The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Director:

David Lean

Writer (WGA):

Pierre Boulle (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

14 December 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

It spans a whole new world of entertainment!

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Bridge | Japanese | Jungle | River | Torture

Awards:

Won 7 Oscars. Another 24 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

William Holden	...	Shears
Alec Guinness	...	Colonel Nicholson
Jack Hawkins	...	Major Warden
Sessue Hayakawa	...	Colonel Saito
James Donald	...	Major Clipton
Geoffrey Horne	...	Lieutenant Joyce
André Morell	...	Colonel Green (as Andre Morell)
Peter Williams	...	Captain Reeves
John Boxer	...	Major Hughes
Percy Herbert	...	Grogan
Harold Goodwin	...	Baker
Ann Sears	...	Nurse
Heihachirô Ôkawa	...	Captain Kanematsu (as Henry Okawa)
Keiichirô Katsumoto	...	Lieutenant Miura (also as K. Katsumoto) (as Keiichiro Katsumoto)
M.R.B. Chakrabandhu	...	Yai (in opening credits) (as M.R.B. Chakrabandhu {Col. Broome})
Vilaiwan Seeboonreaung	...	Siamese Girl
Ngamta Suphaphongs	...	Siamese Girl
Javanart Punynchoti	...	Siamese Girl
Kannikar Dowklee	...	Siamese Girl

Directed by
David Lean

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Wilson		(screenplay) originally uncredited and
Carl Foreman		(screenplay) originally uncredited
Pierre Boulle		(novel "Le pont de la rivière Kwaï")

Produced by
Sam Spiegel	....	producer

Original Music by
Malcolm Arnold

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Taylor		(chief editor)

Art Direction by
Donald M. Ashton

Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist
George Partleton	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Cecil F. Ford	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gus Agosti	....	assistant director
Ted Sturgis	....	assistant director
John Kerrison	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Geoffrey Drake	....	assistant art director
Peter Dukelow	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Pam Bosworth	....	additional sound editor
Eric Boyd-Perkins	....	additional sound editor
Fred Burnley	....	additional sound editor
Rusty Coppleman	....	additional sound editor
John Cox	....	sound
Teddy Darvas	....	additional sound editor
Janet Davidson	....	additional sound editor
Norma Hawkes	....	additional sound editor
Peter Miller	....	additional sound editor
John W. Mitchell	....	sound (as John Mitchell)
Winston Ryder	....	chief sound editor
Peter Davies	....	post-synchronisation (uncredited)

Stunts
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Archie Dansie	....	chief electrician
Peter Newbrook	....	camera operator
Ron Drinkwater	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Gerry Fisher	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Gerry Fisher	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Merry	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Wilson-Apperson	....	wardrobe (as John Apperson)

Editorial Department
George Hively	....	editor (restoration)
William Pine	....	color timer (restoration) (as Bill Pine)
Sati Tooray	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Malcolm Arnold	....	conductor (uncredited)
Charles Camilleri	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Angela Martelli	....	continuity
L.E.M. Perowne	....	technical adviser (as Major-Gen. L.E.M. Perowne C.B. C.B.)
William Harrigan Jr.	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Robert Haslam	....	consultant: explosives (uncredited)
Robert Haslam	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Grady Johnson	....	publicist (uncredited)
Maurice Landsberger	....	cashier (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• Horizon Pictures (II) (as A Horizon Picture)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Columbia Pictures Release) (Released through Columbia Pictures Corporation also)
• Warner Bros. (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (as A Columbia Pictures Release) (Released through Columbia Pictures Corporation also)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966) (USA) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS) (digitally restored pan and scan)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS) (digitally restored/widescreen)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Film (1958) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1958) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1972) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1988) (1995) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (2000) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• R-Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• VTC-Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Videosonic Arts (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1998) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Columbia Pictures  is the author of this film (motion picture) for the purpose of copyright and other laws
• Equipment and Construction Co.  bridge constructed by (as Equipment and Construction Co. Ceylon)
• Government of Ceylon  the producers gratefully acknowledge the co-operation and help extended to them by the various departments of, during the course of the production of the film (as the Government of Ceylon)
• Husband & Co. of Sheffield  consulting engineers for the bridge
• OCS/Freeze Frame/Pixel Magic  negative restoration by (restoration) (as OCS/Freeze Frame)
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The  music played by (as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services at (restoration) (as Sony Pictures Studios Culver City, California)
• Sunset Gower Studios  sound stages (uncredited)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild war violence (re-rating) (1991)

Runtime:

161 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Japanese | Thai

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (RCA Sound Recording) | Mono (35 mm prints) (RCA Sound Recording) | 4-Track Stereo (Linear PCM)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:T | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (1992) | West Germany:12 (w) | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved | USA:PG (re-rating) (1991) | Brazil:12 | Japan:G (2010) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | UK:PG (tv rating) | UK:U (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Ambepussa, Sri Lanka

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Initially Alec Guinness had doubts about playing the role of Colonel Nicholson. Guinness had become a much-loved figure on screen, appearing in a series of popular comedies. The Colonel Nicholson character seemed humorless, unlovable and perhaps even dull. To remedy this, Guinness tried to interject some humor into his portrayal of the Colonel. David Lean was very much opposed to this idea, insisting that it be played straight. Thus began an argument between the two men that continued through shooting.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: It wouldn't have been necessary for Joyce, the Canadian, to go to the UK to enlist to fight against the Japanese, as he says when being interviewed to join the commando group going back to the Kwai. Canada joined the war only ten days after war was declared by the British, and Joyce could easily have enlisted at home in Montreal. However, Joyce may have wished to serve in an elite commando unit such as the SAS, which Canada lacked, or to serve in the Pacific, which, due to Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's 'limited liability' policies, Canada's involvement in the Pacific was limited to the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941 and the Aluetian Islands in 1942.

Quotes:

Colonel Saito:Do not speak to me of rules. This is war! This is not a game of cricket!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Bachelor Father: Hilda the Jewel (#4.7)" (1960)

Soundtrack:

Radio Dance Music

KWAI -- NOW

Without belittling `Kwai,' it does seem, looking backwards at David Lean's career, to be a dress rehearsal for the more operatic, tightly controlled (and better written) `Lawrence of Arabia.' Alec Guiness's passionate, detailed performance as Colonel Nicholson, above all other factors, makes Kwai a still watchable and important experience. The screenplay, however, divides unevenly between those who must build the Bridge and those who must destroy it. Ebert, in his Great Movies article, correctly identifies William Holden's character in Kwai as undergoing an implausible transition from escaped POW to martini-guzzling playboy to selfless war hero. Verbatim: `Holden's character, up until the time their guerrilla mission begins, seems fabricated; he's unconvincing playing a shirker, and his heroism at the end seems more plausible.' That, I believe, is also Kwai's greatest weakness. Holden's relationship with Jack Hawkins (playing a parallel role to his General Allenby in Lawrence) seems pallid next to the mighty Guiness/Hayakawa standoff – in fact, it seems to be in another movie altogether. Also, Malcolm Arnold's score, which I loved when I was a kid, seems now jarringly inappropriate from start to finish. I am too much influenced, I suppose, by the rock and roll jungle menace of Coppola's `Apocalypse Now.' Lastly, it is many decades past 1957. Images of whistling soldiers, marching proudly after months of captivity, then putting on an `entertainment' more expected in the world of Rodgers and Hammerstein, may ring very false to today's viewer. But keep your eyes fastened tight to Alec Guiness. Kwai is the Everest of his career, and very few actors climb that high.