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      The Bridge on the River Kwai: Trailer 1 TRAILER 3:23
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      The Bridge on the River Kwai

      1957, War/Drama, 2h 41m

      105 Reviews 50,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      This complex war epic asks hard questions, resists easy answers, and boasts career-defining work from star Alec Guinness and director David Lean. Read critic reviews

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      The Bridge on the River Kwai  Photos

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      Movie Info

      Adaptation of the Pierre Bouelle novel about POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American officers plot to blow up the structure, but the commander of the bridge's construction has different plans.

      • Rating: PG

      • Genre: War, Drama

      • Original Language: English (United Kingdom)

      • Director: David Lean

      • Producer: Sam Spiegel

      • Writer: Pierre Boulle, Michael Wilson, Carl Foreman

      • Release Date (Theaters):  wide

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Columbia Pictures

      • Production Co: Horizon Films, Columbia Pictures

      • Sound Mix: Surround, Mono, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Stereo

      • Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

      Cast & Crew

      William Holden
      Alec Guinness
      Sessue Hayakawa
      Jack Hawkins
      James Donald
      Geoffrey Horne
      Andre Morrell
      Peter Williams
      John Boxer
      Heihachirô Ôkawa
      Michael Wilson
      Malcolm Arnold
      Jack Hildyard
      Peter Taylor
      Stuart Freeborn
      George Partleton
      Cecil F. Ford
      Gus Agosti
      Ted Sturgis
      Carl Foreman

      News & Interviews for The Bridge on the River Kwai

      Critic Reviews for The Bridge on the River Kwai

      Audience Reviews for The Bridge on the River Kwai

      • Aug 05, 2015
        A big and excellent film with a near perfect beginning and ending. There are some incredible performances here, aided by an impeccably written cast of characters and story. The middle I found to be a bit overlong, though the payoff is massive.
        Super Reviewer
      • Jul 12, 2014
        A battalion of British POWs are forced to build a bridge while an American soldier is charged with blowing it up. Exquisitely plotted, this film is remarkably compelling from beginning to end. At almost three hours, the film's run time is typical of David Lean, who doesn't care how long a film is; he cares how long it's good. The performance by Alec Guinness is the strongest, as he's able to convey his character's journey subtly, and William Holden is as charmingly surly as William Holden has always been. The film's themes of ambition and the need for purpose come through, and the cinematography is beautiful. Overall, this film is a classic for good reason.
        Super Reviewer
      • Dec 29, 2013
        The brilliance of the film is that it manages to appease audience expectations while also subverting them. The most important takeaway from the ending isn't the building of the bridge or the attempts to destroy it but rather the difficulties of making moral choices in war.
        Super Reviewer
      • May 05, 2013
        A film about confusion, moral dilemma and two sides working together, "The Bridge on the River Kwai" boasts stellar performances from its leads (Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins and Sessue Hayakawa), a memorable score and David Lean's typically sweeping direction. On top of being one of the best war films of all time, it also contains one of the best finales: a gripping, awe-inspiring combination of emotion and tension that slowly mounts towards an explosive climax and a fantastic closing line.
        Super Reviewer

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