Bridge Over The River Kwai Timing: 24-hrs. BANGKOK TO BRIDGE ON RIVER KWAI: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW - A Million Travels Has something sim'lar Its a charming, idyllic spot, belying the intense horror and suffering the men who built it went through. The Bridge on the River Kwai / Trivia - TV Tropes Return trains are 12.55 and 15.15. The British Film Institute placed The Bridge on the River Kwai as the 11th greatest British film. 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). Has only got one ball! Nicholson spots the wire and brings it to Saito's attention. In a prison camp, British POWs are forced into labor. She recommended Lean to producer Sam Spiegel, who'd been turned down by Fred Zinnemann, William Wyler, and Carol Reed, and offered the directing job to Lean as a last resort. A regiment of British prisoners arrives, whistling the Colonel Bogey March, under the command of Colonel Nicholson (Sir Alec Guinness). Construction of the Burma-Siam railway began in October 1942 and would end in October 1943. He served as an adviser during the making of the movie. "[47] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Addeddate 2021-08-19 15:12:20 Identifier the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai_202108 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. plus-circle Add Review. But whats the real story? In fact, the cemetery is the original burial ground started by the prisoners themselves. The screenplay was instead credited to the novelist, Boullewhich was quite a feat, since he didnt speak or read English. David Lean, director of such landmark epics as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, didn't always make giant movies. In 1985, the Academy officially recognized Foreman and Wilson as the screenwriters and posthumously awarded the Oscar to them. [55] Slant stated that "the 1957 epic subtly develops its themes about the irrationality of honor and the hypocrisy of Britain's class system without ever compromising its thrilling war narrative", and in comparing to other films of the time said that Bridge on the River Kwai "carefully builds its psychological tension until it erupts in a blinding flash of sulfur and flame. US $4.49 Standard Shipping from outside US. Walk over the steel bridge at the River Kwai, one of the most famous rivers in the world, which gained international fame in the book and film, "Bridge on the River Kwai". To keep costs down, producer Sam Spiegel decided not to hire any extras, using crew members and Ceylon locals instead. Kwai's composer, Malcolm Arnold, wove the march into his Oscar-winning score so seamlessly that modern viewers may assume it was original to the film. In early 1943, a contingent of British prisoners of war, led by Lt. The official credit was given to Pierre Boulle (who did not speak English), and the resulting Oscar for Best Screenplay (Adaptation) was awarded to him. [9], The film was relatively faithful to the novel, with two major exceptions. It was not long before the Japanese army overrunning Java captured Lieutenant Lamb and his men. You carry it in your pack like the plague. In reality, Risaburo Saito was respected by his prisoners for being comparatively merciful and fair towards them. Put on your marching boots and whistle a jaunty tune as we investigate some behind-the-scenes facts about this enduring war film. While the story is fiction, the broader setting--including the construction of the Burmese railway--is based on historical events. 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. There's a stench of death about you. The Bridge on the River Kwai: Fact and fiction - Sentinelassam Some Thailand River cruises begin in Bangkok and lead along the Mekong River to destinations in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. But the unusual move paid off for ABCthe telecast drew huge ratings with a record audience of 72 million[60] and a Nielsen rating of 38.3 and an audience share of 61%. 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. Bridge on the River Kwai; the true story - Digger History THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI: Honor, Duty, and Madness 19. It was 425 feet long, 90 feet high, and cost $52,085 out of the film's $2 million budget. Only he survives, though he is wounded. [14][15], The film was an international co-production between companies in Britain and the United States. Despite the nightmarish conditions, and equipped only with the most basic of tools, the POWs pulled off an amazing feat of engineering. Weill you be in London for the Coronation in 2023? Boulle drew on the experiences of Far East POWs building the now infamous Burma-Siam Railway, linking modern-day Myanmar and Thailand to create his work. WILLIAM HOLDEN JACK HAWKINS 1957 BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 8X10 PHOTO | eBay [64] The image was restored by OCS, Freeze Frame, and Pixel Magic with George Hively editing. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 World War II POW film directed by David Lean, about the construction of the bridges over the River Kwai, although it's heavily fictionalised.It's based on the French novel The Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle, of Planet of the Apes fame; Boulle, who could neither read nor write English, was also credited for the screenplay adaptation due to . 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. It had previously belonged to an Indian maharajah and had seen 65 years of active service. The film was based on the 1952 novel Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle. Toosey in fact did as much as possible to delay the building of the bridge. The movie was mainly filmed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and also in England. The movie won seven Academy Awards, one for Best Picture. [7][8] In 1999, the British Film Institute voted The Bridge on the River Kwai the 11th greatest British film of the 20th century. It worked. At its behest, Sam Spiegel asked David Lean to incorporate a love scene. A sketch of that bridge was used as the basis for the fictional one. David Lean is taken that story and directed it in 1957. The film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. This way, he remained oblivious to the real nature of his characters fate. Image: British troops surrender at Singapore. The movie garnered seven Academy Awards, including that for best picture, as well as three Golden Globe Awards and four BAFTA awards. Japanese engineers had been surveying and planning the route of the railway since 1937, and they had demonstrated considerable skill during their construction efforts across South-East Asia. Workers died at a rate of 20 men per day. Two bridges were built; one was made of wood, one was made of concrete and steel. does not fall onto the plunger, and the bridge suffers only minor damage. What I Learned From Watching: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957 The cemetery itself is located just outside the town of Kanchanaburi at the point where the Kwai splits into the Mae Khlong and Kwai Noi rivers. