|
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
8.4
After settling his differences with a Japanese PoW camp commander, a British colonel co-operates to oversee his men's construction of a railway bridge for their captors - while oblivious to a plan by the Allies to destroy it. Director:David Lean |
| Watch Trailer |
161 min - 
Watch now
Buy it from
Amazon »
Top 250 #94
|
Won 7 Oscars.
Another
24 wins
&
5 nominations
See more awards »
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| William Holden | ... | ||
| Alec Guinness | ... | ||
|
Jack Hawkins | ... | |
| Sessue Hayakawa | ... | ||
|
|
James Donald | ... | |
| Geoffrey Horne | ... | ||
|
|
André Morell | ... |
Col. Green
(as Andre Morell)
|
|
|
Peter Williams | ... | |
|
|
John Boxer | ... |
Maj. Hughes
|
|
|
Percy Herbert | ... | |
|
|
Harold Goodwin | ... | |
|
|
Ann Sears | ... | |
|
|
Heihachirô Ôkawa | ... |
Capt. Kanematsu
(as Henry Okawa)
|
|
|
Keiichirô Katsumoto | ... |
Lt. Miura
(as K. Katsumoto)
|
|
|
M.R.B. Chakrabandhu | ... | |
Edit
Storyline
The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who 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 are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito. He is an honorable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy. Unknown to him, the Allies have sent a mission into the jungle, led by Warden and an American, Shears, to blow up the bridge. Written by alfiehitchie
Plot Summary | Plot SynopsisTaglines:
It spans a whole new world of entertainment!Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG for mild war violence (re-rating) (1991) See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See more »
See full technical specs »
Details
Release Date:
(USA) See more »Also Known As:
El puente sobre el río Kwai See more »Box Office
Budget:
$3,000,000 (estimated)Gross:
$33,300,000 (USA)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (RCA Sound Recording) | Mono (35 mm prints) (RCA Sound Recording) | 4-Track Stereo (Linear PCM)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Colonel Nicholson: Without law, Commander, there is no civilization.
Commander Shears: That's just my point; here, there is no civilization.
Colonel Nicholson: Then we have the opportunity to introduce it.
See more »
(uncredited)
Music by Malcolm Arnold
Lyrics by Dave Shand See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
It was Jack Hawkins' suggestion that the film be shot in Ceylon, rather than Burma. See more »Goofs
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): At the first officers' meeting, Col Nicholson says Jennings name right, then he says it as Jenning. See more »Quotes
Commander Shears: You mean, you intend to uphold the letter of the law, no matter what it costs?Colonel Nicholson: Without law, Commander, there is no civilization.
Commander Shears: That's just my point; here, there is no civilization.
Colonel Nicholson: Then we have the opportunity to introduce it.
See more »
Soundtracks
"I Give My Heart To No One But You"(uncredited)
Music by Malcolm Arnold
Lyrics by Dave Shand See more »
Copyright © 1990-2012
IMDb.com, Inc.
Terms and Privacy Policy under which this service is provided to you.
An 
company.