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The Bridge on the River Kwai

1957 · Movie · PG · 162 min

★ 7.8(2,478)unSUB Rating

DramaHistoryWar

In a jungle prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, captured soldiers are ordered to build a strategic bridge for their captors. As the project grows, discipline and pride turn the construction into a personal mission, even as an Allied plan forms to sabotage the bridge and shift the course of events.

Based on The Bridge over the River Kwai

Where to watch

Streaming on Sony Pictures Core.

3 hours to watch.

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Details
Years
1957
Release date
1957-10-11
Language
English
Rated
PG
Runtime
162 min
TMDB rating (input)
7.8/10 (2,478 votes)
Box office
$27,200,000
Budget
$3,000,000
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a classic, character-driven war epic with big stakes, jungle atmosphere, and thorny questions about duty and pride, in the vein of Lawrence of Arabia; Not for you if you need fast pacing or strict realism.

Pros: tense moral conflict; memorable characters; epic adventure feel | Cons: slow pacing at times; uneven tone; believability issues

Themes

  • japan
  • based on novel or book
  • resistance
  • river
  • world war ii
  • prisoner of war
  • thailand
  • bridge
  • burma
  • pacific war
  • aggressive
  • bridge blowup
  • +1 more

Awards & recognition

  • Academy Award — Best Director · 1958
  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1958
  • Academy Award — Best Film Editing · 1958
  • Academy Award — Best Cinematography · 1958
  • Academy Award — Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment · 1958
Show all 17 awards →
  • Academy Award — Best Actor · 1958
  • Academy Award — Best Picture · 1958
  • National Board of Review Award — Best Film
  • National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
  • Academy Award — Best Picture · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Director · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Cinematography · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Film Editing · 1958 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Actor · 1958 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by David Lean