The Bridge on the River Kwai
starring: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald
directed by: David Lean
directed by: David Lean
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Product Description:
Allied commandos are dispatched deep inside the burmese jungle to blow up a stategic bridge built by british pows. Special features: subtitles in english french spanish portuguese chinese korean and thai: languages in english french spanish and portugues: theatrical trailers and much more.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 11/21/2000Starring: William Holden Jack HawkinsRun time: 162 minutesRating: Pg
Amazon.com essential video:
Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of Pierre Boulle'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
Amazon.com:
Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of Pierre Boulle'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
Stills from The Bridge on the River Kwai (click for larger image)
Beyond The Bridge on the River Kwai
Allied commandos are dispatched deep inside the burmese jungle to blow up a stategic bridge built by british pows. Special features: subtitles in english french spanish portuguese chinese korean and thai: languages in english french spanish and portugues: theatrical trailers and much more.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 11/21/2000Starring: William Holden Jack HawkinsRun time: 162 minutesRating: Pg
Amazon.com essential video:
Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of Pierre Boulle'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
Amazon.com:
Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of Pierre Boulle'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
Stills from The Bridge on the River Kwai (click for larger image)
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Beyond The Bridge on the River Kwai
 The David Lean Collection |  WWII 60th Anniversary Collection |  The True Story of the Bridge on the River Kwai (History Channel) |
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- one of my all time favorites!
This is without a doubt one of the best war/anti-war films ever made. I only wish I could give it more than 5-stars. I've always found it interesting that William Holden starred in both 'Bridge' and 'Stalag 17'... both classic war movies about allies POWs during WWII.
Rating: 
- a deal with the devil to build a bridge
To the Japanese officer to surrender is to dishonor yourself.
So prisoners are treated as the lowest of the low.
When an iron willed British officer who was ordered to surrender meets
an iron willed Japanese prisoner camp commander, real sparks fly.
The compromise that is reached gets the bridge built, but at a cost
of a no-win solution,when a British commando team led by an former American prisoner of that camp comes to blow up the bridge.
When I first saw this ... Read More
Rating: - Good Then, Still Good Now
This famous film is long (161 minutes), is over 50 years old, and yet still is terrific, still holds up and will forever, I suspect, be considered one of the greatest war movies ever made.
'Kwai' is particularly amazing in that there is very little action in it, yet it consistently entertains. It's as good now as when I saw in the theater as a 12-year-old.I say this to encourage younger people to check this classic-era film out, and give it a chance.
Anyone who is ... Read More
Rating: - The whole thing IS madness!
What an intricate movie hidden by such a simple story line driven by "complex" characters (on surface their motivation are easily understood and acceptable).The story is about duty, honor, and appearances. What adds to this movie is the humor in it, witty and practical (the "with a parachute?" is priceless). They do not and probably cannot make movies like this anymore. As far as adventure goes buddy-action flicks and even romance-action movies rule the day.
There are essential 2 protagonists ... Read More
Rating: - Missing Film
I would love to review this film...except I never received the shipment from DVD Legacy which they claim to of shipped. Of the 3 DVD'S requested & paid for only 1 arrived w/t packing slip listing quantity (1)..Silverado
- one of my all time favorites!This is without a doubt one of the best war/anti-war films ever made. I only wish I could give it more than 5-stars. I've always found it interesting that William Holden starred in both 'Bridge' and 'Stalag 17'... both classic war movies about allies POWs during WWII.
- a deal with the devil to build a bridgeTo the Japanese officer to surrender is to dishonor yourself.
So prisoners are treated as the lowest of the low.
When an iron willed British officer who was ordered to surrender meets
an iron willed Japanese prisoner camp commander, real sparks fly.
The compromise that is reached gets the bridge built, but at a cost
of a no-win solution,when a British commando team led by an former American prisoner of that camp comes to blow up the bridge.
When I first saw this ... Read More
- Good Then, Still Good NowThis famous film is long (161 minutes), is over 50 years old, and yet still is terrific, still holds up and will forever, I suspect, be considered one of the greatest war movies ever made.
'Kwai' is particularly amazing in that there is very little action in it, yet it consistently entertains. It's as good now as when I saw in the theater as a 12-year-old.I say this to encourage younger people to check this classic-era film out, and give it a chance.
Anyone who is ... Read More
- The whole thing IS madness!What an intricate movie hidden by such a simple story line driven by "complex" characters (on surface their motivation are easily understood and acceptable).The story is about duty, honor, and appearances. What adds to this movie is the humor in it, witty and practical (the "with a parachute?" is priceless). They do not and probably cannot make movies like this anymore. As far as adventure goes buddy-action flicks and even romance-action movies rule the day.
There are essential 2 protagonists ... Read More
- Missing FilmI would love to review this film...except I never received the shipment from DVD Legacy which they claim to of shipped. Of the 3 DVD'S requested & paid for only 1 arrived w/t packing slip listing quantity (1)..Silverado
