To those asking for a reaction to Lawrence of Arabia, it's currently available on our Patreon. It's exclusive for now, but we'll probably post an edited version to RUclips sometime in the future. Cheers!
William Holden also stars in The Bridges at Toko Ri.He is also a naval pilot. Mickey Rooney and Earl Holliman also star in it. It's set in the Korean Conflict
There is an interview I saw somewhere, where the actor who played Saito, Sessue Hayakawa, was a perfectionist in his efforts. When director David Lean couldn't get the correct reaction from Saito after Col Nicholson was released from the hotbox and the celebration of the camp going on, Lean told Hayakawa that he was ruining the entire effort that day, and elicited a genuine reaction from the actor on the set - that being what was in the film.
Also, the film is set in Thailand, and the railroad they are building the bridge for is between Bangkok and Rangoon in Burma. So when William Holden escapes and gets to the sea, he would be somewhere on the west side of the Thailand area, probably in the Andaman Sea.
Fantastic selection, THANKS Ian. Wonderful watchalong with you both. The tension in the last moments of the film still hold up and is still a masterclass in arse-squeezing. I got to have quite a number of Films by Guinness under my belt before "Ben" showed up on the scene; and yes, it is a phenomenal career...Lawrence of Arabia sure, but Kind Hearts & Coronets and The Man In The White Suit are some real faves.
Cheers - I also submitted them another David Lean and Sam Spiegel film (Lawrence of Arabia) and am seriously thinking of adding a third (Dr Zhivago) in the spring.
@@StreamingNomad At first I coulda sworn they'd done Lawrence, but then maybe it's TBR I'm remembering. Great choices on your part. - I kinda have Attenborough's Gandhi high up there on my reaction channel bingo card 😂
I'll say the top three things I've shown Nick and Jen that I am most "proud" of are: 3 - Gene Kelly dancing in the rain, 2 - Major Kong riding the bomb, and 1 - Cary Grant dealing with his murderous aunts and brother.
No island here; they're in Burma, currently known as Myanmar. This movie is based on a book written by Pierre Boulle, who also authored The Planted of the Apes, believe it or not. As for Saito, I believe he felt that he dishonored his family, cutting his hair in acknowledgement of that conviction. I believe that he was preparing to kill himself once the train crossed the bridge to complete the acknowledgement.
You were right about James Donald ( the Doctor) he was in the " Great Escape " as the Senior British Officer. A great supporting actor who died just recently.
Great film. I remember watching it as a teenager and feeling gutted and perplexed by the ending (wasn't expecting it and hadn't watched many movies up to that point that had troubling endings). I think it's very much meant to hammer home just how crazy and nonsensical everything that war touches becomes. Such great performances. The physical acting of Alec Guinness was incredible (conveying the physical exhaustion). I think the Japanese commander was going to commit ritual suicide after the train passed because he had essentially been defeated by his British counterpart, I'm not sure about that, though.
For sure Saito kills himself if he wasn't stabbed beforehand seeing that bridge blow up. If the bridge survived, who knows what he would have done. I mean he had already lost the battle of wills to Nicholson well before the end with the bridge built and didn't kill himself.
The movie was filmed in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, the large island nation just south of India. Director David Lean is one of the most accomplished film makers of the mid-20th Century. He also Directed "Lawrence Of Arabia", "Doctor Zhivago" and "Out Of Africa". Thank You for reacting to this excellent movie. It was "lovely".
47:35. Regarding the Saito scene, he was essentially writing his official report on the the bridge and confirming it was completed on schedule (obviously sending an informal one via radio/telegram so they aren’t sending a train where there isn’t rail). He cuts a bit of hair to send to prove his identity, think wax seal or the modern stamp seals Japan uses (although symbolic). Just a formal Japanese thing, but fair enough it shares a lot of the same acts as with both seppuku, will drafting and samurai humiliation rituals too so easy misread that.
Good notice that you thought that the actor who plays the Japanese commander looked like the pirate captain in Swiss Family Robinson. Because this Japanese actor did, in fact play the pirate captain in the Disney 1960 classic The Swiss Family Robinson! The actor, Sessue Hayakawa, was in the Swiss Family Robinson 3 years after he was in The Bridge On The River Kwai.
@Flix2Us Guys if you wanna see more of Alec Guinness in his prime please check out 'Tunes Of Glory' from 1960. It's another military film but this time set in an army barracks during peace time. Guinness himself said it was his favourite film. Other great movies starring AG include: Great Expectations (1946), Oliver Twist (1948), Kind Hearts & Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob & The Man In The White Suit (both 1951), Father Brown (1954), The Lady Killers (1955) and Our Man In Havana (1959).
