The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Release date: 1957-12-14
Country: UK|USA
Language: English|Japanese|Thai
Director: David Lean
Production Co: Horizon Pictures (II)
Genre: War, Drama, Adventure
Rating: 8.1/10
Length: 2h 41min

Storyline

DurinWW II, allied POWS in a Japanese internment camp are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. 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. 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.

Plot Keywords

railroad, british army, discipline, coercion, briton abroad, pow, hot weather, sabotage, world war two, british military, military officer, demolition, bridge, jungle, uniform, british soldier, japanese soldier, brutality, construction, prisoner of war camp

Short Review

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.