10 Essential War Movies

6. The Bridge On The River Kwai

David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai shows almost no combat on screen but instead focuses on how war shakes preconceived perceptions of right and wrong and the madness it bestows on its participants. A captured group of British soldiers, led by Alec Guinness's Colonel Nicholson, are tasked by their Japanese captors to build a bridge over the Kwai river in order to assist the Japanese war effort. Despite protestations from his officers, Nicholson puts an end to the intentional sloppiness and orders his men to build a working bridge, despite how much it will help the Japanese. As Nicholson loses sight of his purpose, believing that completing the bridge will help his men's morale, an allied force plans to blow up the bridge before its completion. It all comes to a head in one of the most memorable final scenes ever filmed. The Bridge on the River Kwai benefits from brilliant performances from its main actors: Alec Guinness turns in one of his best portrayals, Sessue Hayakawa ably plays the conflicted Japanese leader, and both William Holden and Jack Hawkins are memorable in their roles. The Bridge on the River Kwai featured the talents of director David Lean at the height of his power. Before this film, Lean had made tightly constructed, character driven works and afterwards, he made massive epics that aimed to instill a sense of awe in the audience. The Bridge on the River Kwai catches Lean right in the middle of those two phases in his career and the result is a bona fide epic with the strong heart of a smaller film.