Review of The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) by Nat G — 27 Jan 2009

The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson, they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito. He is an honourable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy. Unknown to him, the Allies have sent a mission into the jungle, led by Warden and an American, Shears, to blow up the bridge.

At first I thought this was going to be a great war film, as it has won so many awards, and not knowing anything about this story, I watched with an mindful eye. Although it's is a film set in WWII in Thailand, it is more a character study on the Col. Nicholson played by Alec Guinness. Alec I have always had a fondness for since I first saw him in Star Wars and then The Ladykillers, Alec is a great actor and in this film he steals the show, a stubborn but honourable Captain. The entire film is wonderful, and it has a very tense ending. It is hard to believe it was made in 1957, as it feels very fresh even by today's standard, and this is truly one of the great war films.