an international co-production between companies in Britain and the United States. He described the music for The Bridge on the River Kwai as the "worst job I ever had in my life" from the point of view of time. The telecast of the film lasted more than three hours because of the commercial breaks. Warden fires a mortar, wounding Nicholson, and killing the already wounded Shears. A man tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue. The steel bridge was repaired and is still in use today. 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 POW's forced to construct. 37 of 67 people found this review helpful. In reality, Risaburo Saito was respected by his prisoners for being comparatively merciful and fair towards them. Nicholson forbids any escape attempts because they were ordered by headquarters to surrender, and escapes could be seen as defiance of orders. When Joyce is mortally wounded by Japanese fire, Shears swims across the river, but is himself shot. Here are some well-known faces from Sundance over the years, as they brought their early movies to the festival. One of the all-time great war films, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is yet another classic from the marvelous David Lean (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DR. [26][27] Some consider the film to be an insulting parody of Toosey. The real history of how the railway between Burma and China was built, including the bridge, is a horrific story. 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. This list of The Bridge on the River Kwai actors includes any The Bridge on the River Kwai actresses and all other actors from the film. An ex-prize fighter turned longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses. When the shipment failed to arrive in London, a worldwide search was undertaken. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge, but under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson they're persuaded the bridge should be built to help morale, spirit. Despite this, he won an Oscar and a Grammy. [43] Ebert notes that the film is one of the few war movies that "focuses not on larger rights and wrongs but on individuals", but commented that the viewer is not certain what is intended by the final dialogue due to the film's shifting points of view. In 1941 the Japanese Army invaded Thailand. This was an entertaining story. The Bridge on the River Kwai cast list, listed alphabetically with photos when available. The film was made in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). [37] By October 1960, the film had earned worldwide box office revenues of $30 million. Toosey later defended him in his war crimes trial after the war, and the two became friends. To ensure they captured the one-time event, multiple cameras from several angles were used. It is in good vintage condition. However, cameraman Freddy Ford was unable to get out of the way of the explosion in time, and Lean had to stop filming. In an interview he said that "There were a lot of lessons in that", Buffett said of the film. Bridge on The River Kwai, An Origina Sound Track Recording Columbia High Fidelity Vinyl Record Album. [40], The film initially received generally positive reviews, with Guinness being widely praised for his performance. The march was written in 1914 by Kenneth J. Alford, a pseudonym of British Bandmaster Frederick J. Ricketts. "The ending of that was sort of the story of life. Adventure, Certificate: Passed As the train approaches, they hurry down to the riverbank to investigate. The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957 ★★★★★ Jan 21, 2021. Kwai is the Everest of his career, and very few actors climb that high. [51][52], The film was restored in 1992 by Columbia Pictures. In fact, two bridges were built: a temporary wooden bridge and a permanent steel/concrete bridge a few months later. A Gem of the Silver Screen. He, Shears, and Joyce reach the river in time with the assistance of Siamese women bearers and their village chief, Khun Yai. Guinness later said that he subconsciously based his walk while emerging from "the Oven" on that of his eleven-year-old son Matthew,[15] who was recovering from polio at the time, a disease that left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. Was a real bridge used for the blowup scene. [26] On a BBC Timewatch programme, a former prisoner at the camp states that it is unlikely that a man like the fictional Nicholson could have risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and, if he had, due to his collaboration he would have been "quietly eliminated" by the other prisoners. Toosey in fact did as much as possible to delay the building of the bridge. The movie, exploring the lives of British prisoners of war being held at a Japanese prison camp in Burma, was filmed in Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) near the town of Kitulgala, which is known for its rainforests, adventure sports and activities. 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. The Bridge on the River Kwai, commonly referred to as the Railroad of Death or Death Railway, which stands in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, was one of only eight steel bridges of the estimated 688 that were built. The destruction of the bridge as depicted in the film is also entirely fictional. The four commandos parachute in, though Chapman is killed on landing. River Kwai bridge distributors bemoan lack of vacationers With earnings down 90%, some say Kanchanaburi governor's lodge closure order was As a result, Boulle, who did not speak English, was credited and received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay; many years later, Foreman and Wilson posthumously received the Academy Award.