With the Academy awards this week, I was in the mood to see my all time favorite war movie – Bridge on the River Kwai. It has been an annual ritual for me – I see this movie at least once a year just before the Oscars, and recently I replaced my fading VHS cassette with a digitally restored DVD version. Paisa Vasool. (meaning – money worth spent).
This movie, released in 1957 was directed by David Lean and won seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor (Alec Guiness), Best Director and Best Screenplay.
With such impressive credentials, you will not err in picking this up on your next visit to the video library / store.
The Story
The story takes place in a POW camp somewhere in Thailand around 1943 during WWII. The camp is under the command of Col. Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) an eccentric Japanese commander who believes in the old samurai code of conduct.
As a result of the surrender of the British, a battalion of British soldiers under the command of Col. Nicholson (Alec Guiness) are sent to this POW camp. Saito’s main objective is to build a bridge on the River Kwai so that there will be direct rail link between Rangoon and Bangkok which the Japanese army intended to exploit and make their way into India.
Saito wants all men to work on the bridge. Nicholson draws his attention to the Geneva code of conduct, whereby officers will not do manual labor and their job is only to supervise, even in captivity. Both men are determined not to yield which results in a stand off. Saito having the upper hand, puts Nicholson in a confined shed called as the Oven. His officers are put in a separate closed shed.
Work on the bridge commences with the remaining British soldiers under the supervision of a Japanese engineer. The morale is low and the bridge is far behind schedule and it makes Saito take personal leadership. His attempts to have dialogues with Nicholson fail, as Nicholson is adamant that his officers will not do manual labor. With the due date for the completion of the bridge (May 12) fast approaching, Saito has no choice but to compromise with Nicholson and agree to his conditions.
Nicholson uses the building of the bridge as a means to help boost the morale of his men and to instill a sense of self-pride to his soldiers that even in captivity their spirit is not broken. He gets so obsessed with the bridge that he forgets that with the building of the bridge he is aiding the enemy and furthering the cause of war.
On a parallel track we have an American Navy Sailor – Commander Shear (William Holden) who is an old inmate of the camp and whose only aim is to escape. He does manage to escape and after a torturous adventure through the jungles he manages to get rescued by a British ship and is recuperating in a hospital in Ceylon.
A British commando group is being established under the leadership of Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) whose mission is to blow up the bridge. Shear is forced to volunteer and against his wishes he returns back to the dangerous jungles.
The rest of the movie revolves around Nicholson’s pride at building a fine bridge, Saitos’ satisfaction of achieving his objective and Warden’s and Shear’s objective of blowing up the bridge.
The climax is tense and worth seeing again and again. Would highly recommend this movie for repeated viewings.
The Performances
# Alec Guiness as Colonel Nicholson. Truly an Oscar deserving performance. His character of a proud British officer who may appear crazy at times, is well enacted.
# Sessue Hayakawa as Colonel Saito. A powerful role and the scenes during his encounter with Col. Nicholson were highly charged. His famous dialogue “ Be happy in your work” – how true it is, to have an attitude like that.
# William Holden as Commander Shears. A no-nonsense soldier who is frustrated with the war and what it does to people. His personal agenda is to seek discharge from the Navy and lead a peaceful retired life.
# Jack Hawkins as Major Warden. The leader of the commando task force. A leg injury forces him to take a back seat during the climax. Powerful performance.
# Doctor Clipton. The medical officer of the camp. He is the only one who is appalled at the foolishness of the encounters between Nicholson and Saito and the madness of building the bridge and the madness of blowing up the bridge and the madness of war. His is a lone voice when he cries “ Madness, Madness….. Madness”
The above were well supported with a whole host of characters who enhanced the overall movie viewing effect.
The background music of “Colonel Bogey March” is very catchy and infectious.
I would rate this a 5/5 and recommend to be viewed at least once. After that you will want to watch it repeatedly – I guarantee that.
A timeless classic indeed.
Happy viewing.