| The Bridge on the River KwaiReleased: December 14, 1957 Studio: Columbia Genre: war epic Box Office (numbers in millions):Domestic: 27.20 Worldwide: ? Adjusted for Inflation:Domestic: 533.72 Worldwide: ? |
Directing: David Lean Screenwriting: Pierre Boulle, Carl Foreman, Michael Wilson Starring: Alec Guinness, William Holden, Sessue Hayakawa, Jack Hawkins Review:Screenwriters Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson were blacklisted in Hollywood for “alleged communist associations” MSN so they wrote “this epic World War II action film,” MSN an “outstanding, psychologically complex adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s 1952 novel,” FS in secret. Boulle – who spoke no English – was originally credited as the sole screenwriter. In 1984, Foreman and Wilson were awarded screenwriting Oscars posthumously. MSN The story is about American and English soldiers in a Japanese prison camp who are ordered by camp commander Colonel Saito (Hayakawa) to build a bridge in the Asian jungle of Burma which will transport Japanese troops. “A tremendously antagonistic battle of wills ensues” FS between Saito and Nicholson (Guinness), “the rigid British officer who refuses to bow to torture.” A07 The latter colonel develops “a twisted sense of pride” FS in overseeing the construction of the bridge. His obsession with using “this exercise to show the Japanese as inferior humans and soldiers” VD blinds him to the reality that he is aiding the enemy. Holden is an American who escapes from the camp, only to be tasked with leading a mission back to destroy “the bridge.” A07 The film does “just as well showing the psychological battle of wills as the more epic scenes of military conflict.” BFI Sources:
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Oscars:Wins: 7 – including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Guinness), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Film Editing Nominations: 8 – including Best Supporting Actor (Hayakawa) Notable Awards:
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