The story is fictional but uses the construction of the burma railway, in 19421943, as its historical setting, and is partly based on pierre boulles own life experience working in malaysia rubber plantations and later working for allied forces in singapore and indochina during world war ii. Bridge on the river kwai director david leans masterful 1957 realization of pierre boulles novel remains a benchmark for war films, and a deeply absorbing movie by any standardlike most of leans canon, the bridge on the river kwai achieves a richness in theme, narrative, and characterization that transcends genre. The bridge on the river kwai is a british 1957 movie from columbia pictures, based on pierre boulles 1952 book the bridge over the river kwai french. The bridge on the river kwai, kanchanaburi, thailand. Ordered by the japanese to build a bridge, the colonel refuses, as it is against regulations for. The selfrighteousness and morale conflicts is crafted with such nuance in here that the viewers never even questions it for once.
Based on a fictional book by french writer pierre boulle, it features the construction of the burma railway between 194243. The bridge on the river kwai spends most of its considerable running time puffing up a romantic image of the british gentleman soldier, presenting an organized, highly capable military man who handles ever situationeven time as a prisoner of warwith civility, decorum, and perseverance. But the reality was a bit different than the movie. A cool, deliberate, and often exciting illustration through an isolated incident in the far east of the ruinous results. A book about the building of the bridge over the river kwai using slave labour supplied by allied prisoners of war in burma. Then the movie dedicates its final moments to detonating its own stiff upper lip. The bridge over the river kwai 1975 edition open library. Camp commandant, colonel saito, a drunken, loathsome miscreant of unfulfilled expectations is fond of using starvation and torture to keep prisoners in line. The river is the mae klong river which passes through a valley of the khwae noi river little tributary. The present bridge has two of its central spans rebuilt. Vintage book, the bridge over the river kwai, 1954, pierre boulle, columbia pictures dust jacket, fine condition starrroadretro 5 out of 5 stars 719. The bridge over the river kwai explores the cultural. What the film did not win was the respect and admiration from members of the far east prisoners of war fepow due to the fictitious portrayal of events. The british didnt build the railway in the 19th century because it would be too expensive.
The original parts of the bridge are now displayed in the war museum. Boulles bridge over the river kwai is a passion play and insight into the moralities of senior british officers and a japanese commandant using a remote japanese p. During wwii, the japanese have set up a pow camp in indochina on an island on the banks of the kwai river. Pierre boulle the bridge on the river kwai abebooks. Parallels the story of the recent movie the railway man. The bridge on the river kwai novel by boulle britannica. The novel deals with the plight of world war ii british prisoners of war forced by the imperial japanese army to build a bridge for the death railway, so named. His first novel to be published in the united states was the bridge on the river kwai. Philip toosey and the bridge on the river kwai by summers, julie new edition 2006. Add to favorites william holden bridge on the river kwai vinyl soundtrack record album kingstonnational 5 out of 5 stars. The bridge over the river kwai is a fictional story but uses the construction of the burma railway, in 194243, as its historical setting, and is partly based on pierre boulles own life experience working in malaysia rubber plantations and later working for allied forces in singapore and indochina during world war ii. Spike from the burma railroad when the japanese launched their lightning attacks in december.
Jul 17, 2018 the bridge on the river kwai escaped planned bombing, and remains in place in kanchanaburi as a tourist attraction and functioning railway bridge over which trains pass daily. Title sequence from the bridge on the river kwai 1957more title sequences from movies directed by david lean the bridge on the. Bridge on the river kwai by boulle, pierre and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The bridge on the river kwai by david lean, david lean, william. May 21, 2019 the bridge on the river kwai won best picture and six other oscar nods from the academy of motion pictures arts and sciences at the 1958 academy awards. In a prison camp, british pows are forced into labor. The movie was mainly filmed in ceylon now sri lanka and also in england in 1941 the japanese army invaded thailand. Apr 28, 2017 the 1957 movie bridge on the river kwai may be one of the most famous war movies ever made, winning seven oscars including best picture and best actor for alec guinness. The cliffhugging tracks and the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains and valleys are well captured in the david lean movie. He escaped in 1944, was picked up by a british plane, and served in the special forces in calcutta for the rest of the war. The bridge on the river kwai example topics and well.
Goodreads members who liked the bridge over the river kwai. The bridge they build will become a symbol of service and survival to one prisoner, colonel nicholson, a proud perfectionist. The bridge over the river kwai explores the cultural pride. Bridge over the river kwai is a book set in the time of ww2 where british soldiers are captured and kept as prisoners of war in a japanese camp. The actual name of bridge on the river kwai, on the 258 mile long burma railway between ban pong, thailand, and thanbyuzayat, burma, built from 19401944, was called bridge 277. The track is developed into a walkway with side platforms. Pierre boulle, who wrote the original book, had never been there. All of which brings us to bridge on the river kwai.
