A Flawless Piece of Cinema History!

Rating: 10/10 (26 February 2015)

The Bridge on River Kwai is another example of great filmmaking from the Golden Age of Cinema. I shouldn't be surprised with the pedigree of the cast and that the director is the renowned David Lean. The film may approach three hours, but it a work of legacy and one of the greatest war films ever made. This film features underlying drama and some spectacular battle scenes towards the end. Also the ruthless treatment of the POW camp towards the British colonel was hard to watch, but it was fitting towards how the Axis powers actually treated the Allies.
David Lean's film is about a British colonel named Nicholson who he and his men were captured by the Japanese. After enduring endless amounts of torture, Nicholson is able to convince the commander of the camp, Saito to allow him to help design the bridge they are tasked to building. However, the Allies hatch a plot, whom Nicholson is completely oblivious of, to destroy the bridge.
If you want fine acting, you have come to the right place. Alec Guinness truly absorbs himself into the role of Nicholson and we see his acting ability fly high as Nicholson endures Japanese brutality to convince them to do what he wants. Sessue Hayakawa as Saito was indeed very good in his role as we see personal greed overcome his character. William Holden was excellent and does not hold back as the sarcastic American soldier, Shears. We also get a strong performance from Jack Hawkins as Major Warden, the man who knows his explosives.
Overall, The Bridge on River Kwai is probably one of the top ten films ever made. Any young person should view this film, as this epic holds up very well. It may be historical fiction, but it does have its place in history. This is the kind of film David Lean knows how to make, just like his other films like Lawrence of Arabia. Those who watch this film for the first time will be rewarded with such rich cinema Everything about the film: the acting, directing, cinematography, score, and plot just screams perfection. One of the greatest war films ever made.
My Grade: A+