Bridge on the River Kwai, the war epic directed by David Lean and starring Alec Guinness, William Holden, and Sessue Hayakawa, airs on Arte on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. This seven-Oscar winner from 1957 adapts Pierre Boulle's novel.
In 1943, British soldiers are held in a Japanese POW camp in Burma. Colonel Saito orders the prisoners to build a railway bridge to speed the Japanese army’s advance. Colonel Nicholson initially resists the conditions placed on his officers, then comes to see the project as a means to uphold his men’s discipline and pride.
His stake in the project gradually becomes an obsession. Meanwhile, Shears, an American prisoner who has managed to escape, is forced to return to the jungle with a commando tasked with blowing up the bridge. The film thus pits Nicholson’s sense of military honor against the strategic consequences of his undertaking.
Adapted from Pierre Boulle's novel, the film pits Alec Guinness as Nicholson against Sessue Hayakawa as Saito. William Holden plays Shears, while Jack Hawkins leads the mission charged with sabotaging the work.
The Bridge on the River Kwai captured seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for David Lean, and Best Actor for Alec Guinness. Its iconic whistled theme and the bridge’s construction have become inseparable from its meditation on obedience, pride, and the absurdity of war.
To go further, also check out our selection of films, series, and programs to watch on TV this week, our guide to new releases across all platforms, and today’s pick What to watch today on streaming.
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