Has something sim'lar Harry Cohn, the vulgar (but successful) man who ran Columbia Pictures at the time, was furious when he read the script and saw no love interest. The surviving sections stand as monuments to the men who suffered so much to build them. Save up to 50% on Thailand River Cruises August 2024. It was set up at the beginning of the Burma-Siams construction. Persuaded that the film would be about the horror and folly of war, the Japanese government sent a military adviser to help with the camp scenes. In 1997, this film was deemed "culturally . David Lean was completely at home in the hot and humid Ceylon jungle. A picture of the actual bridge over the River Kwai in June 2004. On 16 October 1943, the two ends of the Burma-Thailand railway were joined at Konkoita in Thailand. [13], Many directors were considered for the project, among them John Ford, William Wyler, Howard Hawks, Fred Zinnemann, and Orson Welles (who was also offered a starring role). 25 March 1995. 14- "Be happy in your work.". Civilian workmen suffered terribly too, with their casualties far outstripping the military personnel. The Hitchhiker's Guide has this to say about John Rabon: When not pretending to travel in time and space, eating bananas, and claiming that things are "fantastic", John lives in North Carolina. She recommended Lean to producer Sam Spiegel, who'd been turned down by Fred Zinnemann, William Wyler, and Carol Reed, and offered the directing job to Lean as a last resort. After a few days, the British medical officer Major Clipton (James Donald) tries to persuade both Saito and Nicholson to compromise, but both are unyielding. For all the death and misery caused by its building, the Burma-Siam Railway only ever carried two Japanese divisions and 500,000 tons of supplies before VJ Day brought the war in Asia to a close. Boulle was given sole credit on the film and was awarded the Oscar for best screenplay. When the sun rises, the commandoes realize that the water level in the river has fallen, exposing the explosives and wiring. Wise: "I never heard it in Thailand. An example of this is when commandos Warden and Joyce hunt a fleeing Japanese soldier through the jungle, desperate to prevent him from alerting other troops. rainy day Therefore, there are not many people. Chungkai was also a POW worker base camp. US Navy Commander Shears tells of the horrific conditions. We want to hear from you! This is now known as the Death Railway. It is famously known as the setting for the a 1957 World War Two epic Bridge over the River Kwai. During the cutting of Hellfire Pass, for example, 69 men were beaten to death across a twelve-week period. It is also known as the "River Kwai March". Get information about our funding, our Customer Charter and our Strategic Plan. The river is the Mae Klong River which passes through a valley of the Khwae Noi River (little tributary). David Lean, director of such landmark epics as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, didn't always make giant movies. He served as an adviser during the making of the movie. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labour brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma. Their taskmasters were relentless. [55] Slant stated that "the 1957 epic subtly develops its themes about the irrationality of honor and the hypocrisy of Britain's class system without ever compromising its thrilling war narrative", and in comparing to other films of the time said that Bridge on the River Kwai "carefully builds its psychological tension until it erupts in a blinding flash of sulfur and flame. The negative itself manifested many of the kinds of issues one would expect from a film of this vintage: torn frames, embedded emulsion dirt, scratches through every reel, colour fading. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI takes place in Japan-occupied Siam (later Thailand) in 1943, after the Imperial Japanese Empire has conquered vast territories of Asia. Corrections? Beijing Kwai Technology Co.'s app Kuaishou, or Kwai, is arranged for a photograph on a smartphone in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018.. Japanese engineers had been surveying and planning the route of the railway since 1937, and they had demonstrated considerable skill during their construction efforts across South-East Asia. In 1985, the Academy officially recognized Foreman and Wilson as the screenwriters and posthumously awarded the Oscar to them. It was still highly unusual at that time for a television network to show such a long film in one evening; most films of that length were still generally split into two parts and shown over two evenings. The Bridge Over the River Kwai won seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture) in 1958. In many tense, dramatic scenes, only the sounds of nature are used. Two labour forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma, worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre. His compassion and insistence on equality amongst the ranks ensured he protected his men as best he could. The Bridge on the River Kwai was selected in 1997 for preservation in the National Film Registry. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Addeddate 2021-08-19 15:12:20 Identifier the-bridge-on-the-river-kwai_202108 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. plus-circle Add Review. The movie starring William Holden, Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins was shot at more than 1 locations. Written 20 October 2021. The Bridge over the River Kwai met its fate in 1945. Pierre Boulle, a Frenchman, who had experienced great hardship after being captured by the Vichy French on the Mekong River, wrote a novel called 'Le Pont de la rivire Kwa' - The Bridge of the . The film was based on the 1952 novel Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle. 8. At its behest, Sam Spiegel asked David Lean to incorporate a love scene. Put on your marching boots and whistle a jaunty tune as we investigate some behind-the-scenes facts about this enduring war film. As the train approaches, they hurry down to the riverbank to investigate. Although the obvious link was by sea, Allied submarines controlling the region made it too treacherous. Ernest Gordon, a survivor of the railway construction and POW camps described in the novel/film, stated in his 1962 book, Through