MASTER DIRECTOR - AND HIS CRAFT !!
THE MOVIE---------1957 BEFORE I WAS BORN.
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The plot is in 1943 Colonel Nicholson surrender in Singapore, marches his British company into a Japanese prisoners camp in the Burma jungle , Colonel Saito runs the camp and orders the new prisoners build a railway bridge between Rangoon and Malaysia. The clash of cultures start, Nicholson forces Saito to respect Geneva Convention and save his officers from manual labor on the construction. After this victory, Nicholson slowly understands to save his men, he needs to devise a plan of survival so he wants to see the bridge completed and exhorts his men by saying it is a morale booster for all of them. Meanwhile U.S. Navy Cmdr. Shears who sees the colonel Nicholson arrival escapes from the camp only to be later compelled into joining a British commando mission led by Maj. Warden and sensitive Lt. Joyce with the goal of blowing up the bridge over river Kwai. The movie proceeds between the parallel story lines of the bridge construction and the commando progress thru jungle to destroy the mission.
Whistling of "Colonel Bogey March" is heard when Colonel Nicholson is leading his men towards prison camp of Colonel Saito.
THE ATTACHEMENT OF TRUE INCIDENT AND A PERSON
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The real "Colonel Nicholson" and the River Kwai veterans.
Allied camp commander, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, Awarded the DSO for heroism during the defense of Singapore, he stayed behind with his men in captivity to ensure as many of his men as possible would survive.
He endured regular beatings and ill-treatment of prisoners, he was a good negotiator he was able to win many concessions from the Japanese by convincing them he will speed the completion of the work. Behind their backs, he used to do everything possible to delay the construction, he also helped organize 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. He became President of the National Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War.
There is a printed book on his life called "The Man Behind the Bridge" by Peter Davies.
THE DIRECTOR
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David Lean films of Lawrence of Arabia , Dr.Zhivago , Bridge on the river Kwai, A Passage to India are some of the classic films of all times, they are rated as the top 50 films ever made.
THE ACTORS
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William Holden .... Cmdr. Shears
Jack Hawkins .... Maj. Warden
Alec Guinness .... Col. Nicholson
Sessue Hayakawa .... Col. Saito
Ann Sears .... Nurse at Siamese hospital
M.R.B. Chakrabandhu .... Yai
THE AWARDS
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Won 7 Oscars
MY REVIEW
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There are so many ways this great classical movie can be reviewed, I can review the great talent of David Lean, the acting prowess of Sir Alec Guinness, the story, the acting of William holden and the clash between Saito vs Nicholson, the gems of direction of David Lean are evident from the scenes of the men marching a camera zoom and close up of feet beating up and down on the damp earth show a pair of feet wearing half shoes, the naked toes peeping out. All this with the sweet music of the whistle called "Colonel Bogey March" Poetry in filming.
William Holden running lost in the wilds during his escape from the camp.Camera goes to a bird flying overhead we are hooked to Cmdr.Shears plight and the Camera takes you with the bird and shows you a village with friendly people. Shots like these can be called gem and poetry in of filming.
Colonel Saito getting the cheers from Alec Guinness after confessing his choice of HARAKIRI and loss of face if the bridge does not get completed on time is a directors highlight of conflicting emotions and conflicting humans in difficult times. Is this a anti war movie or pro is not important, what is important is the art and the details and the building of the story and the building of the plot without showing blood shed, without outlandish loud music, without out zapping of your senses, the movie is purely emotional, human, relatable and fun to watch every time and anytime, there are so many conflicts prevailing all along the movie We’ve got Saito vs. Nicholson, Shears vs. Nicholson, Clipton vs. Nicholson, Shears vs. Warden, Warden vs. Nicholson.
There is the other side of the story Shears meeting with Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) who tells Shears that Nicholson is one of his men and that his platoon surrendered because he Warden ordered him to surrender. And another angle to the story of the bridge, everything and anything in this movie is connected to the bridge, the camp, the aspersions of the prisoners, the aspirations of the Camp commander the aspersions of the nations the aspirations of the Commando unit wading thru the jungle and the director is leading all of us thru the medium of BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI masterfully all along it.
Reaching the climax you wonder about the clean story and no use of foul words and still the film is entertaining, best of all it is a dedication to a real life soldier who did big service to his unit very selflessly that I believe should stand out above all, this film is a dedication to Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey, this is the most important accolade of all in this film, it will remain the best award all along, where do you as a common man get to inspire a film maker and a great director to make a film near to your life or even if it is not the whole truth but still a tribute to your spirit is the best subtext of this film. I am always with the common man away from the world of glamour and powerful. According to me that is no gimmick.
I END MY REVIEW WITH A ANTI-WAR DIALOG FROM THIS GREAT FILM:-
"You and that Col. Nicholson, this war is just a game to you. How to die like soldier, how to die like a gentleman. When the only important thing is how to live like a human being!"
Yo living like humans is primal to all other alternatives !!!!!!!!