Movies recommended or seen lately... les films a voir #142: The bridge on the river Kwai

Genre: War/Guerre

Annee/Year: 1957

Format: Blu Ray

The bridge on the river Kwai. This is a fabulous classic movie from director extraordinaire David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Ryan's daughter, A passage to India and more). His films are at the highest echelon of cinematography and this one is no exception. Filmed in the depths of the jungle this type of movie was definitely a major challenge. The casting is first rate with major roles by William Holden, Alec Guiness, Sessu Hayakawa and many more. The story is about a company captured by the japanese led by a hard headed colonel. We follow their struggle with the Japanase captors and how they help them to build a major bridge over the river Kwai. During this period an american captive ran away from the camp and rejoined a commando force with the aim to cross the jungle and blow up the bridge after it is completed. Two tales of people determined to the extreme. This is movie is a true classic and has not really aged at all. Especially since it was now restored and given a high quality sound track in DTS-HD. This Blu Ray version is a must keep.

Le pont sur la riviere Kwai est un film du directeur David Lean qui nous a donne des classiques comme Laurence D'arabie, Docteur Jhivago et bein d'autres. Les films de Lean sont a grand deploiement cinematographique et c'est bien le cas ici avec un film tourne dans les jungles sud asiatiques. La distribution est parfaite avec Alec Guiness (Obi One Kenobi), William Holden et Sessue Hayakawa dans les roles principaux. L'histoire est geniale et tres bien executee. Elle nous raconte la capture d'une compagine de soldat anglais pendant la guerre du Pacifique (2ieme guerre) qui sont mis en camp de concentration sous les japonais. Ils sont mis au travail pour construire un pont enorme qui emjambe la riviere Kwai. Le colonel anglais qui diregent la compagnie demontre un entetement a ne pas baisser la tete devant ces capteurs. Pendant ce temps, un americain capture plus tot, reussi a se sauver du camp et a rejoindre les allies. Une fois rendu il est mis a profit en joignant un commando qui est charge de faire exploser le pont. Mission perilleuse qui consiste a traverser la jungle avec des explosif. Cette version blu ray est une version restaure avec grand soin de ce film auquel une piste sonore amelirie (DTS-HD) a ete adjoint en francais et anglais merci.
Un grand classique que certains calcules du meilleur film de tout les temps. je ne suis pas tout a fait de cet avis meme si le film est excellent.

Great quotes:

Commander Shears: I'd say the odds against a successful escape are about 100 to one. But may I add another word, Colonel? The odds against survival in this camp are even worse.
...
Colonel Saito: Do you know what will happen to me if the bridge is not built on time?
Colonel Nicholson: I haven't the foggiest.
Colonel Saito: I'll have to kill myself. What would you do if you were me?
Colonel Nicholson: I suppose if I were you... I'd have to kill myself.
Colonel Nicholson: [raising the glass of scotch he previously declined] Cheers!
...
Major Reeves: By the way, sir, I meant to tell you, there are trees in this forest very similar to elm. And the elm piles of London Bridge lasted six hundred years.
Colonel Nicholson: Six hundred years, Reeves?
Major Reeves: Yes, sir.
Colonel Nicholson: Six hundred years... That would be quite something.
...
Major Shears: You make me sick with your heroics! There's a stench of death about you. You carry it in your pack like the plague. Explosives and L-pills - they go well together, don't they? And with you it's just one thing or the other: destroy a bridge or destroy yourself. This is just a game, this war! You and Colonel Nicholson, you're two of a kind, crazy with courage. For what? 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 Nicholson: One day the war will be over. And I hope that the people that use this bridge in years to come will remember how it was built and who built it. Not a gang of slaves, but soldiers, British soldiers, Clipton, even in captivity.
...
Colonel Nicholson: I've been thinking. Tomorrow it will be twenty-eight years to the day that I've been in the service. Twenty-eight years in peace and war. I don't suppose I've been at home more than ten months in all that time. Still, it's been a good life. I loved India. I wouldn't have had it any other way. But there are times when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything. Hardly made any difference at all, really, particularly in comparison with other men's careers. I don't know whether that kind of thinking's very healthy; but I must admit I've had some thoughts on those lines from time to time. But tonight... tonight!
...
Colonel Nicholson: It is quite understandable; it's a very natural reaction. But one day - in a week, a month, a year - on that day when, God willing, we all return to our homes again, you're going to feel very proud of what you have achieved here in the face of great adversity. What you have done should be, and I think will be, an example to all our countrymen, soldier and civilian alike. You have survived with honor - that, and more - here in the wilderness. You have turned defeat into victory. I congratulate you. Well done.
...
Colonel Nicholson: What have I done?

Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050212/fullcredits#cast

Rating perso: 8.0/10