Return from the River Kwai (1989)

A group of war prisoners from the Kwai bridge building camp undertake a harsh journey to Japan.

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writers:

Joan Blair (book), Clay Blair Jr. (book),

Stars:

Timothy Bottoms, Nick Tate, George Takei

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Timothy Bottoms	...	Seaman Miller
Nick Tate	...	Lt. Commander Hunt
George Takei	...	Lieutenant Tanaka
Edward Fox	...	Major Benford
Paul Holm	...	Benford's Patient
Chris Penn	...	Lieutenant Crawford (as Christopher Penn)
Ronnie Lazaro	...	Boonrod
Richard Graham	...	Sergeant Perry
Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Major Harada
Denholm Elliott	...	Colonel Grayson
Anna Maria Tirol	...	Meo Girl
Andres Tepongco	...	Anon
Masato Nagamori	...	Lieutenant Yamashita
Pierre Valderon	...	Frenchman in Saigon
Patricia Edmondson	...	Lady in Saigon

Storyline

A group of war prisoners has spilt blood, sweat and tears to construct a bridge over the river Kwai in Thailand. Just when the bridge is ready, an American bomber arrives and destroys it. Camp commander Tanaka wants to set an example and orders that some of the prisoners must be executed. Just in time major Harada arrives with orders that the healthiest prisoners must be transported to Japan by train and boat. A treacherous journey since the allied forces keep a close eye on railroads and practically own the seas. The prisoners are thinking of plans to escape. Meanwhile the American bomber has been shot down and it's pilot, Leyland Crawford, is being rescued by the indigenous people, the Meo. The Meo have formed a resistance group against the Japanese, led by the British colonel Grayson.

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Plot Keywords:

japan | british | train | asia | british soldier | 

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Genres:

War | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 July 1989 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

El regreso del río Kwai

Filming Locations:

Malaysia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Roadshow Productions, Screenlife Establishments

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby Stereo)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's opening prologue states: "In February 1945, planes from the 493rd Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps bombed and destroyed bridges on the River Kwai in Japanese occupied Thailand. This film is based on the true events which happened during that period."

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Connections

Follows The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

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Soundtracks

"Rule Britannia"
(uncredited)
Music by Thomas Augustine Arne
Arranged by Lalo Schifrin

User Reviews

Mediocre follow-up from immortal film realized with low budget

By summer 1943on the Asian mainland, Japanese troops had overrun much of the southeast Asia. They had conquered what is now Malasya and Burma. The British defenders and their allied had retreated north and west into India. The bridge of the River Kwai was placed on the so-called ¨Burma road¨stretched north from the Burmese , Rangoon, into southern China, It combined a railroad with a winding track through the high mountains near the Chinese border . There had many valuable natural resources, including large large oil fields, and Japan's victory in 1942 cut off the only land route into China from outside. The mountain and jungle of Burma were some of the most demanding environments for fighting in the whole war. Burma and Thailand was strategically valuable, however , it guarded the supply routes to China where were a million Japanese troops, but in such a huge country even that number could not win a decisive victory over the Allied. In Thailand working for building a bridge over the River Kwai were a group of war prisoners, mostly Australian and Brits, Maj. Benford(Edward Fox),Cmdr Hunt(Nick Tate),Seaman Miller(Timothy Bottoms) among others, under rigid orders of camp of concentration's commandant Tanaka(George Takei). Cruel conditions in the concentration camp make life very difficult and the climate also had a significant impact on the prisoners. Meantime the bridge is bombing by American aircraft piloted by lieutenant Crawford(Chris Penn, recently deceased), but he's gunned down ,being picked up by the Meo,an indigenous tribe. The Meo have created a resistance group commanded by British colonel Grayson(Demholm Elliott).Then the convicts find many dangerous as they are transported by rail and later shipped by sea to serve as slave workers. As they pass throughout several places and cities,Nonh Penh, Saigon until embark into a freighter, but an Allied submarine sight the ship..

The film is following from classic'Bridge on the river Kwai¨and starts where the original terminated with the explosion of the bridge. It's an inferior version and made in a television style. The motion picture is based on true events written by Clay and Joan Blair. The picture is middling directed by Andrew V. McLagen, Victor McLagen's son.