At all. "The Bridge on the River Kwai" was set in 1942, shortly after the fall of Singapore. These issues, running throughout the film, were addressed to a lesser extent on various previous DVD releases of the film and might not have been so obvious in standard definition.[67]. [41] According to Variety, the film earned estimated domestic box office revenues of $18,000,000[42] although this was revised downwards the following year to $15,000,000, which was still the biggest for 1958 and Columbia's highest-grossing film at the time. [60] The 167-minute film was first telecast, uncut, in colour, on the evening of 25 September 1966, as a three hours-plus ABC Movie Special. The movie won seven Academy Awards, one for Best Picture. Omissions? Vital equipment that would normally have been shipped through the canal had to be flown out to the location instead. In a 1988 interview with Barry Norman, Lean confirmed that Columbia almost stopped filming after three weeks because there was no white woman in the film, forcing him to add what he called "a very terrible scene" between Holden and a nurse on the beach. Nicholson is shocked by the poor job being done by his men and orders the building of a proper bridge, intending it to stand as a tribute to the British Army's ingenuity for centuries to come. Harry Cohn, the vulgar (but successful) man who ran Columbia Pictures at the time, was furious when he read the script and saw no love interest. Answer (1 of 7): David Lean made some excellent films His Dickens films of the 1940's are classic black and white versions of OLIVER TWIST and GREAT EXPECTATIONS He discovered color and the wide screen in the 1950's and 1960's Besides BRIDGE, Lean also did LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and DR ZHIVAGO Peo. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a British 1957 World War II film by David Lean based on the novel The Bridge Over the River Kwai by French writer Pierre Boulle. Bridge over the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi, Thailand. 5. According to one biographer, he was "broke and needed work; he had even pawned his gold cigarette case." Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [38] Some Japanese viewers also disliked the film for portraying the Allied prisoners of war as more capable of constructing the bridge than the Japanese engineers themselves were, accusing the filmmakers of being unfairly biased and unfamiliar with the realities of the bridge construction, a sentiment echoed by surviving prisoners of war who saw the film in cinemas. The Bridge on the River Kwai was actually one of the reasons movies started becoming prime-time television programming. The movie is best known for the "Colonel Bogey March", the song that is whistled by the POWs. David Lean himself also claimed that producer Sam Spiegel cheated him out of his rightful part in the credits since he had had a major hand in the script. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Bridge on the River Kwai: The explosive bridge (HD CLIP) Dying, Nicholson stumbles toward the detonator and falls on the plunger, blowing up the bridge and sending the train hurtling into the river. 16- "You make me sick with your heroics! Desperate, he uses the anniversary of Japan's 1905 victory in the Russo-Japanese War as an excuse to save face; he announces a general amnesty, releasing Nicholson and his officers and exempting them from manual labour. Nicholson spots the wire and brings it to Saito's attention. However, in 1943 a railway bridge was built by Allied POWs over the Mae Klong river renamed Khwae Yai in the 1960s as a result of the film at Tha Ma Kham, five kilometres from Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Warden tells the Siamese women that he had to prevent anyone from falling into enemy hands, and leaves with them. It worked. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Bridge On The River Kwai Trivia: Fun And Interesting . The Bridge on the River Kwai Movie Review | Common Sense Media The Bridge On The River Kwai was the first of David Lean's five epic films and the third of six movies that he made with Alec Guinness. rainy day Therefore, there are not many people. Bridges beyond the River Kwai | Michigan Today But he'd never made anything on an epic scale, wasn't well known outside of England, and wouldn't have been considered for The Bridge on the River Kwai if it weren't for Katharine Hepburn, the star of his 1955 film Summertime. Mortally wounded, he falls onto the plunger, the bridge is blown up, and the train with the dignitaries falls into the river. Written 20 October 2021. Interested in advertising on the world's largest website dedicated to all things Britain? Servicemen who survived the death marches, appalling working conditions, and savage treatment by their guards thought the film nor book reflected the realities of their experience. [65], On 2 November 2010 Columbia Pictures released a newly restored The Bridge on the River Kwai for the first time on Blu-ray. Though he'd already earned five Oscar nominations (three for directing, two for adapting the Dickens novels) and would soon be widely celebrated for Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and Doctor Zhivago (1965), at this stage, Lean was in trouble. In particular, they objected to the implication presented in the film that Japanese military engineers were generally unskilled at their profession and lacked proficiency. On another occasion, they argued over the scene where Nicholson reflects on his career in the army. Its estimated around 16,000 Allied prisoners of war were killed during construction of the Burma-Siam Railway. