The Bridge on the River Kwai

For a long time I just circled around this Lean movie in annoyance, but in the end I was all the more impressed by its genius and refinement. The opening psychological battle between Nicholson and Saito is simply unique and foreshadows the final grandeur of the film, whose long runtime passes like water and which, despite the absence of shooting and actual warfare, is one of the most gripping war dramas ever made. And that ending! I barely breathed for the last 15 minutes, so even now, writing this review, my lungs aren't working well. But it was worth it! (2012-10-13)

"How to die like a gentleman, how to die by the rules - when the only important thing is how to live like a human being..." Colonel Saito, Colonel Nicholson, and God knows what rank Shears is at the moment. The first does what he must and can, the second does what he can and what he believes, and the third is convinced he must do something extra. Whoever shows weakness, does not die. From the start, David Lean's film works as if someone were keeping time with the Colonel Bogey March. A monument to stubbornness, courage, and madness. These have always managed to hide behind a dot on staff maps. (2023-11-07)

Further proof of the sheer perfectionism of David Lean, an expert in expensive, narrative big productions. Lean's no pushover, he shot Lawrence of Arabia in the heat of the African desert, with actors at the end of their rope and film technology taking a beating. This film was shot in the middle of the Sri Lankan jungle. The actors and film crew had a great time again, including a fully functional massive bridge created especially for the film. However, despite all the massive production, the story is mainly conducted on a psychological level, where the audience has to answer for themselves the question of whether an officer's word of honour is higher than the strategic war aims of his country's army. Those seven Oscars are well deserved. (2003-04-13)

I saw the entire film today, even though I've known the song that made it so famous for a long time. Finally, I could evaluate the film itself, and I must say that David Lean once again directed something incredibly grand. It's essentially just about building a bridge, but that's simply enough. It's great, grand, yet humanly beautiful and moving. (2015-01-19)

A famous war drama with a very well-known musical motif, which although far from reflecting the actual course of events and strongly romanticizing the destruction of the bridge, still functions as a strong story and has a decent amount of tension and emotions. Overall impression: 80%. (2009-01-20)