A product of its times written in 1954, kwai is both stereotypical and stiff in the telling of a 1942, wwii, pacific theatre event. Bridge on the river kwai this edition was published in february 1, 2003 by vintage rand id numbers open library ol9272739m isbn 10 0099445026 isbn 9780099445029 library thing 49632 goodreads 598098. Nov 21, 2000 the bridge on the river kwai, one of the greatest films ever made, is given the appropriate reverential treatment by columbia tristar on the twodisc dvd of director david leans world war ii prisoner of war epic that netted seven oscars. Oct 11, 2020 the wooden bridge over the river kwae yai, which in boulles book was called the river kwai, was completed in february 1943, followed by a concrete and steel bridge completed in june 1943.
The bridge on the river kwai is a 1957 epic war film directed by david lean and based on the 1952 novel written by pierre boulle. Unlike the wellfed extras in the movie, we did not whistle the colonel bogey tune. Im sure that everyone is familiar with the story from david leans 1957 masterpiece, starring alec guiness, william holden, jack hawkins and sessue hayakawa. British pows are forced to build a railway bridge across the river kwai for their japanese captors, not knowing that the allied forces are planning to destroy it. The bridge over the river kwai by pierre boulle goodreads. The bridge on the river kwai by boulle, pierre and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Tells of the transforming power of christ in the poisonous social environment of a japanese prison camp in ww2. First edition of the work in this format and binding, andor set or series. Pierre boulle, good books, books to read, train route, san francisco. Immediately download the the bridge on the river kwai summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching the bridge on the river kwai.
The japanese camp is set to create a bridge so japanese trains can move across the river kwai. The bridge on the river kwai by david lean, david lean. The bridge on the river kwai 1957, the memorable, epic world war ii adventureaction, antiwar drama, was the first of director david leans major multimillion dollar, widescreen superspectaculars his later epics included lawrence of arabia 1962 and doctor zhivago 1965. The bridge on the river kwai, kanchanaburi, thailand travel. The bridge on the river kwai bridge over the river kwai by leo rawlings, a pow who was involved in the lines construction sketch dated to 1943. The bridge on the river kwai simple english wikipedia, the. The bridge over the river kwai is a novel by the french novelist pierre boulle, published in french in 1952 and english translation by xan fielding in 1954. Nov 15, 2010 youve probably seen the 1957 move the bridge on the river kwai, but you might not know how much of the film was real and how much was fictionalized. Both bridges were destroyed by allied bombers on 2 april 1945, although they had been damaged and repaired several times before. Many books have been written about the death railway, but this one captures the astonishing feat of allied soldiers in building the bridge on the river kwai. Major warden, a modest hero, saboteur and deadly killer.
I suppose most have at least seen or heard of the film starring alec guinness and william holden. Dig deeper into this films own history, and youll see it has quite a bit of controversy in its own right. 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. Faro island film festival 1957 nominee golden train award. Jun 30, 2011 the bridge on the river kwai tells the story of three pows who endure the hell of the japanese camps on the burmasiam railway colonel nicholson, a man prepared to sacrifice his life but not his dignity. The bridge over the river kwai 1954 edition open library. The bridge on the river kwai the bridge on the river kwai is a character driven war drama about a men with principles standing against the antagonists camp as a protest with a never yielding spirit. Someone gave me this book when i was young, a long time ago. These british soldiers are led and assigned to create the bridge that goes over the kwai, led by their.
The movie was mainly filmed in ceylon now sri lanka and also in england. Thailand was still known as siam when japan invaded it in december 1941, until then the country had been officially neutral. The book was awarded the prix saintebeuve prize in france, which led to. Bridge over river kwai english, hardcover, bouelle pierre. Jan 03, 2018 the bridge on the river kwai peyton place sayonara witness for the prosecution.
Teacher the bridge on the river kwai in addition to the horror of the war itself, the movie river kwai best illustrate the different kind of leadership through the characters of colonel saito and lt. The book was awarded the prix saintebeuve prize in france, which led to the film version that received an amazing seven academy awards. If you own this book, you can mail it to our address below. The bridge on the river kwai 1957 title sequence youtube. Bridge on the river kwai by pierre boulle, first edition. Three stars for the bridge over the river kwai by pierre boulle. The bridge on the river kwai the bridge on the river kwai spends most of its considerable running time puffing up a romantic image of the british gentleman soldier, presenting an organized, highly capable military man who handles ever situationeven time as a prisoner of warwith civility, decorum, and perseverance. The building of the bridge on the river kwai took a terrible toll on us and the depiction of our sufferings in the film of the same name was a very, very sanitised version of events. Boldly advancing through asia, the japanese need a train route from burma going north. The bridge over the river kwai, first edition abebooks. Bridge on the river kwai director david leans masterful 1957 realization of pierre boulles novel remains a benchmark for war films, and a deeply absorbing movie by any standardlike most of leans canon, the bridge on the river kwai achieves a richness in theme, narrative, and.