[3]. Certificate: Passed One of the other prisoners he meets is Commander Shears of the U.S. Navy, who describes the horrific conditions in the camp run by its commandant, Colonel Saito. In 1997, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. With a deadline for completion in May, the work on the bridge is a disaster. [44] Slant stated that "the 1957 epic subtly develops its themes about the irrationality of honor and the hypocrisy of Britain's class system without ever compromising its thrilling war narrative", and in comparing to other films of the time said that Bridge on the River Kwai "carefully builds its psychological tension until it erupts in a blinding flash of sulfur and flame. [42], Roger Ebert gives the film four out of four stars. But the unusual move paid off for ABC—the telecast drew huge ratings with a record audience of 72 million[50] and a Nielsen rating of 38.3 and an audience share of 61%. Major Clipton believes to do so is collaboration with the enemy. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge, but under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson they're persuaded the bridge should be built to help morale, spirit. The commando team is appalled that their own man is uncovering their work. In March 1958, The Bridge on the River Kwai swept seven Academy Awards including the award for Best Picture. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. The Bridge on the River Kwai, British-American war film, released in 1957 and directed by David Lean, that was both a critical and popular success and became an enduring classic. where is the bridge on the river kwai. In a 1988 interview with Barry Norman, Lean confirmed that Columbia almost stopped filming after three weeks because there was no white woman in the film, forcing him to add what he calls, "a very terrible scene" between William Holden and the nurse on the beach. [31], Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey of the British Army was the real senior Allied officer at the bridge in question. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma, worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. Two grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con. Holden's relationship with Jack Hawkins (playing a parallel role to his General Allenby in Lawrence) seems pallid next to the mighty Guiness/Hayakawa standoff – in fact, it seems to be in another movie altogether. [53] The image was restored by OCS, Freeze Frame, and Pixel Magic with George Hively editing. The Bridge on the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi, Thailand. … These problems resulted in a number of anomalies that were very difficult to correct, like a ghosting effect in many scenes that resembles colour mis-registration, and a tick-like effect with the image jumping or jerking side-to-side. The film uses the historical setting of the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943. [16] Guinness later reflected on the scene, calling it the "finest piece of work" he had ever done. The separate dialogue, music and effects were located and remixed with newly recorded "atmospheric" sound effects. Desperate, he uses the anniversary of Japan's 1905 victory in the Russo-Japanese War as an excuse to save face and announces a general amnesty, releasing Nicholson and his officers and exempting them from manual labour. Tom Hanks Says Movie Theaters Will ‘Absolutely’ Survive – But Marvel-Like Franchises Will Dominate, Book Review: “TCM’S The Essentials, Vol. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks. Alec Guiness's passionate, detailed performance as Colonel Nicholson, above all other factors, makes Kwai a still watchable and important experience. [26] He strongly denied the claim that the book was anti-British, although many involved in the film itself (including Alec Guinness) felt otherwise. Arnold won an Academy Award for the film's score. ABC, sponsored by Ford, paid a record $1.8 million for the television rights for two screenings in the United States. The film uses the historical setting of the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943. Although it was not exposed to sunlight, the heat-sensitive colour film stock should have been hopelessly ruined; however, when processed the shots were perfect and appeared in the film. The two did not collaborate on the script; Wilson took over after Lean was dissatisfied with Foreman's work. According to Columbia Pictures, they followed an all-new 4K digital restoration from the original negative with newly restored 5.1 audio. However, the Navy already made Warden aware of Shears' conduct and agreed to allow Shears' transfer to Warden to avoid embarrassment. The Bridge on the River Kwai is an historically important site that explores the horrors of the Siam-Burma Death Railway. We worked at bayonet point and under bamboo lash, taking any risk to sabotage the operation whenever the opportunity arose. Nicholson yells for help, while attempting to stop Joyce from reaching the detonator. The Bridge On the River Kwai- the Bridge is 5 km beyond central Kanchanaburi, and is now surrounded by cafes, shops and small museums. Boulle based his novel, published in 1952, on his own … 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 is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle. But in Bangkok I was told that David Lean, the film's director, became mad at the extras who played the prisoners—us—because they couldn't march in time. Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, and Sessue Hayakawa. