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The Bridge on the River Kwai ()

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British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.
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Writers:
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Awards:
  • Won 7 Oscars. Another 23 wins & 7 nominations.
  • See more »
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Photos and Videos

82 photos | 4 videos

Cast verified as complete

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Shears
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Colonel Nicholson
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Major Warden
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Colonel Saito
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Major Clipton
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Lieutenant Joyce
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Colonel Green (as Andre Morell)
Peter Williams ...
Captain Reeves
John Boxer ...
Major Hughes
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Grogan
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Baker
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Nurse
Heihachirô Ôkawa ...
Captain Kanematsu (as Henry Okawa)
Keiichirô Katsumoto ...
Lieutenant Miura (as Keiichiro Katsumoto, K. Katsumoto)
M.R.B. Chakrabandhu ...
Yai
Vilaiwan Seeboonreaung ...
Siamese Girl
Ngamta Suphaphongs ...
Siamese Girl
Javanart Punynchoti ...
Siamese Girl
Kannikar Dowklee ...
Siamese Girl
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Tokyo Rose (uncredited) (voice)
Christopher Greet ...
British Officer (uncredited)
Herbert Nelson ...
Bit part (uncredited)

Directed by

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David Lean

Written by

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Pierre Boulle ... (novel "Le pont de la rivière Kwaï")
 
Carl Foreman ... (screenplay) (originally uncredited)
 
Michael Wilson ... (screenplay) (originally uncredited)

Produced by

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Sam Spiegel ... producer (produced by)

Music by

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Malcolm Arnold

Cinematography by

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Jack Hildyard ... director of photography

Editing by

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Peter Taylor ... chief editor

Editorial Department

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George Hively ... editor: restoration
William Pine ... color timer (restoration) (as Bill Pine)

Art Direction by

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Donald M. Ashton

Makeup Department

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Stuart Freeborn ... makeup artist
George Partleton ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Cecil F. Ford ... production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Gus Agosti ... assistant director
Ted Sturgis ... assistant director
John Kerrison ... second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Geoffrey Drake ... assistant art director
Peter Dukelow ... construction manager
Eddie Fowlie ... property master (uncredited)
Charlie Parfitt ... props (uncredited)

Sound Department

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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
John Aldred ... re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Peter Davies ... post-synchronisation (uncredited)
Malcolm Stewart ... sound (uncredited)

Stunts

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Frank Howard ... stunts (uncredited)
Dennis Ison ... stunt driver (uncredited)
Nosher Powell ... stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Archie Dansie ... chief electrician
Peter Newbrook ... camera operator
Ron Drinkwater ... clapper loader (uncredited)
Gerry Fisher ... additional camera operator (uncredited) / assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Merry ... lighting technician (uncredited)
Abdus Samad ... apprentice cinematographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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John Wilson-Apperson ... wardrobe (as John Apperson)

Music Department

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Malcolm Arnold ... conductor (uncredited)
Charles Camilleri ... additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Harry Pitch ... musician: harmonica (uncredited)
John Scott ... chorus director: whistlers (uncredited) / musician: piccolo and flute (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Angela Martelli ... continuity

Additional Crew

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Brian Brockwell ... production accountant: Not Credited on Screen
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) / technical advisor (uncredited)
Grady Johnson ... publicist (uncredited)
Maurice Landsberger ... cashier (uncredited)
Pamela Mann ... production secretary (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

During WW II, allied POWs in a Japanese internment camp 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're persuaded the bridge should be built to help morale, spirit. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of Japanese Commandant Colonel Saito, but soon they realise it's a monument to Nicholson, himself, as well as a form of collaboration with the enemy. Written by alfiehitchie

Plot Keywords
Taglines The towering triumph of adventure from the makers of "Lawrence of Arabia." See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • El puente sobre el río Kwai (United States, Spanish title)
  • Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï (France)
  • Die Brücke am Kwai (Germany)
  • El pont sobre el riu Kwai (Spain, Catalan title)
  • El puente sobre el río Kwai (Spain)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 161 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $3,000,000 (estimated)
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $2,760,714

Did You Know?

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Trivia Colonel Saito was inspired by Major Risaburo Saito, who, unlike the character portrayed in this movie, was said by some to be one of the most reasonable and humane of all of the Japanese prison camp commandants, usually willing to negotiate with the P.O.W.s in return for their labor. Such was the respect between Saito and Lieutenant Colonel Toosey (upon whom Colonel Nicholson was based), that Toosey spoke up on Saito's behalf at the war crimes tribunal after the war, saving him from the gallows. Ten years after Toosey's 1975 death, Saito made a pilgrimage to England to visit his grave. See more »
Goofs Japan was not a signatory of the Geneva Conventions until 1953, therefore there was no expectation by Allied prisoners of being treated in accordance with them. In fact, the Japanese mistreatment of prisoners of war led to the review and update of the conventions in 1949. See more »
Movie Connections Edited into The Geisha Boy (1958). See more »
Soundtracks Colonel Bogey March See more »
Crazy Credits And introducing Geoffrey Horne See more »
Quotes Colonel Nicholson: What have I done?
See more »
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