A great companion movie I watch with this one which also stars Alec Guinness & Jack Hawkins, the leader of the attack to blow up the bridge (both seen in here) is 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962) featuring Peter O'Toole as Lawrence, Anthony Quinn & Omar Sharif. It is a star studded film that is still examined in film schools as a masterpiece in film making. It has unbelievably beautiful visual scenes that have very rarely been matched since, with a blend of perfect music, acting, cinematography, editing, production design, dialogues, etc. It doesn't lack in anything. You have seen a few seconds of 'Lawrence of Arabia' in the movie 'Prometheus' (2012). It is long (3h 47m) but never drags & will become a repeat watch.
First off, FANTASTIC movie that was released in the year that I was born and I've always loved this film!! With that said I'm 67 years old with sometimes the mind of a child because every time I hear them whistling that tune that they whistle all I can think of are the lyrics that we used to sing to it when we were kids... Now sing these lyrics to the tune of what they whistle... "Comet, it makes your mouth turn green Comet, it tastes like Listerine Comet, it makes you vomit So get some comet and vomit today!"😂❤ Like I said, 67 years old with the mind of a child sometimes😮😅
James Donald, who plays Dr. Clipton in this film, was in (seemingly) every other British war film of this period (Went the Day Well?, In Which We Serve, Glory at Sea, The Way Ahead, San Demetrio London, The Great Escape, King Rat).
The historic River Kwai bridge construction project took place in WW2 Burma (Myanmar), but believe the movie was filmed in present day Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Such an outstanding film!
Colonel Saito's speech when the new prisoners arrive was used almost exactly in "Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country" by the Klingon prison commander.
Sir Alec Guinness played eight or nine characters in "Kind Hearts and Coronets" (1949), one of the many Ealing comedies he did. As Canadians, you will also be interested to know that on 13th, July 1953, he inaugurated the Stratford Ontario Shakespearean Festival in the title role of "Richard III."
The whistling scene is now famous for its use here, but it is meant to be disrespectful when they enter because the melody was known then as "Hitler Has One Ball".
Filmed in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka...The Japanese were building the railway in preparation for invading India. The "island" was not literal...Saito said they were in an island in the jungle.
Pierre Boulle penned the novels to this and Planet of the Apes. Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay for this and co wrote the Apes screenplay along with Rod Serlings previous drafts. Wilson was a victim of the blacklist so when this screenplay won the Academy Award, Boulle had to come up and accept it. I also read where Heston's blowing up Earth at the end of Apes 2 came from him thinking of Guiness blowing the bridge at the end of this story. Good choice here Mom and Son! Great film.
When the commander said "island in the jungle", he didn't mean literally, just that they were isolated in the middle of jungle (in Thailand, not Burma not Indonesia).
David Lean is the epic king. The River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and Passage to India.. The forties films stand out too. Personally Zhivago
That bridge looks a lot like the Firth of Forth bridge in Scotland. Japan never signed onto the Geneva Convention of treatment of war prisoners, they considered soldiers who surrendered to be dishonorable. And, the Geneva Convention was drawn up in Europe, of course, where working class people, such as enlisted military men, were considered expendable, while the officer class was definitely above them.
~ The talk you referred to concerning Peter Sellers being the next Alec Guinness was referring to their earlier British films, when both were putting out satirical comedies in a somewhat comparable vein, as their careers afterwards had nothing much to do with each other, Sellers remains in comedies exclusively, while Guinness took on a much more serious role path ~
Peter Sellars and Alec Guiness joined forces for the first time, I believe, in The Pink Panther, which is the start of that franchise. Hilarious film! You might enjoy that one sometime if you haven't seen it already.
Wonderful to see you react to this. I'm grateful to the viewer who suggested it. I hope this entrée into the roles that made Alec Guinness a legend decades before he played a crazy old hermit in the desert, will hook you in for more. The bucolic London suburb of Ealing has such delights to show you: Home of some of his most brilliant work, you cannot begin to know Alec Guinness without plunging into his Ealing Studios collection. The 2 most famous titles might be THE LADYKILLERS (1951), and THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (1955); both Oscar-nominated landmarks in British comedy. You mentioned Peter Sellers; his first major feature role was as one of Guinness' partners in THE LADYKILLERS. I also hope you will watch my favourite Ealing comedy, KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS, which is truly Guinness' tour de force (No Pun Intended). Thanks again & more Guinness, please!🙏🤩👍
If you research the bridge on youtube you'll find the original, which still exists -- and the actual non-fictionalized story. The railway was in Thailand, and very long. There are some excellent documentaries about it.
