The Bridge on the River Kwai
Seen it?1957 | 162 min | Drama, History, War
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 7 Oscars, people are still talking about it and audiences rate it highly (7.8 out of 10). Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or A Bridge Too Far, start here.
- The mood
- Intense.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 42 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG: peril. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- It's long: 2 hr 42 min.
- Made in 1957: an older pace and style.
The classic story of English POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American intelligence officers conspire to blow up the structure, but Col. Nicholson, the commander who supervised the bridge's construction, has acquired a sense of pride in his creation and tries to foil their plans.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.8 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 7 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Picture, Academy Awards: Best Director, Academy Awards: Best Actor, Academy Awards: Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium and 3 more. Won 3 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Director – Motion Picture. Won 4 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best British Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best British Actor, British Academy Film Awards: Best British Screenplay. Won 1 DGA Award: Directors Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar and 1 more Golden Globe. Plus 12 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$45 million worldwide on a $3 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 544K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by David Lean
- William HoldenCmdr. Shears
- Alec GuinnessCol. Nicholson
- Jack HawkinsMaj. Warden
- Sessue HayakawaCol. Saito
- James DonaldMaj. Clipton
- Geoffrey HorneLt. Joyce
- André MorellCol. Green
- Peter WilliamsCapt. Reeves
- John BoxerMajor Hughes
- Percy HerbertGrogan