Review #1,056: 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' (1957)

Often cited as one of the greatest films of all time, David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai is a colossal war movie, a big-budget action extravaganza, and, in many ways, a deep psychological study of the affects of battle and imprisonment. Bridge marked Lean's transformation from British art-house and kitchen-sink drama director to international mega-director, and while the film is nowhere near as perfect and polished as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), it is a thrilling and thoughtful story expertly executed, featuring one of the most heart-pounding climaxes I've ever seen.

In 1943, a flock of British World War II prisoners arrive at a Japanese POW camp in Burma. The senior commander, Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), instantly clashes with camp commandant Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), refusing to order his officers to help his men build a railway bridge that will connect Bangkok and Rangoon, as such an order is a violation of Geneva Conventions. Nicholson's refusal lands him and his officers in the 'oven' - an iron box out in the sun - while the construction of the bridge is left to the rest of the soldiers, who naturally sabotage the work every chance they get. With Saito facing ritual suicide should the bridge fail to meet the deadline, he allows Nicholson to take over, developing a reluctant respect for the stubborn Brit.

Meanwhile, American prisoner Shears (William Holden) narrowly escapes the camp with his life, finding help in some native villagers who feed and nurse him, and send him on his way down river. As he enjoys his hospital stay with a pretty blonde nurse, he is approached by Brit Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) who informs Shears that he has been transferred from the U.S. Navy to the British army to assist in a commando mission, that is to be led by Warden, to blow up the bridge over the River Kwai shortly after its completion. Shears is appalled at the idea, but with the threat of punishment for posing as an officer looming over his head, he has no choice but to return the deadly jungle terrain he thought he had left behind for good.

The two stories are perfectly paced and structured, with the first half of the movie mainly dedicated to Nicholson's arrival at the camp and his desire to keep up his men's morale, with the second half spent with Shears, Warden, and their near-impossible mission. Guinness wasn't convinced of his performance as Nicholson, but his proud, wilful and heavily conflicted Nicholson is some of the best work he's ever done. When he is finally given command of the bridge, he instructs his men to build the best damn bridge possible, and they obey, somewhat confused. While it may seem like he's giving his men something to live for in such horrible, sweltering conditions, it soon transpires that there is more going on. Is it obsession, treason, or madness? It never becomes clear, and this mystery is of the many reasons why the film is still so fascinating almost 60 years on.

A lot has been written about the lack of historical accuracy, as the events covered in the film are somewhat similar to the building of the bridge over the Mae Klong by a mixture of European prisoners of war. The criticism is somewhat unfair, as Lean's film makes no claim to be based on actual events, and is instead an adaptation of Pierre Bouelle's novel Le Pont de la Riviere Kwai. If there is a valid criticism to be had, it is that the conditions of the camp are incredibly softened, and the Japanese ineptness for construction seems extremely unfair. The film should instead be enjoyed for what it is, a riveting action movie with emotionally and psychologically complex characters, featuring some outstanding on-location cinematography during an era when movies were still being filmed using sets. It won 7 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Guinness, Best Director and Best Cinematography, and deservedly so.


Directed by: David Lean
Starring: Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, Geoffrey Horne, André Morell
Country: UK/USA

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie

Review #812: 'The Curse of Frankenstein' (1957)

26 years after Universal Studios and James Whale hit gold with both critics and audiences alike with their interpretation of Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein, another production studio was about to reinvigorate the horror genre with a vastly different take on the same book. Hammer Studios seemed to know something no-one else did - that audiences had a thirst for blood. The critics may not have appreciated it at the time (though they certainly do now), but the paying audiences lapped up The Curse of Frankenstein's amped-up levels of gore and gothic atmosphere.

The film begins with Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) in a jail cell awaiting his execution for an unknown crime. He calls for a priest who he tells his story to. Victor was only a child where he became a baron and inherited his family's estate, and employed his teacher, Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart), to teach him everything there is to know about the science of anatomy. Years later, Victor and Paul manage to bring a puppy back to life, much to their delight. While Paul is thrilled with their achievement, Victor is unsatisfied and longs to create a human life of his own.

Anyone hoping for a faithful re-telling of Mary Shelley's novel will be sorely disappointed. Director Terence Fisher and writer Jimmy Sangster (director of Hammer's Fear in the Night (1972)) makes the film more about Frankenstein than his creation. While the novel focused more on the tragic nature of the Creature's creation and treatment, the film portrays Victor not only as a flawed and arguably misguided visionary, but a stone-cold murderer, pushing a scientific genius to his death in order to have his superior brain for his creation. The brain is damaged in an alteration between Victor and Paul, so the creature is of low intelligence anyway.

