The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

== BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI == === 1957 === === DIRECTED BY DAVID LEAN === === A REVIEW ON THE 2000 COLUMBIA TRISTAR DVD VERSION === === INTRODUCTION === I feel as I start to review this film, that I should get on my knees, bow rapidly with my arms outstretched in front of me, while shouting "We are not worthy"!! What rights have I, a retired, (rapidly) aging grandmother, to review one of the greatest films of all time? I will allow myself the ...
...to the reviews of all the other films from Sir David Lean that I have written recently. I have to make a large confession here, I used to hate the film!! The reason being that I 'didn't do war films'. I think it was probably the thought of the film I didn't like rather than the film itself, as a teenager in the 1960's, Sunday afternoon films (remember this is before VHS or DVD or Sky) were always Westerns or war films!! As I got older and watched ...

oldchem 16.08.2009 (24.08.2009) · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

Bridge On The River Kwai, made in 1957, is an outstanding film, which unlike most WWII films does not choose to take sides, giving the viewer an unique insight into both the Allied and Japanese beliefs, as well as including a strong anti-war undercurrent. The story was based on a 1952 novel "La Pont de la Riviere Kwai" by Pierre Boulle (better known for his screenplay for the Planet Of The Apes), who had been a POW in Thailand. The book won France's ...
...including Best Picture. The setting is deep in the Thai jungle, the year 1943. The film focuses on Camp 16, a few grass huts set up by the Japanese at Tamarkan, with the objective to use Allied Prisoners Of War to build a bridge over the River Kwai, part of the notorious Bangkok-Rangoon 'Death' Railway, the building of which cost the lives of 16,000 POWs and 100,000 Asian labourers. The film opens following the passage of a soaring hawk through ...

VC81 21.10.2005 (12.07.2006) · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

A tale of the building of a bridge for the Japanese forces in WWII Burma by Allied POWs. It is an enjoyable story. Given the time that it was made it is not as gory as it would have been had it shown the true extent of the suffering inflicted. One of the criticisms of this film has been the fact that it has ignored the even greater suffering of the non-whites who were forced to take part in the construction. Alec Guinness plays the commanding officer ...
...the bridge should be finished to high standards to reflect upon British workmanship. Of course the thing to do would be to hamper your enemy's progress I would have thought, especially given the sadistic nature of the opponent. William Holden (whom I don't normally enjoy watching) acts well in this film. He plays an escapee who returns to the bridge as part of a commando unit intending to destro the bridge. Both his and Guinness' incredulity at ...

oclumhain 05.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

The British at war, again. Actually in The Bridge Over The River Kwai the British are no longer at war as such although the prisoners try to carry out their war to the best of their abilities. This is a true if dramatised tale of the deadly and infamous Burma railway and in particular one portion of it at the River Kwai. Having captured thousands of Allied forces in Burma and neighbouring countries, the Japanese force the prisoners to build a railway ...
...the aid of the Geneva Convention. That is the reality. The film strays a little from the truth. The British stiff upper lip is provided by the master in portraying this trait, Alec Guinness, as he and selected officers supervise the building of the bridge. To begin with the troops do their best to sabotage the project much to the annoyance of the Japanese guards but the Colonel decides that to build a proper bridge would show the Japanese what the ...

jimbuck 18.12.2000 (19.12.2000) · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

...this in my opinion is the legendary David Lean's finest piece of directorial work. It stars Alec Guinness, William Holden, Sessue Hayakawa, Jack Hawkins and Geoffrey Horne. It won an incredible 7 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Writing, Best Music Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography. This i made even more remarkable because it was up against Twelve Angry Men that year in some of the main categories and furthermore the ...
...The story itself is fictitious but is based on some general accuracies regarding prisoner of war camps in Thailand during the second world war, the treatment of prisoners by the Japanese and the building of various railway bridges by the Japanese army using prisoners of war as labourers. The running time is 161 minutes and the film is currently ranked number 68th of all time by the Internet Movie Database web site. I rank this film as being in the ...

bella6789 23.02.2009 (04.03.2009) · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

...to build a bridge over the river Kwai to be used to transport Japanese weaponry. Led by colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) the men seek to build a better bridge than the Japanese could proving that the British resolve is stronger than any other nations. In the meantime, American POW Shears (William Holden) is persuaded to go back to the camp where he was held in order to blow up the bridge. To his surprise he finds resolute defence of the bridge by ...
...if you are a Brit...). The portrayal of British stiff upper lip by Guinness is I believe one of the most outstanding and frightening performances in cinema history. He will stop at nothing to protect his bridge and honour and does so to obsessive excess. the support cast also put in great performances, notably William Holden as the bemused American POW and Jack Hawkins as the Warden also maintaining British pride. Often referred to as a classic, ...

Nixu1980 17.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

Bridge on the River Kwai(1957): Great adaptation from the complex novel written by Pierre Boulle.Its subject shows us the question:Respect to work or love of nation must come first?The director put his style to this film and make it one of the big films of century.The story is;the British P.O.Ws ,who is under control of Japan army in a camp,are forced to build a crucial bridge at that time a commando team plans to destroy it.What is decision of British ...
...Holden and Alec Guinness help the movie to get many stars.The movie gets 8 Academy Awards nomination and wins 7 Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Actor-Alec Guinness. Cast: Director:David Lean Star:William Holden ,Alec Guinness ,Jack Hawkins ,Sessue Hayakawa ,James Donald ,Geoffrey Horne ,Andre Morell ,Peter Williams ,Percy Herbert ,Harold Goodwin ,Ann Sears ,K. Katsumoto ,Henry Okawa ...

Dreamlight 25.09.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

The Bridge Over The River Kwai came out 1957. It was a box office hit. It's a true story that happen during WWII. The real life character of Lieutenant Colonel Philip. Played by (Alec Guinness) refuses to allow his officers to work, which brings on harsh treatment. After a month of this, Commandant, Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) decides to let Lieutenant Colonel Philip out of the sweat -box, because he is running behind building this bridge, They ...
...up. The acting is done very well, and I never get tired watching this movie. I just love it when they come marching into camp, whistling. There are a lot of twist in turns in this movie. Eight Academy Award nominations Seven Seven Academy Award: Best Actor (Alec Guinness) Best Supporting Actor Sessue Hayakawa, he lost. Best Screenplay Best Picture Best Cinematography Best Score Best Film Editing ...

blueberry 05.01.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)

...film is definately one of the best films to come out the the world war II genere. It is definately a brilliant yet harrowing accout of the construction of the bridge over that fateful river and more generally of the hardships faced by men taken prisoner by the Japanise in the pacific campaigns. Despite sometimes becoming tedious in its portail of the day to day labour of the prisoners it is still a fascinating film and in my opinion one of the best ...
...careful planning help to add spice to the film and rase it to another level of film. The daring commando assult at the ending stage of the film and its bizzare conclusion really works well to cement the film as a classic in its own right. ...

Hound 11.06.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Bridge On The River Kwai (DVD)