the Valley of the Kwai: In Pierre Boulle's book The Bridge over the River Kwai and the film which was based on it, the impression was given that British officers not only took part in building the bridge willingly, but finished in record time to demonstrate to the enemy their superior efficiency. The camp commander, Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), informs the prisoners that they will all begin working on the building of a railway bridge the following day. Thousands of Asian workers and POWs (prisoners of war) died while working on the project. So Spiegel hired another writer, Calder Willingham, to give it a crack. Some Japanese viewers resented the movie's depiction of their engineers' capabilities as inferior and less advanced than they were in reality. Has no balls Be the first one to write a review. Instead, the Lt. Col would stand up for his men when necessary to try to alleviate some of their hardships. Nicholson will not cooperate and finally insists that the bridge can be built only under his command. Clipton objects, believing this to be collaboration with the enemy. The adventure war film The Bridge on the River Kwai may have swept the board of awards and attracted acclaim as one best films of the 20th century, but the War Office was very nervous "it would . A real train rode over the bridge as it blew up. It was the highest-grossing film of 1957 and received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. The line passing through the scenic Three Pagodas Pass runs for 250 miles. Japanese guards were known for their cruelty and would frequently torture and assault their prisoners. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a hotel restaurant Overnight: Kanchanaburi It spans crosses the lazily winding Khwae Noi at Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Shears tries to get out of the mission by confessing that he impersonated an officer, hoping for better treatment from the Japanese. 14. Wrote Guinness: "I felt like turning around and getting back on the plane and paying my own fare home!" By Barry Fox. (Spiegel got a British military adviser to help with that side of things, too.). The US was beginning to control the sea lanes, making it increasingly difficult for Japanese shipborne cargo to reach the army dotted across the Pacific. The ending of that was sort of the story of life. Toosey in fact did as much as possible to delay the building of the bridge. The Bridge on the River Kwai was widely praised, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, at the 30th Academy Awards. It was more of a transit hub where prisoners were moved to other work areas along the railway route. The bridge they build will become a symbol of service and survival to one prisoner, Colonel Nicholson, a proud perfectionist. All the filming locations of The Bridge on the River Kwai are listed below. English / Japanese / Thai. 11. Train crossing the wooden bridge which spanned the Mae Klong River (renamed Kwai Yai River in 1960). Lets examine the history behind the film and the men who made it. Nicholson's obsession with the bridge eventually drives him to allow his officers to volunteer to engage in manual labor. Take a look below for 28 more fun and interesting facts about The Bridge on the . But, what about the real men behind the real story of the construction of the Burma-Siam Railway? 2023 Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Full scale plan drawing for the main cantilever bridge design. [64] The image was restored by OCS, Freeze Frame, and Pixel Magic with George Hively editing. The real Bridge over the River Kwai is bridge 277 of the Burma-Siam Railway. 20. They were soon sent to Thailand to begin labouring on the Death Railway. Spiegel, the producer, bought the film rights to the book (the English version of which was called The Bridge Over the River Kwai) and hired Carl Foreman to write the script. Want to work for the CWGC? Just as in Love is a Many Splendored Thing, normally hairy chested William Holden had to have a full body wax for his many shirtless scenes in the movie. To learn more about the men behind the real story of the Bridge on the River Kwai, and to discover the casualties, please use our Find War Dead tool. Have a question about us or our work? Lean only got $150,000 himself, but he always said Holden was worth it. You can also take a boat down the Kwai River . The film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" dramatized the WWII story of the Thailand-Burma Railway, yet it was largely fictional. The Bridge on the River Kwai Facts for Kids. Bridge On The River Kwai is an Epic war-based film. [citation needed], Julie Summers, in her book The Colonel of Tamarkan, writes that Boulle, who had been a prisoner of war in Thailand, created the fictional Nicholson character as an amalgam of his memories of collaborating French officers. Prior to casting Alec Guinness, Sam Spiegel tried to persuade Spencer Tracy to play the part of Colonel Nicholson. One of the biggest causes of ire was the treatment of Toosey. Its telling that the railway workers had to see to their own medical care. British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it. You carry it in your pack like the plague. Bought 4 and 6 mm dowel wood for bridge piers. 10. To enjoy Thailand River cruises, you need to understand a little about the geography of Thailand and its river system. Bus Bangkok - Kanchanaburi $ 7.19 3h 30m. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 British-American epic war movie directed by David Lean and starring William Holden, Jack Hawkins, and Alec Guinness, featuring Sessue Hayakawa. California Doubling: The film is set in Thailand, but was filmed in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), a distinction the publicity of the time didn't see fit to make clear.Instead, it raved about the movie being shot in Ceylon in a way which implied the real-life River Kwai was located there. The telecast of the film lasted more than three hours because of the commercial breaks. [3] Since it was not a documentary, there are many historical inaccuracies in the film, as noted by eyewitnesses to the building of the real Burma Railway by historians.[30][31][32][33]. 