For all the 're-imaginings' of Frankenstein, this is certainly the best I've seen. The diversions from the source material make it a different experience entirely, and one simply to be enjoyed rather than to ponder it's deeper meanings. Cushing's performance is incredible, adding a gravitas to his character even when the movie dips into camp. Christopher Lee, playing the Creature and in his first of many appearances for Hammer, puts in an impressive physical performance and manages to invite sympathy with no dialogue at all. Hazel Court also appears as Victor's cousin Elizabeth, in what is little more than the obligatory female role. A fantastic kick-start to what would be one of the greatest movements in horror.


Directed by: Terence Fisher
Starring: Peter Cushing, Robert Urquhart, Hazel Court, Christopher Lee
Country: UK

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie

Review #722: 'Quatermass 2' (1957)

After the huge success of The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) - the film that launched Hammer Productions into the mainstream - Hammer and the BBC were quick to greenlight an adaptation of the sequel before the television serial of the same name even aired. Original creator Nigel Kneale was brought back in to pen the early draft, which was later revised by director Val Guest. Kneale's main problem with the first film was the brusque performance of American Brian Donlevy, and was disappointed that he would again reprise his role. But Kneale's criticism's aside, Quatermass 2 is a more action-packed and dramatic effort, although admittedly inferior to the first.

Professor Quatermass (Donlevy) is struggling to get his Moon Project off the ground. His plan is to set up a base on the moon and be the first to successfully colonise it. These plans are interrupted when Quatermass becomes intrigued with various meteorites that have been landing in the area. After travelling with his colleague Marsh (Bryan Forbes) to one of the meteor sites, Marsh is injured as one of the meteorites cracks open and leaves him with a 'V'-shaped burn on his face. Armed guards with similar facial scarring take Marsh to their nearby government facility, leaving Quatermass to contact his old friend Inspector Lomax (John Longden) for advice. This leads him to Vincent Broadhead (Tom Chatto), a member of parliament also investigating the strange goings-on at the site.

Although it was Nigel Kneale's main gripe with the movie adaptations of his creation, Donlevy's (possibly alcohol-fuelled) performance as Quatermass is one of the most intriguing aspects of the Quatermass series. He should be your typical Sherlock Holmes-esque British inquisitor, but Donlevy's interpretation is arrogant, selfish and abrupt, making him one of the more interesting 'heroes' of the genre. Here he is more action star too, dodging machine gun fire and making quick getaways in a film that is much more action-orientated than it's predecessor, although it retains much of it's realism. Due to this, it lacks the slow-build atmosphere of Xperiment, almost losing it completely with the overblown climax full of explosions and gun-fire. Even though it was overshadowed on its release by Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), it is still a fun film, and even features of pre-Carry On Sidney James.


Directed by: Val Guest
Starring: Brian Donlevy, John Longden, Sidney James, Bryan Forbes, Vera Day
Country: UK

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie

Review #668: 'Attack of the Crab Monsters' (1957)

It's hard to believe that just three years before Roger Corman would begin his Edgar Allen Poe cycle of films that would bring him international acclaim, he made this - a dirt-cheap black-and-white radiation movie about giant crabs who can communicate telepathically with humans (yes, you read that right). Charles B. Griffin (who also worked with Corman on B-movie classics It Conquered the World (1956), Not of This Earth (1957) and A Bucket of Blood (1959)) is on writing duties, and he delivers a humour-laden script that is well aware of just how ridiculous it is.

After the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests, a group of scientists are sent to a remote island to investigate the disappearance of a former party and further there research into the effects of nuclear testing on plants and wildlife. It soon becomes apparent that giant mutated crabs are responsible and have eaten the scientists that were there previously and have absorbed their minds. With the island collapsing before their eyes and with one of their group missing, they must destroy the crabs and escape.

Corman manages to make the film just about as entertaining as it can be, given the budget limitations and the bunch of cornball actors (apart from Russell Johnson of Gilligan's Island fame). It runs at just 62 minutes, and every scene is filled with 'suspense' or 'action', two aspects that Corman usually demanded ran constantly throughout his movies. The crabs themselves look ridiculous and actually move forward - oh the horror! - rather than sideways, but watching crap actors getting hit over the head with a giant paper mache claw never gets old. Certainly an amusing way to pass an hour.


