The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – Encore Review 6

“It was an escape from reality. ” – Colonel Saito

Number of Times Seen – Too many to count (on video, DVD, 21 May 2013, 19 Feb 2016, 29 Mar 2017, 8 Jan 2019, 26 Jan 2020, 13 Jul 2021 and 20 Dec 2021)

Link to original review – Here, Here, Here, Here, Here and Here

Brief Synopsis – During 1943, a battalion of British prisoners are sent to a prison camp and forced to build a railroad and Bridge for their Japanese Captors.

My Take on it – This is among my all time favorite films and every time I watch it, I am constantly reminded as to why I love it so much.

The performances by William Holden, Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa and Jack Hawkins are superb and they help show the various viewpoints of soldiers as to the purpose of war and what one must do in order to survive it.

The story is able to piece together the 4 characters viewpoints and stories together into an amazing epic that resonates so well due to its harsh realism throughout.

The cinematography is superbly shot and they find great ways to transport the viewer into World War II Japanese occupied Burma.

The dialogue is so gripping because it can be dissected so minutely in order to really understand the underlying ideas and thoughts of each of the characters.

The film deservingly won 7 Oscars including Best Picture, Director and Actor (for Guinness).

The themes that they deal with include honor, courage, sacrifice and discipline and the way that each character looks at these ideas from varying standpoints adds so much the whole way through.

The story stays gripping and suspenseful throughout and even if one has seen it numerous times there is so much to look for in the detailed and encompassing story.

The way that things play out keep the adrenaline flowing at such a high pace and long after the credits roll, that high is still evident.

Highly Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – At one point during filming, director Sir David Lean nearly drowned when he was swept away by a river current. Actor Geoffrey Horne saved his life. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (10/10) (no change from original review)