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, wining seven -- including Best Picture . Just as in Love is a Many Splendored Thing, normally hairy chested William Holden had to have a full body wax for his many shirtless scenes in the movie. Get information about our funding, our Customer Charter and our Strategic Plan. Death Railway: History of the Bridge on The River Kwai Be the first one to write a review. On 16 October 1943, the two ends of the Burma-Thailand railway were joined at Konkoita in Thailand. To learn more about the men behind the real story of the Bridge on the River Kwai, and to discover the casualties, please use our Find War Dead tool. See some of the commonly asked questions about the Special Committee. Want to work for the CWGC? THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI takes place in Japan-occupied Siam (later Thailand) in 1943, after the Imperial Japanese Empire has conquered vast territories of Asia. Ernest Gordon, a survivor of the railway construction and POW camps described in the novel/film, stated in his 1962 book, Through the Valley of the Kwai: In Pierre Boulle's book The Bridge over the River Kwai and the film which was based on it, the impression was given that British officers not only took part in building the bridge willingly, but finished in record time to demonstrate to the enemy their superior efficiency. These problems resulted in a number of anomalies that were very difficult to correct, like a ghosting effect in many scenes that resembles colour mis-registration, and a tick-like effect with the image jumping or jerking side-to-side. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Warden responds that he already knew and that the US Navy had agreed to transfer him to the British SOE with the simulated rank of Major to avoid embarrassment. Rather than draw on their own corps of manpower, which was busy fighting an eventual losing battle against encroaching Allied forces, it would put its legions of POWs and local forced labourers to work. [12], William Holden's deal was considered one of the best ever for an actor at the time, with him receiving $300,000 plus 10% of the film's gross receipts. Just two months later, Lieutenant Lamb was dead. They included Chinese, Malayan, Burmese, Thai, Indonesian and Singaporean people. Sam Spiegel bought the railroad train from the Ceylonese government. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. as for the bridge on the River Kwai, it crossed the river only in the imagination of its author. Jun 7, 2011 - New on Blu 6-7-11: Studios unload nearly 70 titles. It was the highest-grossing film of 1957 and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. According to Columbia Pictures, they followed an all-new 4K digital restoration from the original negative with newly restored 5.1 audio. - Colonel Saito, 'The Bridge on the River Kwai '. 2. Explore the CWGC Archive through our online portal. The film was directed by David Lean and starred William Holding, Jack Hawkins and academy award winner Sir Alex Guinness. The Bridge on the River Kwai. He wanders into a Burmese village, is nursed back to health, and eventually reaches the British colony of Ceylon. The Bridge on the River Kwai Ceylon Guide as soon as he signed, Lean borrowed $2,000 from Columbia Pictures to get his teeth fixed. In a prison camp, British POWs are forced into labor. Has only got one ball! The Bridge on the River Kwai / Trivia - TV Tropes In 1984 the Academy Board of Governors voted posthumous Oscars to Foreman and Wilson, and their names were included on prints of the film beginning in the 1990s. Toosey would provide the inspiration for Lt. Col Nicholson portrayed by Alec Guinness in the 1957 film. Please note the delivery estimate is greater than 10 business days. They remain standing at attention throughout the day. Approximately 5 kilometres north of Kanchanaburi there were two bridges that were built by POWs during the war. [23], British composer Malcolm Arnold recalled that he had "ten days to write around forty-five minutes worth of music" much less time than he was used to. Lean wanted to use the tune in Kwai, figured those lyrics wouldn't pass the censors (or the approval of the composer's widow), and opted to have the troops whistle it instead. Lean and his production designer, Donald Ashton, were in Ceylon months ahead of time to construct the film's title character (the bridge, not the river). Bombing of the Bridge over the River Kwai Historic War Tours At one point during filming, David Lean nearly drowned when he was swept away by a river current. In 1941 the Japanese Army invaded Thailand. [64] The image was restored by OCS, Freeze Frame, and Pixel Magic with George Hively editing. Harry Cohn, the vulgar (but successful) man who ran Columbia Pictures at the time, was furious when he read the script and saw no . Lean feared Guinness' public persona had changed so much that audiences wouldn't buy him in this very dramatic role, but came around to the idea when the Laughton plan didn't work. Roger Ebert focused on the symbolism of the bridge in this 1999 description: "[The war] narrows down to a single task, building a . Prior to casting Alec Guinness, Sam Spiegel tried to persuade Spencer Tracy to play the part of Colonel Nicholson. Just a stone's throw from the Menin Gate, visit our Information Centre to learn more about the CWGC. Major Warden of SOE invites Shears to join a commando mission to destroy the bridge just as it is completed. Burma-Siam Railway labourers and prisoners of war slept in rudimentary bamboo huts on filthy floors. 