Directed by: Roger Corman
Starring: Richard Garland, Pamela Duncan, Russell Johnson, Leslie Bradley
Country: USA

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie

Review #84: '3:10 to Yuma' (1957)

Peaceful farmer Dan (Van Heflin) stumbles across a wagon robbery in which infamous thief and murderer Ben Wade (played by the great Glenn Ford) shoot and murders an innocent man, so Dan flees with his two sons. When Wade and his gang arrive in his town, he is forced to decide whether to do what's right or to think about the safety of his family. Wade's gang temporarily leave town leaving Wade to romance a lonely barmaid, until he is captured by the authorities. When Dan is offered a substantial amount of money to transport Wade to the train station where he can catch the 3:10 to Yuma to face trial, he must come up with a plan to avoid being killed by the soon to be returning gang.

Joining a long list a classic revisionist westerns alongside John Ford's My Darling Clementine (1946) and Fred Zinnemann's High Noon (1952), the west isn't used as a primary focus for the story, but instead western elements are used to assist a different type of story. 3:10 To Yuma doesn't usually feature in those ridiculous 'Best Movies of blah blah...' lists but deserves it's place amongst the very best westerns. Similar to another genre classic Johnny Guitar (1954), the good and bad guys are not so easy to disassociate. Here, the big 'baddie' Wade is somewhat likeable, and has an admiration for the dedication of the nervous and initially almost cowardly 'hero' Dan. It's also damn exciting and every bit as tense as High Noon. It was recently remade starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, which I have yet to see, but I doubt it will capture the old-school spirit of this.

Directed by: Delmer Daves

Starring: Glenn Ford, Van Heflin, Felicia Farr

Country: USA

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie

Review #40: 'Sweet Smell of Success' (1957)

When it comes to the newspapers in the movies, they are usually portrayed in one of the two following extremes. Either they are heroic figures, fighting against political corruption and sleaze, or uncovering a massive conspiracy that have failed to have been noticed, in such films as The Killing Fields (1984) or the classic All The President's Men (1976). Or they are complete scum, sticking their noses in or desperately trying to spin a story to the expense of someone's privacy, such as in Salvador (1986 - although James Woods' character is the central figure, he is portrayed as sweaty, booze-addled and pathetic) and La Dolce Vita (1960), where the term 'papparazzo' was formed. In terms of the latter, never has the newspapers been so viciously portrayed as in Sweet Smell Of Success, where desperation and lies are the name of the game.

Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) is a young press agent working for columnist giant J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster), who has set Falco the task of breaking up the relationship between up-and-coming jazz musician Steve Dallas (Martin Milner) and Hunsecker's sister Susan (Susan Harrison). Falco is at the point of desperation, as the two are on to his plans, so Falco puts into motion an act so complex and devious that it just might work. He sets about ruining Dallas' reputation by spreading the rumour that he's a pothead Communist, only to have Hunsecker then salvage his reputation. Falco foresees that Dallas would then reject Hunsecker's help, opposing the nature of his work, and thus causing Susan to break off the relationship. While all this is going on, Falco is losing money and clients, and must scheme his way out of his situation and have to deal with the monstrous Hunsecker.

The greatest thing about this stone-cold classic is the complete lack of conscience between the two leads. While Curtis' good looks may make him the more sympathetic of the two, his character is an absolute slimeball, and we watch him repeatedly cheat, scam and bullshit his way out of corners, all for the benefit of his career. In my opinion, it's Curtis' greatest performance. He will always be remembered primarily for his cross-dressing performance in Some Like It Hot (1959), but here he puts his charm and good looks on the line for the sake of a complex and extremely mature performance. It is a performance he would come close to equalling later on in his career in the thoroughly underrated The Boston Strangler (1968). Lancaster is nothing short of terrifying. One of the greatest 'villains' in history, he is a tower of rage and brutality, using people left right and centre for his own selfish means. He is completely lacking in sympathy and ethics, and Falco laps up every order and direction like a obedient dog. He is the domineering force of the film, even though Tony Curtis eats up the majority of the screentime.

The screenplay has enough words to fill about 5 feature-length scripts. It's full of wonderful one-liners and riveting monologues and they are all delivered with skill by the cast. It's similar to another classic set in the world of newspapers His Girl Friday (1940). Yet while the fast-paced dialogue was used in that film for comedy purposes and to allow leads Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell to bounce sexily off each other, here it is used as a way to portray the evilness of its leads, confusing the audience as much as they confuse the victims of their acid-tongued schemes. Director Alexander Mackendrick, who also directed Ealing classics The Man In The White Suit (1951) and The Ladykillers (1955), shoots the whole film with a noir-ish bleakness. Even though the film is set in a fast-paced world filled with stars and classy settings, the film managed to capture the emptiness of the surroundings and of the profession. A true classic, featuring staggering performances by the two leads, and fantastic, unfussy direction from Mackendrick. Way ahead of its time.


Directed by: Alexander Mackendrick
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner
Country: USA

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie