Bridge on the river Kwai
The producer/director team of Sam Spiegel and David Lean come together in this unforgettable world war II drama about the eccentricity, discipline and genius of two opposing generals over a bridge on the Japanese river of Kwai.
The movie highlights several aspects about war, about human behavior and most importantly about the moral dilemma where often the ‘right’ thing to do is ‘wrong’ and vice-versa. The film also excels by never showing in access the glory or the horror or war. It is very focused on telling the story and while it is at it it cleverly touches and even explores the nature of war.
Mr. Lean gets his point across in the best possible way – by simply telling you the story in actions and leaving the conclusions for you. He does an excellent job at it. Made in 1957, the film has extra-ordinary visual élan. One can feel the richness of the adventure by simply falling back and watching. Filmed in the overpowering jungles of the Sri Lanka, it is a prison without a wall or wires. The argument goes that the jungle does the job for the Japanese and for the viewers of course. Talking of arguments, the film has some of the most brilliant and honest dialogue one will hear in a war movie.
Alec Guinness gives one is his most credible and involved performances as a Briton colonel Nicholson commanding a POW team under a brutal Japanese Colonel Saito. The film is mostly about the tensions between the two and their effect on the nature of war. Mr. Guinness is ordered to build a bridge across the river so that the Japanese can use it to transport good via a railroad to other Japanese bases. Common sense would say to the British soldiers to build a bad bridge but that is not how Mr. Guinness would have it.
William Holden is an American Major who is sent by the British to destroy the Bridge.
The taut film has a huge buildup but the ending is no short of brilliant. It is succinctly satisfying and yet leaves with a few questions hanging in the air for you to ponder over.
The movie highlights several aspects about war, about human behavior and most importantly about the moral dilemma where often the ‘right’ thing to do is ‘wrong’ and vice-versa. The film also excels by never showing in access the glory or the horror or war. It is very focused on telling the story and while it is at it it cleverly touches and even explores the nature of war.
Mr. Lean gets his point across in the best possible way – by simply telling you the story in actions and leaving the conclusions for you. He does an excellent job at it. Made in 1957, the film has extra-ordinary visual élan. One can feel the richness of the adventure by simply falling back and watching. Filmed in the overpowering jungles of the Sri Lanka, it is a prison without a wall or wires. The argument goes that the jungle does the job for the Japanese and for the viewers of course. Talking of arguments, the film has some of the most brilliant and honest dialogue one will hear in a war movie.
Alec Guinness gives one is his most credible and involved performances as a Briton colonel Nicholson commanding a POW team under a brutal Japanese Colonel Saito. The film is mostly about the tensions between the two and their effect on the nature of war. Mr. Guinness is ordered to build a bridge across the river so that the Japanese can use it to transport good via a railroad to other Japanese bases. Common sense would say to the British soldiers to build a bad bridge but that is not how Mr. Guinness would have it.
William Holden is an American Major who is sent by the British to destroy the Bridge.
The taut film has a huge buildup but the ending is no short of brilliant. It is succinctly satisfying and yet leaves with a few questions hanging in the air for you to ponder over.