14- "Be happy in your work.". The producer's press release, thoughwanting to emphasize that this was a Big Budget Hollywood Pictureclaimed the bridge had cost $250,000. He succumbed to malaria, dysentery, and malnutrition at Camp Kilo 101 in Thailand. As the train approaches, Nicholson frantically pulls up the wire, following it to find the detonator. The curved-shaped truss spans are the originals on the bridge (constructed by the Japanese military during WWII) while the two trapezoidal-shaped bridge spans were provided by Japan as war reparations after the war ended in 1945 (to replace two curved-shaped truss spans that fell into the river after the bridge was attacked and bombed by Allied aircraft. And a bloke called George Siegatz[29] an expert whistlerbegan to whistle Colonel Bogey, and a hit was born.". The True Story of the Bridge over the River Kwai | CWGC Guinness regarded this one tiny scene as some of the finest work he did throughout his entire career. Civilian workmen suffered terribly too, with their casualties far outstripping the military personnel. The camp commander, Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), informs the prisoners that they will all begin working on the building of a railway bridge the following day. [40] Boulle had never been to the bridge. Lets find out. A picture of the actual bridge over the River Kwai in June 2004. While Nicholson disapproves of acts of sabotage and other deliberate attempts to delay progress, Toosey encouraged this: termites were collected in large numbers to eat the wooden structures, and the concrete was badly mixed. He knew that the railway ran parallel to the Kwae for many miles, and he therefore assumed that it was the Kwae which it crossed just north of Kanchanaburi. Tooseys men stated this never happened. . This film is produced by Sam Spiegel, and the music is composed by Malcolm Arnold for . The Japanese did indeed force British, Dutch, Australian, and American prisoners to build the Burma Railway, resulting in some 13,000 POW deaths and at least 80,000 civilian deaths. 25 The Bridge on the River Kwai Trivia Questions & Answers The region was seized by the Japanese in 1942, and they then set about making preparations . Along with 1,250 other POWs, he died while in transit from Singapore to Japan aboard the Rakuyo Maro transport ship after it was torpedoed by a US submarine. Thanks to the film, the Bridge, situated in the Thai town of Kanchanaburi a couple of hours drive from Bangkok, is one of Thailand . The Bridge on the River Kwai: Fact and fiction - Sentinelassam Tracy had read the book and told Spiegel emphatically that the part must be played by an Englishman. This was an entertaining story. The classic story of English POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. The Bridge on the River Kwai - Wikipedia The river is the Mae Klong River which passes through a valley of the Khwae Noi River (little tributary). A photo of Kitulgala, Sri Lanka in 2004, where the bridge was made for the film. The film was based on the 1952 novel Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle. He created the railroad. train on the bridge over the river kwai in kanchanaburi, thailan - bridge over the river kwai stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images FLOATING HOUSES ON THE RIVER KWAI, KANCHANABURI, THAILAND. THE HEAD OF COLUMBIA PICTURES FORCED LEAN TO ADD A LOVE SCENE. International shipment of items may be subject to customs processing and additional charges. The Bridge on the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi 1942. Some 5,000 Commonwealth World War Two casualties are buried or commemorated in Kanchanaburi. Witnessing the carnage, Clipton shakes his head and mutters, "Madness! The separate dialogue, music and effects were located and remixed with newly recorded "atmospheric" sound effects. Guinness had appeared in Lean's Dickens films but had since made a name for himself doing goofy comedies like The Lavender Hill Mob (1951). The Real Story Behind 'The Bridge On The River Kwai' - Coffee or Die Over 65,000 Allied P.O.W.s battled torture, starvation, and disease to hack the 255-mile railway out of harsh jungle for the Japanese. Only minor damage was inflicted. [40], The Bridge on the River Kwai was a massive commercial success. Drilled holes for the piers; and cut them to length. So Spiegel hired another writer, Calder Willingham, to give it a crack. 18. Where Is the River Kwai Located? - The Bridge on the River Kwai Parts of the Burma-Siam railway still stand. This Oscar-winning epic is part of movie folklore and widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever so I really wanted to see the area where director David Lean shot it way back in 1957. This way, he remained oblivious to the real nature of his characters fate. David Lean, director of such landmark epics as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, didn't always make giant movies. What's your favorite? [19], Guinness later said that he subconsciously based his walk while emerging from "the Oven" on that of his eleven-year-old son Matthew,[20] who was recovering from polio at the time, a disease that left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. The commandoes arrive for their mission as the finishing touches are being put on the bridge. [35], Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey of the British Army was the real senior Allied officer at the bridge in question. The movie is based on the novel "Le Pont de la Riviere Kwai" by Pierre Boulle. 