The Bridge on the River Kwai
British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.
Directed by David Lean · Adventure · Drama · War · 161 min · 1957
Trailer
Director
David Lean
Studio
Columbia Pictures / Horizon Pictures
Release
14 Dec 1957
Runtime
161 min
Genres
Adventure, Drama, War
Full Plot
During WW II, allied POWs in a Japanese internment camp are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge, but under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson they're persuaded the bridge should be built to help morale, spirit. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of Japanese Commandant Colonel Saito, but soon they realise it's a monument to Nicholson, himself, as well as a form of collaboration with the enemy.
Cast & Characters
"Commander" Shears, U.S. Navy (later Brevet Major, Force 316)
William Holden
Colonel Nicholson, British commander
Alec Guinness
Major Warden, Force 316
Jack Hawkins
Colonel Saito, Japanese commander
Sessue Hayakawa
Major Clipton, medical officer
James Donald
Lieutenant Joyce
Geoffrey Horne
Colonel Green
André Morell
Captain Reeves
Peter Williams
Major Hughes
John Boxer
Grogan
Percy Herbert
Baker
Harold Goodwin
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $2.8M, The Bridge on the River Kwai has grossed $44.9M worldwide — about 16.0x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
The Bridge on the River Kwai was a commercial success.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Many directors were considered for the project, among them John Ford, William Wyler, Howard Hawks, Fred Zinnemann, and Orson Welles (who was also offered a starring role).
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
The Bridge on the River Kwai holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (247,433 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 31, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.1/10 on IMDb (247,433 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Bridge on the River Kwai's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai holds a 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is The Bridge on the River Kwai's IMDb rating?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai has a 8.1/10 rating on IMDb from 247,433 votes.
What is The Bridge on the River Kwai's Metacritic score?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai has a Metascore of 88/100 on Metacritic.
Is The Bridge on the River Kwai good? What are critics saying?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai holds 8.1/10 on IMDb (247,433 votes), 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88/100 on Metacritic.
How long is The Bridge on the River Kwai?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai has a runtime of 161 min.
Who directed The Bridge on the River Kwai?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai was directed by David Lean.
Where can I watch The Bridge on the River Kwai?+
The Bridge on the River Kwai is available to stream, rent, or buy on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, Sony Pictures Amazon Channel.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The film's fictionalized account of the real Bridge on the River Kwai story has sparked debate about its historical accuracy. Some reviewers have expressed disappointment that a well-known film only received 70,000 views on the trailer. Others, such as Alex Guinness and David Lean, have praised the film for its cinematography and performances.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Colonel Bogey's Barmy Army. OK! Lets get it out there right away, for historical facts of the real Bridge on the River Kwai story, one should research elsewhere, this film is a fictionalised account of the said events. Sadly there are those out there who simply refuse to judge th…
John Chard · 10/10
From the trailer's comments
I remember watching this with my dad and brother back in the day. Good times, and a great film.
@sspain2149 · 51 likesAre you telling me that Star Wars ripped off the yellow, scrolling text in this film, down to the four dots at the end?
@Zagrebian · 63 likesSad that such a great movie as this only 70,000 views. Easily makes the top 100 movies of all time.
@araymond1able · 74 likesMy favourite all time film. Alex Guinness outstanding. David Lean a genius.
@edmondscott7444 · 27 likesI 'm from Sri Lanka.This movie shooted in Kitulgala of Sri Lanka. It almost have taken 2 years to complete. This rever called in the Sri Lanka Kelani river.If you come to Kitulgala in Sri Lanka you can see the train wreck in the river and some parts of the bridge.
@shashediri544 · 84 likesI'm just back from River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. The bridges, the rail, the train... always remind me to this movie.
@chanb.1619 · 13 likesThe great legendary Sessue Hayakawa. One of the Original Stars of Hollywood’s Silent era but sadly forgotten!
@88hyperman · 25 likesFeel great as a sri lankan most of this movie was shooted in my country❤
@m1976nuw · 7 likes
