Rating of
3.5/4
The Bridge on the River Kwai review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 03/03/12
Viewing this again made me enjoy the finer details of the movie. A British World War II film involving an insensitive Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), tactical Lt. Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) , compassionate Major Clipton (James Donald) and resourceful United States Navy Commander Shears (William Holden). Film had excellent screenplay with quotes: Major Shears - "For what? How to die like a gentleman...how to die by the rules when the only important thing is how to live like a human being." Col. Nicholson - "But there are times when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents." Cinematography was mesmerizing, performances solid and score endearing. Only reservations I had were the lengthy conversations with Shears, over done "oven" sequences and sudden change in the frame of Nicholson's mind. Overall, The Bridge on the River Kwai is a wonderful war film that represents the detrimental effects of war, different cultures, reflection and loving your work.
