1957 · 162 min · PG

The Bridge on the River Kwai

Name: The Bridge on the River Kwai
Genre: Drama, History, War
Released: 1957
Duration: 162 min
Cast: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald

Directed by David Lean · Drama, History, War

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) is a Drama film, directed by David Lean set in Thailand during the 1940s. It runs 162 minutes and is rated PG.

Themes of obsession, war's cost, and power & corruption play out through multiple perspectives.

Composer

Malcolm Arnold

Cinematography

Jack Hildyard

Cast

William HoldenAlec GuinnessJack HawkinsSessue HayakawaJames DonaldGeoffrey HorneAndré MorellPeter Williams

The world of this film

Setting

Where

Thailand

Setting

Wilderness Rural

When

1940s

Premise & themes

Themes

Obsession War's Cost Power & Corruption

Structure

Multiple Perspectives

Tone

BleakTense

Shape

Protagonist

Ensemble

Pacing

Measured

Dialogue

Balanced

Based on

Historical Fiction

1945
Brief Encounter
England — 1940s
Suburbandir. David Lean
1962
Lawrence of Arabia
Cairo · Jerusalem · Damascus — 1910s
Desertdir. David Lean

The Bridge on the River Kwai

The world of this film

Setting

Premise & themes

Shape

More like this

Brief Encounter

Lawrence of Arabia