Review of The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) by Nik B — 30 Jul 2011

The give and take of war. As the movie opens, a British battalion is being taken to a Japanese prisoner camp on a jungle island. Shears is the hardened American. Already at the camp for a considerable amount of time, he has served as a gravedigger and has seen a lot of death. The British crew still has optimism and a rule of order.

Which leads us to our first dilemma. British Col. Nicholson has a beef about following Geneva convention rules. The hard-line Japanese camp leader Saito is demanding that all officers work. Nicholson refuses and gets the hot box. Facing his own death and the abuse of his men, he remains steadfast in his principle, while his oppressor faces his own problem of constructing a bridge by a deadline which will save or end his life. The audience is left wondering if either of the end of each manâ(TM)s tactics justify the means.

The American however, gets to escape the prison. Makes it to safety. While the bridge is being built by British prisoners, the British armed forces are asking the American for help. To go back into the jungle to destroy the bridge. A request that he would have no question denying, but the manner in which he is given no choice is expertly written.

In the end , the military story was very well told. The differences between the factions were not just good vs. evil. But tactic vs. tactic. The Japanese power and honor code. The British gentlemanly order. The American brotherhood. These character traits were placed together and, even at odds, told one story. Alec Guinness soundly won the Oscar for Best Actor by a longshot. The Best Picture award can also be hardly disputed. While cinematography of the jungle setting was not overly employed, the main focus should have always been the confines of prison life.

I mentioned one dilemma, and we get another before the movieâ(TM)s end. A satisfying conclusion.