The film deals with the situation of british and american prisoners of war, who were captured by the japanese during world war ii and were forced to build a bridge over the river kwai. Three sections of bridge river kwai were destroyed. The bridge over the river kwai is a fictional story but uses the construction of the burma railway, in 194243, as its historical setting, and is partly based on pierre boulles own life experience working in malaysia rubber plantations and later working for allied forces in. The primary purpose of this location is so that the japanese can use the labor of the pows to construct a railway bridge over the river, the bridge which will be a vital link for the japanese forces in the war. For a film nearly half a century old, the transfer on the first disc is absolutely gorgeous. Alec guinness was not present at the awards ceremony. The best picture project the bridge on the river kwai. Pierre boulles bestselling novel the bridge over the river kwai, first published in english in 1954 and made into a movie by david. Rich in irony and suspense, the bridge on the river kwai examines the hubris and pragmatism of a trio of prisoners of war forced to construct a. Aug 19, 2012 the bridge over the river kwai by pierre boulle, 1954, vanguard press edition, in english. Long way back to the river kwai is a simply told but searing memoir of world war iia testimonial to one mans indomitable will to live that will take its place beside the diary of ann frank, bridge over the river kwai, and ediths story.
With william holden, alec guinness, jack hawkins, sessue hayakawa. Pierre boulles novel is perfectly adapted by blacklisted writers carl foreman and michael wilson, and leans direction is absolutely flawless in every respect. The bridge on the river kwai simple english wikipedia. The bridge on the river kwai by pierre boulle waterstones. It was initially scripted by screenwriter carl foreman, who was later replaced by michael. The real history of how the railway between burma and china was built, including the bridge, is a horrific story. The bridge over the river kwai book by pierre boulle. Bridge on the river kwai february 1, 2003 edition open. He knew that the death railway ran parallel to the river kwae for many miles, and assumed that. The bridge over the river kwai bantam pathfinder editions by pierre boulle and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Commander shears, who escaped from hell but was sent back. The cast includes alec guinness, william holden, jack hawkins, and sessue hayakawa.
Lean was the undisputed master of the movie epicwith films like river kwai, doctor zhivago, passage to india and lawrence of arabia. Apr 05, 2021 the harrowing story became famous after the publication of pierre boulles book the bridge over the river kwai, and the film that followed. Colonel saito portrayed the typical japanese officer while lt. The primary purpose of this location is so that the japanese can use the labor of the pows to construct a railway bridge over the river, the bridge which will be a. Find hotels near the bridge of the river kwai, thailand online.
The film uses the historical setting of the construction of the burma railway in 19421943. The bridge river kwai became famous all over the world, when it was featured in movies and books. Dec 10, 2002 many books have been written about the death railway, but this one captures the astonishing feat of allied soldiers in building the bridge on the river kwai. Colonel nicholson typified the western military leader. The bridge on the river kwai 1957, the memorable, epic world war ii adventureaction, antiwar drama, was the first of director david leans major multimillion dollar, widescreen superspectaculars his later epics included lawrence of. The book trail the bridge on the river kwai the book trail. Mar 31, 2018 a war between nations is innately a clash of cultures. The bridge on the kwai river theme song made in 1957. It is a true story of prison camp life on the burma railway, not the fiction of bridge on the river kwai. It depicts four pows, waistdeep in the water, carrying a large log during the first bridge s construction. The bridge on the river kwai sits in infamy as a classic world war two movie.
The bridge on the river kwai kindle edition by boulle. The prisoners working on the railroad made infamous by the book and movie about the bridge on the river kwai died in great numbers, from starvation, capricious beatings, bludgeoning, summary execution, disease, accidents, drowning, etc. The film deals with the situation of british and american prisoners of war, who were captured by the japanese during world war ii and were forced to build a bridge over the river kwai, in order to accommodate japanese burmasiam railway. The majority of its smaller components are originals, while a few are postwar replacements.
299 1722 867 1813 1680 853 1608 286 837 1479 34 1894 1090 1332 1250 475 1261 984 1105 64 1293 491 473 18 447 547 1210 944 1515 1147 329 1038 1215 1578 1700 1317 1836