Rating: 
Summary: One of the greatest ever!
Review: The Bridge on the River Kwai is one of those classics that never gets old. The movie tells the story of prisoners of war forced to build a bridge for their Japanese captors. However the British commanding officer will have none of this and instantly puts up a fight. Later the movie follows the prisoners efforts at building the bridge as well as the story involving Allied commandoes who are attempting to destroy the bridge. This classic is full of great performances that should not be missed. Alec Guinness, who won an Academy Award for his role, plays Colonel Nicholson, the stubborn British officer. His conflict with Colonel Saito(Sessue Hayakawa) provides much of the plot for the first hour of the movie. William Holden is Shears, a man who escapes from the prison camp only to return with Force 316 as they try to destroy the bridge. Jack Hawkins gives another good role as Warden, the team leader, who will do anything to complete the mission. Also worthwhile is Geoffrey Horne as Joyce, the youngest member of the team. This is not one of those action packed fliks that is so prevalent today. The movie is really more of a character study than anything else.
The limited edition DVD is perfect and should not be missed by any fans of this classic. The documentary on the making of the movie is very good. There is also a widescreen presentation with many other worthwhile extras. If nothing else, at least watch the last twenty minutes of the movie. It is one of the most tense scenes in movie history. You can just feel the anxiety as the end draws near. Do Not Miss This Classic!
Rating: 
Summary: Questions Prompted By Subsequent Viewings
Review: Upon their initial refusal to work, Col. Nicholson and his officers are left to stand all day in the tropical sun. At dusk, Nicholson is beaten to the point of being unable to walk, and is carried to "the oven," a sheet-metal solitary confinement cell with no ventilation. Some number of days later -- possibly as much as three -- the camp doctor is allowed to visit Nicholson, whose first utterance (here's Hollywood talking) is, "How are the men?" Shouldn't Nicholson have been dead by that time or, at the very least, absolutely debilitated and unconscious from dehydration and heat exhaustion? Everyone focused upon Nicholson's adversities, but seemed to overlook the rest of the officers. They too were placed in confinement, a ventilated sheet-metal cell approximately the same size as Nicholson's, but which held about eight men for the same amount of time Nicholson was confined. When Nicholson was finally freed, he stood to shake hands with the other officers as they were released. They looked pretty darned chipper. Shouldn't they have been in deplorable condition by that time, from being so closely pent-up for that period? This unit of British soldiers had been beaten down and ordered to surrender. Upon their arrival at camp headquarters, we see how tattered they are, with decimated shoes and worn uniforms (wholly plausible in the circumstances). Yet in the first scene shown after Obi-wan Kenobi was set free, we see him crisply clad in fresh military khakis. Did they have new clothing parachuted in, or what? "Bridge on the River Kwai" is an epic in the grand style of other great true and fictional British disaster films -- "Zulu" (where spears defeated Redcoat muskets because soldiers had to sign out for their bullets), "Titanic" (no explanation required) and "The Patriot" (wherein ragtag militia commanded by Melvin Gibson defeated an entire Empire's war machine). Don't miss "Bridge" -- it's an absolute classic.
Rating:
Summary: A must see........
Review: At a local movie theater on the first Monday of the month they run one showing of a classic movie. One day I saw that The Bridge on the River Kwai was playing. I walked out of the theater knowing I had seen one of the best movies ever made.
The plot is about a bridge being built by Allied prisoners of war. The battle centers around two strong willed men. Col Nicholson (Alec Guinness) a british commander who refuses to comply with Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa)who runs the camp. During this battle Cmdr./Maj. Shears (William Holden) escapes only to be called back into duty to destroy the bridge that now Nicholson has taken great pride in constructing.
This is one of those movies that is slow paced but done so deliberetly. Director David Lean paces the movie so by the end you don't even want to go to the bathroom, (Lean would use the same style in the brilliant Lawrence of Arabia).
Rating: 
Summary: This made me think of renting Bataan (1943) with Desi Arnaz.