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a work of fiction, but borrows the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942 to 1943 for its historical setting. The Bridge on the River Kwai was widely praised, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, at the 30th Academy Awards. 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. A Cholera epidemic swept through Nieke Camp between May-June 1943. According to one biographer, he was "broke and needed work; he had even pawned his gold cigarette case." Saito leaves the officers standing all day in the intense heat. Disease was a huge killer among railway workers, but so was brutality. Before the US began rolling up Japanese possessions throughout the Pacific, and the British really started gaining momentum in Burma, Japan had carved out a large empire. Get information about our funding, our Customer Charter and our Strategic Plan. Ten Interesting Facts about The Bridge on the River Kwai - Anglotopia.net A train carrying important dignitaries and soldiers is scheduled to be the first to cross the bridge the following day, and Warden wants to destroy both. In the setting of World War II, a defeated unit British Soldiers is marched into a Japanese prison camp in western Thailand, with the purpose of constructing a bridge over the River Kwai to carry a new railway line to invade Burma. The real Bridge over the River Kwai is bridge 277 of the Burma-Siam Railway. Thank God that I'm starting work tomorrow with an American actor (William Holden). THE HEAD OF COLUMBIA PICTURES FORCED LEAN TO ADD A LOVE SCENE. Top 10 Thailand River Cruises August 2024 - AffordableTours Has no balls 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. Shears, who is a British commando officer like Warden in the novel, became an American sailor who escapes from the POW camp. The bridge depicted in the film is most definitely real. The real swamps in Ceylon were deemed to be too dangerous. The action of the movie takes place in a Japanese prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in . To enjoy Thailand River cruises, you need to understand a little about the geography of Thailand and its river system. Thanbyuzayat is in Myanmar. Camps were set up at 100-metre intervals. Spiegel sent the screenplay to the Japanese government ahead of time, hoping to get their cooperation with the production. 15. In 1997, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. He shows a rare sense of humor and a feeling for the poetry of situation; and he shows the even rarer ability to express these things, not in lines but in lives. Clipton objects, believing this to be collaboration with the enemy. 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. [26], A memorable feature of the film is the tune that is whistled by the POWsthe first strain of the "Colonel Bogey March"when they enter the camp. 5. Forced labourers were labourers taken from the populations of Japan-conquered territories. Lean had a lengthy row with Guinness over how to play the role of Nicholson; the actor wanted to play the part with a sense of humour and sympathy, while Lean thought Nicholson should be "a bore." But, what about the real men behind the real story of the construction of the Burma-Siam Railway? Best 17 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Quotes [5][6] It has been included on the American Film Institute's list of best American films ever made. Japanese guards were known for their cruelty and would frequently torture and assault their prisoners. This was an entertaining story. 938 Bridge Over The River Kwai Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images [citation needed], Julie Summers, in her book The Colonel of Tamarkan, writes that Boulle, who had been a prisoner of war in Thailand, created the fictional Nicholson character as an amalgam of his memories of collaborating French officers. He was contracted for $150,000 to be paid in installments. The railway ran for 250 miles from Ban Pong, Thailand to Thanbyuzayat, Burma and is now known as the Death Railway. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Bridge On The River Kwai Trivia: Fun And Interesting . Of course, he could not save many of his men from expiring, but he did their best to make conditions more comfortable. 60,000 or so Allied prisoners of war, including British, Australian, Dutch and some US troops, alongside more than 200,000 civilian labourers were pressed into service. The region was seized by the Japanese in 1942, and they then set about making preparations . Its telling that the railway workers had to see to their own medical care. As shown in the movie, Guinness played the scene without flinching. By the way, the real Kwai River was just a trickle near Burma, where Boulle set his bridge; the actual bridge had been built 200 miles away, near Bangkok. This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series - By Sam Hendrian - "Madness. 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). rainy day Therefore, there are not many people. They were soon sent to Thailand to begin labouring on the Death Railway. [49] Mike Kaplan, reviewing for Variety, described it as "a gripping drama, expertly put together and handled with skill in all departments. Over a muddy jungle river called Kwai, a Japanese colonel, Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), must complete a railroad bridge vital to Japan's war effort. [31] He strongly denied the claim that the book was anti-British, although many involved in the film itself (including Alec Guinness) felt otherwise.[36]. 