Alec Guinness in The Bridge on the River Kwai (Image: The Bridge on the River Kwai)
Some films stay with you long after the credits roll. They linger for years, pop into your mind at random moments and feel as powerful on a rewatch as they did the first time. And one wartime classic is constantly being discussed, with viewers calling it the most “epic” entry the genre has ever produced. Among many things, the film is often praised for its scale and its story.
It has a huge legacy, countless awards and a reputation that has only grown stronger with time. And despite being nearly 70 years old, many say it remains untouched by modern filmmaking. The film has a 96% critics’ score and a 93% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and according to fans, it deserves its place among the greatest movies ever made.
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William Holden in The Bridge on the River Kwai (Image: The Bridge on the River Kwai)
The film in question is The Bridge on the River Kwai.
One reviewer said: “Not much to say other than it is by far the most epic war film. It is a sublime, flawless masterpiece that you will never forget.
“It will stay with you for years and years and once in a while you will catch yourself thinking about it when you’re making dinner or washing your car or doing anything else. Wow, just simply wow.”
Another review added: “The film is quite spectacular. I heard a film critic once say that there really aren’t ‘war movies’; there are only ‘anti-war’ movies.
“I’m still not sure what I think of that claim, but having seen The Bridge on the River Kwai enough times in the past several years, I think I’m persuaded that it’s at least half right. It is, I believe, both a ‘war’ and ‘anti-war’ movie, and, in my view, it succeeds admirably at both.”
The film won seven Academy Awards (Image: The Bridge on the River Kwai)
A third viewer said: “I wonder if David Lean realised what he’d created when he completed this film, a timeless classic, a film for the ages. I know it’s a film, but wow do you get a sense of what those poor men must have suffered, prisoners in the hands of a cruel bunch of captors, with no regard for international rule.
“Incredibly well made, a production of epic proportions that holds up perfectly to this day, amazing location work, costumes, and sets, and remember there were no special effects to rely on in 1957.”
Someone else commented: “A brilliantly structured, beautifully written screenplay forms the basis of this: one of the greatest movies ever made.”
Released in 1957 and directed by David Lean, the film stars Alec Guinness, William Holden and Jack Hawkins.
It is based on the novel by Pierre Boulle, though the screenplay was written by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, who worked in secret while on the Hollywood blacklist.
Because of this, Boulle was originally credited and won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, despite not speaking English.
The Academy corrected this in 1984, awarding the honour to Foreman and Wilson posthumously.
The film became a huge success. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Alec Guinness.
It also won Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director and Best Actor, as well as four BAFTAs, including Best Film and Best British Film.
The film is now available to buy or rent on YouTube.