The story is fictional but uses the construction of the burma railway, in 19421943, as its historical setting, and is partly based on pierre boulles own life experience working in malaysia rubber. Bridge over the river kwai by pierre boulle, paperback barnes. Although the death railway has never again reached the myanmar border, a. The bridge on the river kwai by pierre boulle waterstones. Buy the bridge over the river kwai reprint by pierre boulle isbn. A product of its times written in 1954, kwai is both stereotypical and stiff in the telling of a 1942, wwii, pacific theatre event. The bridge on the river kwai is a 1957 epic war film directed by david lean and based on the 1952 novel written by pierre boulle. Buy the bridge on the river kwai new ed by pierre boulle, xan fielding isbn. I suppose most have at least seen or heard of the film starring alec guinness and william holden. British pows are forced to build a railway bridge across the river kwai for their japanese captors, not knowing that the allied forces are planning to destroy it. Bridge over the river kwai is a book set in the time of ww2 where british soldiers are captured and kept as prisoners of war in a japanese camp. It is a lean, jumpy book, a conradian tale of the british lost in a dark abroad.
He escaped in 1944, was picked up by a british plane, and served in the special forces in calcutta for the rest of the war. The bridge on the river kwai by pierre boulle penguin books. For 300 baht you can travel in a special foreign tourist car attached to train 257258 between river kwae bridge and nam tok. The bridge over the river kwai by pierre boulle goodreads. The cast included william holden, jack hawkins, alec guinness, and sessue hayakawa it was initially scripted by screenwriter carl foreman, who was later replaced by. The bridge on the river kwai won best picture and six other oscar nods from the academy of motion pictures arts and sciences at the 1958 academy awards. Spectacularly produced, and the winner of seven academy awards 1957, including best picture, best director, and best actor alec guinness, the bridge on the river kwai continues to be one of the most memorable cinematic experiences of all time. The majority of its smaller components are originals, while a few are postwar replacements. Sink argentinas carrier 1982 the secret british falklands war mission duration. Following an extensive 4k digital restoration from the original. His first novel to be published in the united states was the bridge on the river kwai.
With william holden, alec guinness, jack hawkins, sessue hayakawa. One of the finest war novels ever written, bridge on the river kwai tells the story of three pows who endure the hell of the japanese camps on. The bridge over the river kwai explores the cultural pride and folly. Three stars for the bridge over the river kwai by pierre boulle. The real bridge on the river kwai train from bangkok to. What the film did not win was the respect and admiration from members of the far east prisoners of war fepow due to the fictitious portrayal of events. The film uses the historical setting of the construction of the burma railway in 19421943. The bridge over the river kwai is a novel by the french novelist pierre boulle, published in. The book was awarded the prix saintebeuve prize in france, which led to the film version that received an amazing seven academy awards. However, he chose instead to use british officers in his book. Rich in irony and suspense, the bridge on the river kwai examines the hubris and pragmatism of a trio of. The bridge on the river kwai escaped planned bombing, and remains in place in kanchanaburi as a tourist attraction and functioning railway bridge over which trains pass daily.
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