25 The Bridge on the River Kwai Trivia Questions & Answers Also, the dense surrounding jungle renders escape virtually impossible. In 1997, the movie was deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. The Bridge on the River Kwai poses complex interpretive issues about the vagaries of war and military behavior as conveyed by the Japanese soldiers, Commander Saito, Lt. Col. Nicholson, and the British captives. Nicholson advises Saito that the officers cannot be required to do manual labour according to the Geneva Convention. 16. (There were other verses, too, which treated in more depth the number, location, and status of Hitler's anatomy, but you get the idea.) It was still highly unusual at that time for a television network to show such a long film in one evening; most films of that length were still generally split into two parts and shown over two evenings. This page was last modified on 6 February 2023, at 06:05. In 1941 the Japanese Army invaded Thailand. Pierre Boulle, a Frenchman, who had experienced great hardship after being captured by the Vichy French on the Mekong River, wrote a novel called 'Le Pont de la rivire Kwa' - The Bridge of the . 2. Read our Cookie Policy, Terms & Conditions and Data Protection & Privacy Policy. Take a look below for 28 more fun and interesting facts about The Bridge on the . As a result, Boulle, who did not speak English, was credited and received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay; many years later, Foreman and Wilson posthumously received the Academy Award.[4]. 6 Interesting And Awesome Facts About Dondokomon From Digimon, 20 Amazing And Fun Facts About San Bernardino, California, United States, 26 Fun And Fascinating Facts About The Gods Of Egypt Movie, 15 Interesting And Fun Facts About Napa, California, United States, 20 Interesting And Amazing Facts About National City, California, United States, 15 Interesting And Fascinating Facts About Needles, California, United States, 15 Interesting And Amazing Facts About Nevada City, California, United States, 15 Amazing And Interesting Facts About Newark, California, United States. [35], Lieutenant Colonel Philip Toosey of the British Army was the real senior Allied officer at the bridge in question. Boulle nonetheless enjoyed the film version though he disagreed with its climax. [16], Director David Lean clashed repeatedly with his cast members, particularly Guinness and James Donald, who thought the novel was anti-British. The bridge they build will become a symbol of service and survival to one prisoner, Colonel Nicholson, a proud perfectionist. In early 1943, World War II British prisoners arrive by train at a Japanese prison camp in Burma. They were supported by an unknown number of Malaysian labourers. It was the highest-grossing film of 1957 and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. The film won seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture) at the 30th Academy Awards. The Mount Lavinia Hotel was used as a location for the hospital. The destruction of the bridge as depicted in the film is also entirely fictional. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Corrections? Subsequent releases of the film finally gave them proper screen credit. Sessue Hayakawa considered his performance as Saito as the highlight of his career. 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. (This can be compared to a scene in the 1927 movie, The General, which starred Buster Keaton.). In particular, they objected to the implication presented in the film that Japanese military engineers were generally unskilled at their profession and lacked proficiency. Lean liked that draft even less. The real Bridge on the River Kwai. [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. Is Bridge on River Kwai a true story? - IronSet During the cutting of Hellfire Pass, for example, 69 men were beaten to death across a twelve-week period. Jun 7, 2011 - New on Blu 6-7-11: Studios unload nearly 70 titles. The Bridge on the River Kwai, British-American war film, released in 1957 and directed by David Lean, that was both a critical and popular success and became an enduring classic. Tickets are 100 baht. The Bridge on the River Kwai - filming locations - SCEEN IT See details. We want to hear from you! He also didn't like hearing that he was Lean's second choice for the role, a fact made more awkward when he arrived in Ceylon and Lean greeted him with, "Of course, you know I really wanted Charles Laughton." Instead of the five year predicted completion, the bridge on river Kwai, was completed in 16 months. [63], The film was restored in 1985 by Columbia Pictures. 17. At their head was Lieutenant-Colonel Phillip Toosey. Here is 'Minder' telling me to get the timber off the base and start cutting up the dowels. During World War II, British soldiers added lyrics to the tune that went approximately along these lines: Hitler The Bridge on the River Kwai - IGN 1. Prisoners, including the sick, were marched to camps further along Death Railway. : 1942: Boldly advancing through Asia, the Japanese need a train route from Burma going north. Spiegel, the producer, bought the film rights to the book (the English version of which was called The Bridge Over the River Kwai) and hired Carl Foreman to write the script. Sign-up for free daily emails with the latest news about British culture, heritage, and history! 9. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - Trivia - IMDb Approximately 5 kilometres north of Kanchanaburi there were two bridges that were built by POWs during the war. The Bridge on the River Kwai Facts for Kids. For the novel, see, American theatrical release poster, "Style A", A transcript of the interview and the documentary as a whole can be found in the new edition of John Coast's book, Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, 11th greatest British film of the 20th century, the highest-grossing film of 1957 in the United States and Canada, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Best Sound Track Album, Dramatic Picture Score or Original Cast, AFI's 100 Years 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition), "Complete National Film Registry Listing", "New to the National Film Registry (December 1997) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin", "Columbia Earns as It Holds Coin Due Bill Holden on 10% of 'Kwai', "Flashback: A look back at this day in film history (, "Sri Lanka to rebuild bridge from River Kwai movie", "Film locations for David Lean's The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957), in Sri Lanka", "How Father Brown Led Sir Alec Guinness to the Church", "sic - correct spelling is Siegertsz.
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