"The only important thing is how to live like a human being."

Rating: 8/10 (3 February 2016)

Few movies tell the story of war in such an unbiased way, only to show its dehumanizing effects. About midway through Bridge on the River Kwai, the viewer no longer is too interested in who will "win" the conflict (how do you do that anyway?—But that's for another conversation), but rather about the lengths these men have gone away from their beings. We see people who were driven to the brink of what one can survive, and not all of them did. A true test of the boundaries of the human spirit, Bridge on the River Kwai, directed by David Lean, took home Oscar's top prize in 1957.
Brash, yet civil Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) commander of a group of British soldiers captured as POW's by the Japanese military in the midst of WWII has a single vision in mind. Armed with the promise of the Geneva Convention, Nicolson is determined to lead his men with honor. Determined to conduct himself and his men with the honor betrothed to those that don the British uniform, Nicolson endures more than anyone thought he could survive to gain the respect of his captors. The Japanese eventually realize that Nicholson is a force to be reckoned with, and as much as they may wish to kill him, their hands are figuratively tied. Gaining respect, Nicholson eventually becomes an integral part of the Japanese plan to build a bridge over the river Kwai veiled as a useful wartime measure that actually only serves as a monument to Japanese commanding officer Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa). Although his men don't want to do the work that glorifies the Japanese, Nicholson ensures them that completion of the bridge will actually serve as a testament to the will and honorability of the British. Construction goes on, with the help of the British, all the while allies have hatched a plan to burn the bridge down, led by escaped American prisoner Shears (William Holden). The two plots work together to form one cohesive story of men afflicted with battle and the concessions that some won't even allow themselves to make in a time of war.
This film shows Alec Guinness at his best, a raw look at a man in the heart of battle that refuses to leave his morals behind. He excels as a man leading his men with the dignity each deserves as a human being. William Holden is also a standout in this picture. Holden plays the role of the disillusioned prisoner who has given up hope with ease, coming off both believable and lovable. The cinematography of this film was a thing of beauty. In scenes with hundreds of men marching, the audience is graced with seeing the vast landscape that is so grand it appears to completely encompass the men. There were also incredible shots through binoculars that show, in part, the directorial genius of David Lean. The acting and technical elements came together to create a strong film that explores the depth of the human spirit.
It is sometimes difficult to watch a movie with no clear hero. Everyone comes off a little crazy in this film; which perhaps, may explain why the final lines in this film were "the madness, the madness". I don't want a cookie-cutter movie by any means, but I also don't want to travel half way through an almost three-hour film rooting for someone, only to realize he's a bit off his rocker. I suppose, however, that is what happens when you have a movie like Bridge on the River Kwai, with such heavy themes as honor, strength, and valor. Technically, I understand why this film took home Oscar's top prize; the acting and writing allows one to understand this as well. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys war films, of course, even though this one is quite different from the standard. Also, I would recommend Bridge on the River Kwai to anyone who needs reassurance that the human spirit can overcome even the darkest of evils.