A Bridge On the River Kwai

I always like to watch critically acclaimed older movies. Able to appreciate the excellence of film and ignoring outdated practices and technologies I am usually really pleased. This film highlighted some great Alec Guiness moments that help a younger generation that only knew him as Obi-Won Kenobi appreciate how great of an actor he was. The film follows a prison camp during WWII and the primarily British soldiers involved. Japan is running the camp and Guiness fights their Colonel that runs it (Saito) the entire time. He fights for his officers to not have to work with the rest of the men. Saito is furious the captured men aren't working efficiently to build a bridge he personally needs completed by May 13th or he'll have to kill himself. Guiness is furious that Saito can't figure out to let him and his men run the project to make the bridge superior and efficient. They battle as their wills take the forefront over their men's best interest. An American escapes during this mess to make it back to British command and hopefully be transferred home. Instead he makes it back and is essentially forced into helping the British attempt to blow up the bridge that's being built by their own men. Very interesting story and played beautifully by Guiness especially. It really shows the arrogance of some, especially those in charge, and the insanity of war. Bottom Line: 7.9 out of 10. Excellent in a lot of ways, but I did struggle to get through some of the old-timey things in this one. Guinness' performance is the real highlight here. It did win Best Picture as well, but Guinness is the best part of this entire thing by far.