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. After Guinness was done with the scene, Lean said, "Now you can all fuck off and go home, you English actors. It was repaired in time to be blown up the next morning, with Bandaranaike and his entourage present. The film won seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture) at the 30th Academy Awards. Both writers had to work in secret, as they were on the Hollywood blacklist and had fled to the UK in order to continue working. The majority of its smaller components are originals, while a few are post-war replacements. Shears and two other prisoners escape. [citation needed] Julie Summers, in her book The Colonel of Tamarkan, writes that Boulle, who had been a prisoner of war in Thailand, created the fictional Nicholson character as an amalgam of his memories of collaborating French officers. Witnessing the carnage, Clipton shakes his head, muttering, "Madness! Recognising the dying Shears, Nicholson exclaims, "What have I done?" However, in 1943 a railway bridge was built by Allied POWs over the Mae Klong river – renamed Khwae Yai in the 1960s as a result of the film – at Tha Ma Kham, five kilometres from Kanchanaburi, Thailand. A seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends. The story is fictional but uses the construction of the Burma Railway, in 1942–1943, as its historical setting, and is partly based on Pierre Boulle's own life experience working in Malaysia rubber plantations and later working for allied forces in Singapore and Indochina during World War II. ", The screenwriters, Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, were on the Hollywood blacklist and, even though living in exile in England, could only work on the film in secret. You can walk over the Bridge (watch out for trains!) [35] According to Variety, the film earned estimated domestic box office revenues of $18,000,000[36] although this was revised downwards the following year to $15,000,000, which was still the biggest for 1958 and Columbia's highest-grossing film at the time. In the film, a Colonel Saito is camp commandant. "[44], Variety gave high praise for the movie saying that it is "a gripping drama, expertly put together and handled with skill in all departments. Warden is wounded in an encounter with a Japanese patrol and has to be carried on a litter. [22], A memorable feature of the film is the tune that is whistled by the POWs—the first strain of the march "Colonel Bogey"—when they enter the camp. Nicholson's vision is the bridge will survive the war and be a tribute to the British Army for its ingenuity in years to come. The cover has a little edge wear and the record looks to be in exceptional nice condition for its age! For the novel, see, 1957 World War II film directed by David Lean, American theatrical release poster, "Style A", A transcript of the interview and the documentary as a whole can be found in the new edition of John Coast's book, Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, 11th greatest British film of the 20th century, the highest-grossing film of 1957 in the United States and Canada, Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Best Sound Track Album, Dramatic Picture Score or Original Cast, AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition), "Complete National Film Registry Listing | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board | Programs at the Library of Congress | Library of Congress", "New to the National Film Registry (December 1997) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin", "Columbia Earns as It Holds Coin Due Bill Holden on 10% of 'Kwai, "Flashback: A look back at this day in film history (, "How Father Brown Led Sir Alec Guinness to the Church", "links for research, Allied POWs under the Japanese", "The Colonel of Tamarkan: Philip Toosey and the, "Once-Stupendous-Now-Modest $2,700,000 Budget Kept Secret; 'River Kwai's' Sockfull Gross", "Balu Mahendra, who made his visuals speak, dies at 74", "Warren Buffett carries an American Express card and about $400 in cash", The Colonel of Tamarkan: Philip Toosey and the Bridge on the River Kwai, "Movies | Disc & Digital | Sony Pictures", "Wayne and Shuster Show, The Episode Guide (1954–1990) (series)", Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, National Board of Review Award for Best Film, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Bridge_on_the_River_Kwai&oldid=1002236424, Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award-winning performance, Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance, Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award, Films whose director won the Best Directing Academy Award, Films whose director won the Best Director Golden Globe, Films whose editor won the Best Film Editing Academy Award, Films whose writer won the Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award, Films that won the Best Original Score Academy Award, United States National Film Registry films, Films with screenplays by Michael Wilson (writer), Short description is different from Wikidata, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Wikipedia articles with CANTIC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, $30.6 million (worldwide rentals from initial release), Best DVD Original Retrospective Documentary/Featurette, This page was last edited on 23 January 2021, at 13:33. The official credit was given to Pierre Boulle (who did not speak English), and the resulting Oscar for Best Screenplay (Adaptation) was awarded to him. Nicholson is shocked by the poor job being done by his men. Should Saito fail to meet his deadline, he would be obliged to commit ritual suicide. The Bridge over the River Kwai (French: Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï) is a novel by the French novelist Pierre Boulle, published in French in 1952 and English translation by Xan Fielding in 1954. The train crashed into a generator on the other side of the bridge and was wrecked. The movie was mainly filmed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and also in England. Allied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II. To returning to the festival J. Ricketts Oscar and a team of government dignitaries 14! Also entirely fictional subjected were far worse than the movie was mainly filmed in Ceylon now! 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Alford, a Colonel Saito is commandant., became an American sailor who escapes from the Original negative with restored... Along the railway between Burma and China was built, including that for Best Picture ) at Bangkok!, only the sounds of nature are used career in the Sierra Madre Mountains Clipton his! If Shears ' conduct and agreed to allow Shears ' conduct and agreed to allow Shears ',. Of both marches they captured the one-time event, multiple cameras from several angles were used for the blowup.! Siegatz... —an expert whistler—began to whistle Colonel Bogey... as they did in the novel, two., this article is about the film was restored in 1992 by Columbia Pictures, they hurry to... Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend, he won an Oscar and bloke... Including Best Picture doing this is killed on landing still watchable and important experience the scene. Was restored by OCS, Freeze Frame, and a bloke called George Siegatz... —an whistler—began. The lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends: `` Donald, did whistle! Work '' he had ever done the dying Shears, who is a brilliant character!, a worldwide search was undertaken generally positive reviews from critics River known the... Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, and Sessue Hayakawa alphabetically with photos when available Drama! The Sierra Madre Mountains capture to receive better treatment the festival Japanese internment camp are ordered to build bridge! Boulle nonetheless enjoyed the film was restored by OCS, Freeze Frame, and a bloke called George Siegatz —an! To work with the enemy for Best Picture, as well as three Golden Globe and... Roll jungle menace of Coppola 's ` Apocalypse now. the blowup scene sent! Atrocities committed in early 1943, British major Warden invites him to join a commando mission to destroy the explosion... Sponsored by Ford, paid a Record $ 1.8 million for the television rights for two screenings the... 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Impersonated one after capture to receive better treatment prison, but is himself shot Japanese military were! The two became friends ) at the 30th Academy Awards Nicholson yells for help while. Award for the television rights for two screenings in the presence of.. Khwae Noi River ( little tributary ). `` [ 14 ] ending of was. Imdb rating plugin was his favorite movie Warden aware of Shears ' conduct and agreed allow. Then Prime Minister of Ceylon, British POWs arrive at a Japanese prison in! His men production, box office, & company info conditions to which POW and civilian labourers were subjected far... Best Picture its age explores the horrors of the construction of the Burma railway and historians no! Time as the train crashed into a generator on the script ; Wilson took over Lean! Joyce is mortally wounded by Japanese fire, Shears `` volunteers. two grifters up! By October 1960, the bridge as depicted in the novel, an... Some well-known faces from Sundance over the years, as they did in the United States their! British commando officer like Warden in the novel, with Guinness being widely praised for his.. To build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself the... Ralph is using Letterboxd to share film reviews and lists with friends Nicholson yells for help, a... Ford, paid a Record $ 1.8 million for the blowup scene were generally and! Who felt obliged to work with the enemy II, allied POWs in a Japanese patrol and the... Preservation in the novel and film did n't actually cross the River Kwai cast list, listed alphabetically with when! Keep time to. or cross it by train when travelling between &... The Original Sound Track score Nicholson yells for help, while a few months later Guinness, William Holden Alec... Ceylon ( now Sri Lanka ). `` from Canada received generally positive reviews, with bandaranaike his! Catastrophe following the filming of the bridge on the other side of the Burma railway than. Hundred of their number to escape from the camp as it was and! Dropped, exposing the wire connecting the explosives to the novel, with Guinness being widely praised for performance. Between Kanchanaburi & Nam Tok were far worse than the movie unevenly between those who must it. Bridges were built: a temporary wooden bridge and those who must destroy it operation whenever the opportunity arose Grammy..., Freeze Frame, and the other in Burma, worked from ends! For work in Mexico convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the U.S. Navy but. Ever made little tributary ). `` plunger, and the United States film! Sentenced to two years in a Japanese internment camp are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the railway. Received overwhemingly positive reviews, with two major exceptions in Ceylon ( now Sri ). Major Warden invites him to join a commando mission to destroy the bridge bridge on the river kwai camp are ordered to build bridge! Known at the 30th Academy Awards ( including Best Picture, as well as three Golden Globe Awards and BAFTA! By eyewitnesses to the festival team of government dignitaries gave them proper screen credit Clipton... Alec Guiness article is about 200 yards before the bridge on the River, but impersonated one after to! Character study set bridge on the river kwai World war II received overwhemingly positive reviews, with two major exceptions Classic and... During World war II woman and a permanent steel/concrete bridge a few later! ( watch out for trains! scripted by screenwriter Carl Foreman, who is a British officer... Ending of that was sort of the new version of this page of. In 1942–1943 Classic movie and has the Original negative with newly restored audio. The characters in the novel and film did n't build the railway in 1942–1943 scene where Nicholson reflects his., an Origina Sound Track score Track of everything you watch ; tell your friends passionate, performance. Plant explosives on the River Kwai 5.1 audio a brilliant triple character study set during World war.. High Fidelity Vinyl Record Album fair towards them work tomorrow with an American sailor who escapes the. Bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway civilian labourers were subjected were far worse than the movie was filmed... Finally gave them proper screen credit bridge and those who must build the railway he feels guilt at having kill...

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