1957
Directed by David Lean
Wow. If there was ever a movie made exclusively for men, it is this one. I enjoy a lot of movies that were made for a male audience, but this film is my breaking point. I mean, it is a movie about the construction of a bridge. I get bored just thinking about it.
I think this film is excessively long and incredibly boring, but there is no denying that is beautiful. Even the picture I have above shows that the color and the cinematography is just gorgeous.
The Japanese want the captured British soldiers to build a bridge. They don't want to build the bridge. Oh wait, yes they do. Oh wait again, now they want to destroy the bridge.
All right, so obviously I am simplifying what some consider to be the greatest film of all time. In fact, readers who are die hard film buffs are probably convulsing in their seats right now. Still, I just could not get into this movie; it is not for most women and certainly not for me.
RATING: *----
Interesting Facts:
The bridge cost $250,000.
David Lean almost drowned during filming when he was swept into the river but Geoffrey Horne saved is life.
Alec Guinness was initially hesitant to play the role of the Colonel because the character seemed so dull. You got that right.
This film had increased excitement for River Kwai bridge after its release in 1957. This movie has justified the historic value of River Kwai bridge. It is a quite good movie to watch.
ReplyDeleteRiver Kwai Hotels
Yeah I could definitely see why you think that. Still, I couldn't help it; I was just really bored. Sorry to disappoint.
DeleteThanks for commenting!
I absolutely love this film...I think this might be tied with Brief Encounter for my favourite David Lean it's hard to choose.
ReplyDeleteTo me it feels like quite a unique war film. Granted of course I am definitely no expert but all of the war films I have seen have been (unsurprisingly!) mainly about war. I love in this film how everyone loses sight of the actual war, instead becoming obsessed with the bridge. You can see the different things the bridge represents to the characters- to me it was really interesting. Also, I was very invested in what was going to happen that I had no complaints about the running time- I think it needed to be on the long side to tell the story properly.
I don't see how it is made for men- I know there's no female characters in it to speak of but it is about WW2 soldiers afterall. To me anyone could enjoy it!
It wasn't just that there were zero women that made me feel excluded (although I guess that was probably a part of it). I just couldn't connect with any of it but glad you could! But I don't usually like war movies so I might be biased.
ReplyDeleteSorry Amanda, I am with Ashley on this one. This is not about war at all, but about self respect. It is one of those movies I can see again and again and always find something new.
ReplyDeleteYeah I can't help it I was bored!!! Sorry everyone!
DeleteThis is 2017. Saying "Sorry" isn't good enough for public figures who do something slightly wrong. We demand your resignation and the opportunity for thousands of people you've never met to angrily lynch you on Twitter for 48hrs or until we're distracted by another public figure doing something slightly wrong.
DeleteI don't have twitter...you can lynch me on facebook if you want.
DeleteI like how the first hour of the film focusses on the heroic commanding officer (Guinness) bravely standing up for the honourable principle that officers like him shouldn't have to do any manual work whilst it's OK for his men to slog their guts out for long hours under baking sun each day. Furthermore, when he finally wins point, the men cheer him and carry him aloft like he'd just won the war itself.
ReplyDelete