IMDb > The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
The Bridge on the River Kwai
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The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) More at IMDbPro »

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The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) -- After settling his differences with a Japanese PoW camp commander, a British colonel co-operates to oversee his men's construction of a railway bridge for their captors - while oblivious to a plan by the Allies to destroy it.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) -- Clip: What have I done
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) -- After settling his differences with a Japanese PoW camp commander, a British colonel co-operates to oversee his men's construction of a railway bridge for their captors - while oblivious to a plan by the Allies to destroy it.
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
David Lean
Writer (WGA):
Pierre Boulle (novel)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Bridge on the River Kwai on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 October 1957 (UK) more
Genre:
Adventure | Drama | War more
Tagline:
It spans a whole new world of entertainment!
Plot:
After settling his differences with a Japanese PoW camp commander, a British colonel co-operates to oversee his men's construction of a railway bridge for their captors - while oblivious to a plan by the Allies to destroy it. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 7 Oscars. Another 23 wins & 5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(17 articles)
Birthday Suit: You've Seen Demi's
 (From FilmExperience. 11 November 2009, 4:00 AM, PST)
Geek Deal: Columbia Best Picture Collection for $60
 (From Slash Film. 17 September 2009, 11:30 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Good film, but a travesty of history more (210 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

William Holden ... Shears

Alec Guinness ... Colonel Nicholson
Jack Hawkins ... Major Warden
Sessue Hayakawa ... Colonel Saito
James Donald ... Major Clipton
Geoffrey Horne ... Lieutenant Joyce
André Morell ... Colonel Green (as Andre Morell)
Peter Williams ... Captain Reeves
John Boxer ... Major Hughes
Percy Herbert ... Grogan
Harold Goodwin ... Baker
Ann Sears ... Nurse
Heihachiro Okawa ... Captain Kanematsu (as Henry Okawa)
Keiichiro Katsumoto ... Lieutenant Miura (as K. Katsumoto)
M.R.B. Chakrabandhu ... Col. Broome Yai
Vilaiwan Seeboonreaung ... Siamese Girl
Ngamta Suphaphongs ... Siamese Girl
Javanart Punynchoti ... Siamese Girl
Kannikar Dowklee ... Siamese Girl
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Directed by
David Lean 
 
Writing credits
(WGA)
Michael Wilson (screenplay) originally uncredited and
Carl Foreman (screenplay) originally uncredited

Pierre Boulle (novel "Le pont de la rivière Kwaï")

Produced by
Sam Spiegel .... producer
 
Original Music by
Malcolm Arnold (music by)
 
Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard 
 
Film Editing by
Peter Taylor (chief editor)
 
Art Direction by
Donald M. Ashton 
 
Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn .... makeup artist
George Partleton .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Cecil F. Ford .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gus Agosti .... assistant director
Ted Sturgis .... assistant director
John Kerrison .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Geoffrey Drake .... assistant art director
Peter Dukelow .... construction manager
 
Sound Department
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
Joel Fein .... sound mixer (restoration)
Don Hall .... sound editor (restoration)
Norma Hawkes .... additional sound editor
Gary Krivacek .... sound editor (restoration)
Peter Miller .... additional sound editor
Bob Minkler .... sound mixer (restoration)
John W. Mitchell .... sound (as John Mitchell)
Winston Ryder .... chief sound editor
B. Tennyson Sebastian III .... sound mixer (restoration) (as Tennyson Sebastian)
Peter Davies .... post-synchronisation (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Nosher Powell .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Archie Dansie .... chief electrician
Peter Newbrook .... camera operator
Ron Drinkwater .... clapper loader (uncredited)
Gerry Fisher .... additional camera operator (uncredited)
Gerry Fisher .... assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Merry .... lighting technician (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Wilson-Apperson .... wardrobe (as John Apperson)
 
Editorial Department
George Hively .... editor (restoration)
William Pine .... color timer (restoration) (as Bill Pine)
Sati Tooray .... colorist (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Angela Martelli .... continuity
Jim Painten .... producer of restoration
L.E.M. Perowne .... technical advisor (as Major-Gen. L.E.M. Perowne)
William Harrigan Jr. .... technical advisor (uncredited)
Robert Haslam .... consultant: explosives (uncredited)
Robert Haslam .... technical advisor (uncredited)
Grady Johnson .... publicist (uncredited)
Maurice Landsberger .... production accountant (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG for mild war violence. (1991 reissue)
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
161 min
Country:
UK | USA
Language:
English | Japanese | Thai
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.55 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (RCA Sound System) | Dolby SR (re-release) | Mono (35 mm prints)
Certification:
Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved | USA:PG (re-rating) (1991) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:T | UK:PG | West Germany:12 (w) | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG (Ontario)
Filming Locations:
Ambepussa, Sri Lanka more
Company:
Horizon Pictures (II) more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In some prints of this movie, star Alec Guinness's surname is written as "Guiness". more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Col. Saito leaves Col. Nicholson and the other officers standing in the sun their shadows lengthen during the day. The scene then cuts to a view from inside the 'hospital' and the shadows of the officers are noticeably shorter. more
Quotes:
Colonel Nicholson: It is quite understandable; it's a very natural reaction. But one day - in a week, a month, a year - on that day when, God willing, we all return to our homes again, you're going to feel very proud of what you have achieved here in the face of great adversity... more
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in Spaceballs (1987) more
Soundtrack:
God Save the King more

FAQ

A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
What Does Warden (Jack Hawkins) Mean By "I Had To Do It"?
Is this a true story?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
182 out of 284 people found the following comment useful.
Good film, but a travesty of history, 29 June 2002
6/10
Author: gcaplan from UK

I am normally an admirer of David Lean. But it is difficult to understand why he chose to base this film on a real event at the River Kwai, as it grossly misrepresents the real "Colonel Nicholson" and caused considerable distress to both him and the River Kwai veterans.

The Colonel Nicholson character is based on the allied camp commander, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, who was a remarkable officer by any standards.

Awarded the DSO for heroism during the defence of Singapore, he refused an order to join the evacuation so he could remain with his men during captivity. In the hellish conditions of the camp, he worked courageously to ensure that as many of his men as possible would survive. He endured regular beatings when he complained of ill-treatment of prisoners, but as a skilled negotiator he was able to win many concessions from the Japanese by convincing them that this would speed the completion of the work. Behind their backs, however, he did everything possible to delay and sabotage the construction without endangering his men, and also helped organise a daring escape, at considerable cost to himself. For his conduct in the camp, he won the undying respect of his men.

After the war, he showed great generosity of spirit by saving the life of Colonel Saito, second in command at the camp and a relatively decent officer, when he spoke up for him at the war crimes tribunal. He worked for the veterans all his life, and became President of the National Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War.

He refused repeated requests by the veterans to speak out against the film, being much too modest to seek any glory or recognition for himself. However you will find his achievements documented in a book by Professor Peter Davies entitled "The Man Behind the Bridge".

Toosey hoped that no one watching the film would believe a British Army officer could be so stupid in real life. But with the film being rated on this site as one of the top 50 movies of all time, this hope may have been misplaced. Enjoy the film by all means as a work of fiction, but it is surely important to set the record straight and recognise the heroism of the real man involved.

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Am i the only one who thinks that.... jenseyde
Major Warden's Retreat wrunge7-1
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Greatest Last Lines in Movie History DD-931
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