The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
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(2 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) 
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1957's The Bridge on the River Kwai is a classic by any definition of the word. Based on the book "The Bridge Over the River Kwai" by Pierre Boule, it tells the compelling story of a band of British soldiers taken prisoner by the Japanese in Thailand during WWII, and how they overcome their situation by building a magnificent bridge for their captors.
Of course that's just on the surface mind you. Alec Guinness masterfully portrays Col. Nicholson, the "by the book" leader of this group. Nicholson's refusal to give into the less-than-honorable demands of the Japanese Col. Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) earned him a well-deserved Oscar for this role. He effectively takes charge of the camp and the bridge building efforts from Saito due to the latter's incompetence and weakness. He uses the bridge as a means to restore some order and dignity to the men, even though not all of them are on board with the idea.
Then there is "Commander" Shears (William Holden), an American who escapes the camp early on, just as Nicholson and his brigade arrives. He finds his way out of the jungle and back to "civilization," only to be recruited (or blackmailed might be a better term) by British forces to help with destroying Nicholson's bridge.
Sure there are a lot of typically-cheesy "50's" moments ("Lovely!"), but there is a great deal more introspection and commentary on the entire methodology with which we fight most wars, and a lot about the people involved and the so-called rules they're supposed to play by.
And in the end, Guinness' portrayal of Nicholson's ultimate realization is sheer brilliance, and brings everything to a decisive end.
This is one of WMB's top twenty, to be sure. See it someday soon!
("Bridge" is also available to watch online via Amazon Unbox!)
Technorati Tags: Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957, World War II 2, WWII, war movie review, alec guinness, william holden, japan, pow, classics
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The Bridge on the River Kwai (Limited Edition) List Price: Sale Price: $14.20 You save: $25.75 (64%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days  |
Description
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 09/20/2005 Run time: 162 minutes Rating: Pg
Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of PierreBoulle's novel remains a benchmark for war films, and a deeply absorbing movie by any standard--like most of Lean's canon, The Bridge on the River Kwai achieves a richness in theme, narrative, and characterization that transcends genre. The story centers on a Japanese prison camp isolated deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia, where the remorseless Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) has been charged with building a vitally important railway bridge. His clash of wills with a British prisoner, the charismatic Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), escalates into a duel of honor, Nicholson defying his captor's demands to win concessions for his troops. How the two officers reach a compromise, and Nicholson becomes obsessed with building that bridge, provides the story's thematic spine; the parallel movement of a team of commandos dispatched to stop the project, led by a British major (Jack Hawkins) and guided by an American escapee (William Holden), supplies the story's suspense and forward momentum. Shot on location in Sri Lanka, Kwai moves with a careful, even deliberate pace that survivors of latter-day, high-concept blockbusters might find lulling--Lean doesn't pander to attention deficit disorders with an explosion every 15 minutes. Instead, he guides us toward the intersection of the two plots, accruing remarkable character details through extraordinary performances. Hayakawa's cruel camp commander is gradually revealed as a victim of his own sense of honor, Holden's callow opportunist proves heroic without softening his nihilistic edge, and Guinness (who won a Best Actor Oscar, one of the production's seven wins) disappears as only he can into Nicholson's brittle, duty-driven, delusional psychosis. His final glimpse of self-knowledge remains an astonishing moment--story, character, and image coalescing with explosive impact. Like Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai has been beautifully restored and released in a highly recommended widescreen version that preserves its original aspect ratio. --Sam Sutherland
DVD Information
Binding: DVDAspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Brand: Sony
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Original Release Date:
Actors:
- William Holden
- Alec Guinness
- Jack Hawkins
- Sessue Hayakawa
- James Donald
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