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