Review: I will watch just about any movie with William Holden in it and I have been curious to see the much hyped The Bridge On The River Kwai. Well, I was disappointed and was very bored by the film. It made me think of renting Bataan (1943) with a young Desi Arnaz. Not many bonuses in this DVD. I do like the computer special effects in "Main Menu" and the selection to show a frame of the rain during "subtitles selection". I love the sound of rain. Idea: Some company should make a DVD of two hours of rain.
Rating:
Summary: No collection complete without
Review: It's #13 on the American Film Institute's (AFI) top 100 list and is from David Lean the same director who made Lawrence of Arabia, both these movies earned 7 academy awards, including Best Picture for that year; so obviously he must know how to make a movie, a good movie.
Rating:
Summary: Span The Bridge
Review: 1957's Bridge On The River Kwai is a stirring war film that is based on a novel that itself was inspired by real life events. The movie stars William Holden and Alec Guinness as an American commander, Major Shears, and an English officer, Colonel Nicholson, respectively who are captives in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The camp is run by the heartless and maniacal Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) and he has been put in charge of constructing a railroad bridge over the river that will be extremely important to the Japanese war effort. Saito and Nicholson are at constant odds over the British captives role in helping build the bridge. Nicholson does not want to aid his enemies in such an important task and Saito uses abusive and sadistic means of punishment to try and break Nicholson, but due to Nicholson's high honor, he never gives in. Eventually the men reach a compromise and Nicholson throws his men into task of building the bridge with a fervent and obsessive nature. A parallel story line concerns Major Shears who escapes from the camp, makes an inspired trek through the dangerous jungle and finds his way back to a base in the South Pacific. He provides the commanders with the information about the bridge, but his true motives are selfish as he wants to go home. He is forced into volunteering to guide a British troop back into the jungle to the prisoner's camp to destroy the bridge. Along on this mission is the leader Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) who is way too gung ho about it for Shears' liking. The eventual intertwining of the two stories reaches a brilliant and rousing climax. Director David Lean uses the jungle scenery of Sri Lanka to beautiful perfection to recreate the images of World War II. He never resorts to gratuitous violence or mayhem , but expertly crafts a story about the psychological effects war has on three men who at first seem quite different, but in the end seem very much the same. The film was a rousing success and dominated the 1957 Academy Awards winning a total seven including Best Picture, Mr. Lean's first Best Director Award and a truly deserving Best Actor Oscar for Sir Alec Guinness.
Rating:
Summary: 1 Bridge, 2 Immovable Forces, 3 Great Stars, SEVEN OSCARS!
Review: This review refers to Columbia/Tri Star 2000 release DVD of "The Bridge on the River Kwai".... I am still whistling that wonderful theme song from this film(I watched it 2 days ago),"Colonel Bogey March". From the moment the British soldiers march into the Japaneese P.O.W. camp, whistling that tune I was once again hooked on this fabulous World War II movie! The story, based on the novel by Pierre Boulle, is loosely based on actual events that occured during the war.The very proper Colonel Nicholson(Alec Guinness) leads his captured,but proud and tattered British troops into the Japaneese P.O.W. camp they have been assigned to.It is there that he comes face to face with the commander of the camp, the equally proper Colonel Saito(Sessue Hayakawa).Saito and Nicholson are immediatly at odds, concerning the assignment of the British, to build a railway bridge for their enemies over the River Kwai.Both men are highly principled in their beliefs, stubborn in their ways and will not give in where their honor is concerned.Saito seems to have the upper hand, using cruel and unusual punishment to try to persuade Nicholson, but to no avial. The bridge must be built and eventually they come to a compromise.Nicholson sets his men to the task in an almost obssessive way and takes great pride in the job his men are doing. Meanwhile......an escapee from the camp, American sailor Shears(William Holden),whose only ambition is to get home, has now "volunteered" to lead a task force, including the over zealous British commander Major Warden(Jack Hawkins),back to the camp so they can blow up the bridge.And of course you know with Holden leading the team there will also be some romance mixed in with the action! It's a great adventure from start to finish. Directed by David Lean with perfection, filmed in the breathtaking locales of Ceylon, with an engaging script by Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman, you'll fall in love with this epic film.It recieved the Best Picture(1957) Award from Oscar and also garnered a Best Director for Lean, and Best Actor for Guinness, as well as Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, and Music Scoring! You will not miss one detail of the jungles in this beautifully remastered DVD. The colors are sharp and vibrant. It is presented in the original theatrical widescreen(anamorphic), aspect ratio 2.55:1, and every bit of scenery right to the edges is outstanding. The choices on the sound are 5.1 Dol Dig or 2.0 surround. The dialouge is crisp and clear, as is the musical score. The surrounding sounds are not quite as clear but is still good. It may be viewed in several languages or with subtitles as well. There is not too much on the special features on this edition(see tech info), however there is a "Limited Edition" for not much more than this one with a ton of extras(if only I'd known when I bought this one...),that is also by Columbia so I would guess the picture and sound are excellent as well. One of the best war movies ever made..go for it..Laurie
Rating:
Summary: My second favorite David Lean picture.
