Dir: David Lean, 1957 (9*)
Best Picture (AA,BAA,GG)
AFI Top 100

One of the giant David Lean epics, and based on a true story, this one features a Japanese POW camp in Burma forcing British prisoners, brilliantly led by Alec Guinness in his Oscar winning role as Colonel Bogey, to build a bridge across a jungle river for Japanese troop trains. Sessue Hayakawa is also terrific as the Japanese camp commander, butting wills with Bogey throughout. William Holden leads a commando team back to the bridge for the film’s plot action. Giant in conception and execution as only Lean could pull off. 7 Oscars
Quote: Madness… madness…