26. Join us in an act of virtual remembrance and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. [3] Since it was not a documentary, there are many historical inaccuracies in the film, as noted by eyewitnesses to the building of the real Burma Railway by historians.[30][31][32][33]. [49] Mike Kaplan, reviewing for Variety, described it as "a gripping drama, expertly put together and handled with skill in all departments. As the train approaches, they hurry down to the riverbank to investigate. "[55], Balu Mahendra, the Tamil film director, observed the shooting of this film at Kitulgala, Sri Lanka during his school trip and was inspired to become a film director. It would be a massive undertaking. In 1957 the movie, The Bridge on the River Kwai, premiered in London and became the biggest grossing film of 1958, winning seven academy awards in the process, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Musical Score, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.Not bad for a movie that is largely a work of almost entirely fictional characters and a story which . When he asks for Saitos help in cutting the wires, the hidden commando, Lieutenant Joyce (Geoffrey Horne), leaps up and kills Saito. [31], On a BBC Timewatch programme, a former prisoner at the camp states that it is unlikely that a man like the fictional Nicholson could have risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and, if he had, due to his collaboration he would have been "quietly eliminated" by the other prisoners. The key sites containing Thailand and Burma war graves related to Death Railway and the Bridge on the River Kwai are: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is located a short distance from the former Kanburi POW camp. The movie garnered seven Academy Awards, including that for best picture, as well as three Golden Globe Awards and four BAFTA awards. [5][6] It has been included on the American Film Institute's list of best American films ever made. The Hitchhiker's Guide has this to say about John Rabon: When not pretending to travel in time and space, eating bananas, and claiming that things are "fantastic", John lives in North Carolina. Disease was a huge killer among railway workers, but so was brutality. It is a landmark of Kanchanaburi Province. In the film, Lt. Col Nicholson is seen collaborating with his captors, even under duress. 's working to build and/or destroy a bridge for the Japanese during World War II. The film is a work of fiction but borrows the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942-43 for its historical setting. The weather is good, not hot The train passes at 10 AM and the train returns at 4 PM. 1. Persuaded that the film would be about the horror and folly of war, the Japanese government sent a military adviser to help with the camp scenes. In 1997, this film was deemed "culturally . The Bridge over the River Kwai met its fate in 1945. The Bridge Over The River Kwai: The Real Story - Travel Happy Nevertheless, the leeches in the recreated swamps were real. The movie garnered seven Academy Awards, including that for best picture, as well as three Golden Globe Awards and four BAFTA awards. The filming of the bridge explosion was to be done on 10 March 1957, in the presence of S.W.R.D. The Bridge On The River Kwai is the World War II Oscar winner about an Army colonel (Alec Guinness) obsessed with proving British superiority over his Japanese captors by showing that his . It was the highest-grossing film of 1957 in the United States and Canada and was also the most popular film at the British box office that year. The prisoners of war who had . While the story is fiction, the broader setting--including the construction of the Burmese railway--is based on historical events. Train crossing the wooden bridge which spanned the Mae Klong River (renamed Kwai Yai River in 1960). [56] Warren Buffett said it was his favorite movie. Bangkok-Kanchanaburi, by train or private transport, for the Bridge on River Kwai; Kanchanaburi-Nam Tok, by train or private transport, for Death Railway and Hellfire Pass; You can book your bus tickets online and in advance here. 19. British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it. The film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" dramatized the WWII story of the Thailand-Burma Railway, yet it was largely fictional. It was the highest-grossing film of 1957 and scooped up seven Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor. Construction began before anyone had been cast. In 1942 Japan seized Myanmar from British control and quickly decided to build a rail link to Thailand in order to maintain a secure supply route to their forces. Its a charming, idyllic spot, belying the intense horror and suffering the men who built it went through. This Week's Toybox is . The correct name for the River Kwai is Khwae Noi, meaning small tributary, which merges with Khwae Yai River to create the Mae Kong River. Rather than start building at two ends and meet in the middle, as per normal railway construction, the Japanese created hundreds of camps across its lengths. Or maybe you have a story for us or would like to work together. Real Bridge on the River Kwai. They were supported by an unknown number of Malaysian labourers. The casualties of the Burma-Siam railway were often buried in camp burial grounds located close to where they originally fell.

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