Review: "The Bridge On The River Kwai" is one of the best movies ever made. It's my second favorite David Lean picture. The movie deals with the British soldiers who were forced, by Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa, Oscar-nominated) and Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness, Oscar-winner), to build a railway bridge in the jungle for the trains to cross, but Major Shears (William Holden) and other allied men were here to destroy it. The movie is the winner of 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director (David Lean). I have this movie on the Limited Edition 2-Disc DVD and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Another outstanding David Lean movie.
Review: "The Bridge On The River Kwai" is easily one of the best movies ever made. David Lean is an excellent director. That's why he won the Oscar. The movie deals with the British soldiers who were forced, by Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa, Oscar-nominated) and Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness, Oscar-winner), to build the bridge in the jungle for the trains to cross on the railway, but Major Shears (William Holden) and the other allied men were here to destroy it. The movie is the winner of 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture. I have "The Bridge On The River Kwai" on the 2-Disc Limited Edition DVD and I'm glad to own it. I also recommend other Lean films including "Lawrence Of Arabia" (my favorite Lean picture) and "Doctor Zhivago.
Rating:
Summary: Classic POW Burma Flick
Review: This movie shows a classic war of wills between two strong characters. Col. Nickelson was of the old India school. The discipline he and his men have is far superior to the Japanese. As is their enginnering and technical know-how. How was it then that the Japs were able to defeat the British so badly at the beginning of the war at Singapore and Burma? The answer is that the British were still playing the old game of war when WW2 started. They never expected the Japs to be as tough and ruthless as they were. This does not excuse the early war British defeats, but it helps to understand Nickelson's decision to build a bridge in order to save his battalion from ruthless, inhuman Japanese behavior. This film shows how cruel and ruthless the Japs were in WW2. As bad or worse than the Nazi's. People need to see what the real Japan was in that conflict. There is a tendency today to look upon Japan as some kind of victim because of our use of Atomic bombs against them. This is nonesense. One look at this movie should give one a good idea what the real Japanese mentality was in the war. William Holden plays his usual out-spoken American bit which contrasts with the more stiff and formal British attitudes. One can see here the different approaches toward making war the Americans and British had. A word on the music in this film. The "River Kwai March" is actually Malcom Arnold's arrangement of Kenneth J. Alford's classic march "Colonel Bogey". This march Alford wrote in 1914 at the outbreak of WW1 when he was bandmaster of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. The march was already well known before it was arranged for the movie, but since then has become even more popular. Viewers should see this movie for the great acting, the clash of cultures and characters portrayed, and for the wonderful scenery. The film was shot in Ceylon before the political instability of recent years, but its topography strongly resembles that of Burma's. This is a movie that is about more than just war, it is a depiction of attitudes and nationalistic ideas toward waging war. It shows clearly the differences between the Far East and Western mentalities. We should keep these differences in mind when dealing with the Far East.
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