Throwback Tuesday: The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)

One day the war will be over. And I hope that the people that use this bridge in years to come will remember how it was built and who built it. Not a gang of slaves, but soldiers, British soldiers, Clipton, even in captivity. -Colonel Nicholson

Review

For a long time I’ve listened to my grandparents and others refer to this as one of the most memorable movies of their lifetime.  I always took it with a grain of salt as they watch A Rive Runs Through It and Legends Of The Fall on a monthly basis, but I also remembered watching The African Queen and Gone With The Wind, so maybe they knew what they were talking about?  I would say it cuts both ways.  The Bridge On The River Kwai was good, but Alec Guinness was the most remarkable thing about it.

The way Guinness’s character is so committed to being a good soldier and the respect and treatment of his men is where my intrigue peaked.  Exceeding as being American and eventually in his madness of trying to rationalize his imprisonment and be better than the enemy even though he is a captive of the enemy was the centerpiece for the finale, and exactly how being a POW made him lose touch with reality.

It’s been noted that real POW’s were offended by how well the prisoners were treated by the enemy, and while at a certain point Guiness does certainly take charge I didn’t feel the film was trying to depict POW’s at large in the war, but this specific and unusual circumstance, which is what makes it so interesting anyway.  It wasn’t like every work camp, and every situation, therefore it didn’t really diminish what those that suffered went through.  At the end of the day it is fiction after all.

While Guinness was riveting, and the concept certainly compelling enough I was underwhelmed at times and did feel the length of the film.  There were moments of greatness but also moments of utter boredom.  If the pacing had been more consistent this would be a movie that would elicit repeat viewings from me.

While Bridge On The River Kwai was a bit disappointing at times I can see why this movie is still loved and is one of those important films to see.  It’s advertisements of being one of the greatest war epics ever have some validity, and while I personally wouldn’t put it in that category, I was still impressed with the overall character study, which was more what I felt this film was about.  Putting soldiers in situations and seeing the different ways they dealt with those extraordinary situations.  I enjoyed this one, but wasn’t knocked out of my fancy socks.

Rate This Movie.  What do you think?