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 1940-1944, was called Bridge 277. The events depicted in the film, of a chaotic Commando raid and Lt. Col Nicholsons wounded body falling dramatically on the detonator and blowing the bridge up, are completely false. Lets find out. The cast includes William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, and . At their head was Lieutenant-Colonel Phillip Toosey. Starring Alec Guinness, it depicts the struggles and defiance of Japanese prisoners of war building the fictional Burma railway between 1943-44. Ironically, Allied bombing raids of the region between March and June 1943 contributed to casualties sustained around Thanbyuzayat. The year: 1943. Other parts have been placed in various local war museums. Starring Alec Guinness, it depicts the struggles and defiance of Japanese prisoners of war building the fictional Burma railway between 1943-44. The Bridge on the River Kwai poses complex interpretive issues about the vagaries of war and military behavior as conveyed by the Japanese soldiers, Commander Saito, Lt. Col. Nicholson, and the British captives. Use our search tools to explore our records and find out about those we commemorate. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [12], William Holden's deal was considered one of the best ever for an actor at the time, with him receiving $300,000 plus 10% of the film's gross receipts. c. 1945. A Smith article describes bridge on River Kwai, near Kanchanaburi, Thailand, built by Allied POWs during Japanese occupation of Thailand in World War II and subject of famous film The Bridge on . 3. Death Railway was bombed heavily by the Allies from 1943 onwards. The movie was mainly filmed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and also in England. The actual bridge on the River Kwai is located in Thailand, and stretches over a part of the Mae Klong river, which was renamed Khwae Yai (Thai for big tributary). Find the latest updates on the work of the Special Committee. Has only got one ball! Spiegel finally sent Michael Wilson to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where Lean was in pre-production, and the two worked together to hammer out the final version. Himmler After the war, their remains were moved from these makeshift cemeteries and graveyards to purpose-built Commission sites. A Cholera epidemic swept through Nieke Camp between May-June 1943. Since it first graced the silver screen won the admiration of audiences everywhere and continues to do so. Their roles and characters, however, are fictionalised. The River Kwai, also known as Khwae Noi or Khwae Sai Yok is a river located in the western region of Thailand. Over 65,000 Allied P.O.W.s battled torture, starvation, and disease to hack the 255-mile railway out of harsh jungle for the Japanese. Initial estimates from Japanese engineers suggested it would take five years. In early 1943, a contingent of British prisoners of war, led by Lt. Interested in advertising on the world's largest website dedicated to all things Britain? Goering Please select which sections you would like to print: Pat Bauer graduated from Ripon College in 1977 with a double major in Spanish and Theatre. Copyright 2020 Tons Of Facts. Boulle nonetheless enjoyed the film version though he disagreed with its climax. Casualties commemorated at Chungkai are mostly men who died in the field hospital set up by prisoners. The movie is best known for the "Colonel Bogey March", the song that is whistled by the POWs. Shears, who is a British commando officer like Warden in the novel, became an American sailor who escapes from the POW camp. The Bridge Over the River Kwai. Weill you be in London for the Coronation in 2023? [38] Some Japanese viewers also disliked the film for portraying the Allied prisoners of war as more capable of constructing the bridge than the Japanese engineers themselves were, accusing the filmmakers of being unfairly biased and unfamiliar with the realities of the bridge construction, a sentiment echoed by surviving prisoners of war who saw the film in cinemas. He was listed as missing in action in June 1943. TakeMeTour's Review. In 1997, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. She spent most of the next 42 years working as a copy editor and editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. The film originally made thirty million dollars over its three million dollar budget and was rereleased in theaters just after Lean and Spiegel's Lawrence of Arabia came out. At one point during filming, David Lean nearly drowned when he was swept away by a river current. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The rest were made of wood and local materials. After Guinness was done with the scene, Lean said, "Now you can all fuck off and go home, you English actors. [60] The 167-minute film was first telecast, uncut, in colour, on the evening of 25 September 1966, as a three hours-plus ABC Movie Special. Over a muddy jungle river called Kwai, a Japanese colonel, Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), must complete a railroad bridge vital to Japan's war effort. ABC, sponsored by Ford, paid a record $1.8 million for the television rights for two screenings in the United States. 17. Victory over the Japanese navy at Midway in June 1942 had created a turning point in the Far East and Pacific. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 World War II POW film directed by David Lean, about the construction of the bridges over the River Kwai, although it's heavily fictionalised.It's based on the French novel The Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle, of Planet of the Apes fame; Boulle, who could neither read nor write English, was also credited for the screenplay adaptation due to . Construction of the Burma-Siam railway began in October 1942 and would end in October 1943. The destruction of the bridge as depicted in the film is also entirely fictional. Rather than start building at two ends and meet in the middle, as per normal railway construction, the Japanese created hundreds of camps across its lengths. Lean and his production designer, Donald Ashton, were in Ceylon months ahead of time to construct the film's title character (the bridge, not the river). The action of the movie takes place in a Japanese prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in . Alec Guiness, William Holden, and Jack Hawkins in front of bridge they built in a scene from the film 'The Bridge On The River Kwai', 1957.