To End All Wars (2001)

A true story about four Allied POW's who endure harsh treatment from their Japanese captors during World War II while being forced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle. Ultimately... See full summary »

Director:

David L. Cunningham

Writers:

Ernest Gordon (book), Brian Godawa (screenplay)

Stars:

Ciarán McMenamin, Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ciarán McMenamin	...	Capt. Ernest 'Ernie' Gordon
Robert Carlyle	...	Maj. Ian Campbell
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Lt. Jim 'Yankee' Reardon
Mark Strong	...	Dusty Miller
Yugo Saso	...	Takashi Nagase
Sakae Kimura	...	Sgt. Ito
James Cosmo	...	Lt. Col. Stuart McLean
Masayuki Yui	...	Capt. Noguchi
John Gregg	...	Camp Doctor Coates
Shû Nakajima	...	Nagatomo (as Shu Nakajima)
Greg Ellis	...	Sgt. Roger Primrose
Pip Torrens	...	Lt. Foxworth
James McCarthy	...	Norman
Brendan Cowell	...	Wallace Hamilton
Winton Nicholson	...	Duncan

Storyline

A true story about four Allied POW's who endure harsh treatment from their Japanese captors during World War II while being forced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle. Ultimately they find true freedom by forgiving their enemies. Based on the true story of Ernest Gordon.

---

Plot Keywords:

japanese | jungle | corporal punishment | burma | freedom | 

---

Taglines:

In a jungle war of survival, they learned sacrifice. In a prison of brutal confinement, they found true freedom.

---

Genres:

Drama | War | Action

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for war violence and brutality, and for some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

2 September 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Última das Guerras

Filming Locations:

Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argyll Film Partners, Gummshoe Productions, Integrity Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min 110 min (TV) 110 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening prologue states: "The following account is based on actual events during World War II, when 61,000 Allied POWs were forced to build the Thailand-Burma Railway."

---

Goofs

The real commander of the 2nd battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Lieutenant Colonel Ian Stewart, was not killed in a POW camp. He, and some others, managed to escape to India.

---

Quotes

Ernest Gordon: Lt. Jim Reardon, Merchant Marine, one of the few Americans in the area, attached himself to the Argyles during the Allied surrender. We called him "Yanker," because he was an American - and a bit of a wanker.

---

Soundtracks

"MO MHIANN (HEALING HEART)"
Written and Performed by Maire Brennan

User Reviews

Powerful in the way that Schindler's List was powerful

Most of the reviews I've read of this film use the word "powerful" to describe it, and I will too. It's powerful because it's realistic; no stereotyped good guys or bad guys here (it's based on a true story, after all), and yet plenty of cruelty and some kindness, which leads to an exploration of themes such as justice and mercy in a way that (at last) doesn't lead to boredom or cynicism. It's *not* a light relief to watch this -- but nor was Schindler's List, possibly the only other prison-camp movie which matches this one for exploration of human motivation and hope.

Oh, and it stars a crop of very respectable (and largely British) actors. Why, oh why has this never had a cinema release in the UK?