Glad you’re finally watching this masterpiece. Has been a favorite of mine forever. And as usual, you know the background politics and the roles the countries played in the wars. 👍 just like in “Troy” you know your history. 😊
Excellent reaction. You do a good job with these ww2 films. An outstanding German/French railroad men battle of will is “The Train” with Burt Lancaster with lots of action and stunts be the actors.
I saw "Bridge On the River Kwai" one first release at a drive-in. Even though I'm not tall enough to be older than 18. William Holden is one f the greats. See 1966's "A Man for All Seasons" (6 Oscars). Splendid cinematography, and exploration of ethical reasoning and law. _____ Excerpts: In the following, Roper was Thomas More's hot-headed and impulsive son-in-law-- Roper: So now you'd give the Devil benefit of law! More: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? Roper: I'd cut down every law in England to do that! More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you -- where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws, from coast to coast -- man's laws, not God's -- and if you cut them down -- and you're just the man to do it -- do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake. _____ Imprisoned by Henry VIII for refusing to swear oath to the Act of Succession, More is visited by his daughter, who urges him to say the words of the oath but think otherwise in his heart. "After all," she argues, “God more regards the thoughts of the heart than the words of the mouth.” "What is an oath then but words we say to God? When a man takes an oath, Meg, he’s holding his own self in his own hands. Like water (he cups his hands). And if he opens his fingers then -- he needn’t hope to find himself again. Some men aren’t capable of this, but I’d be loathe to think your father one of them." _____ If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice, and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little, even at the risk of being heroes.
Do yourselves a favor & check out some of Alec Guinness’s wonderful earlier British films before he came to America, “Last Holiday”, “The Man In The White Suit”, “Our Man In Havana” 👌
Maybe the WW2 movie you were thinking of with Robert Mitchum is "Heaven Help Mr. Allison," with Deborah Kerr. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven_Knows,_Mr._Allison
My Dads favourite film. Thanks for doing this. Do you still do Patron requests based on a membership? I am a Patron but don't know which tier you accept requests. Be curious and appreciated if you see this and reply.
Currently only our Grandmaster level Patrons can make requests for us each month. That level is full, but we're always open to comments and suggestions.
@Flix2Us Thanks for replying. I just wanted to make sure I got that correct but thank you so much taking time to reply back. I enjoy your two reactions regardless. I made a few suggestions in comments before but either way I enjoy what you guys do. Thanks again for replying 🙂🇬🇧❤️🇨🇦
If you want to see Sir Alec Guinness do a bit of comedy, he played a part in an ensemble comedy titled Murder by Death. It parodies the whodoit mystery.
Hollywood was pretty strict what you could show so even if they wanted to get more real and frankly, gruesome, it prob wouldn't pass standards for the time.
The Japanese weren't signatories to the Geneva convention and didn't treat their prisoners any worse than they expected Japanese prisoners to be treated.
I've always loved this movie and it's an incredible cast. My one thing against it, even though I understand why they did it for the telling of the story, is they made the Japanese look completely inept. They made it look like the Japanese had no concept of engineering, like only the white man could do it right, when, in reality, the Japanese were very good at building bridges and had plenty of experience at doing so by then.
To those asking for a reaction to Lawrence of Arabia, it's currently available on our Patreon. It's exclusive for now, but we'll probably post an edited version to RUclips sometime in the future. Cheers!
William Holden also stars in The Bridges at Toko Ri.He is also a naval pilot. Mickey Rooney and Earl Holliman also star in it.
It's set in the Korean Conflict
There is an interview I saw somewhere, where the actor who played Saito, Sessue Hayakawa, was a perfectionist in his efforts. When director David Lean couldn't get the correct reaction from Saito after Col Nicholson was released from the hotbox and the celebration of the camp going on, Lean told Hayakawa that he was ruining the entire effort that day, and elicited a genuine reaction from the actor on the set - that being what was in the film.
Sir Alec Guinness is also in “Lawrence of Arabia”, one of the great cinematic masterpieces of film. With Pete O’Toole, Omar Sharif and Anthony Quinn.
Winner of 7 Oscars including Best Picture.
An immortal Classic of a film.
Also, the film is set in Thailand, and the railroad they are building the bridge for is between Bangkok and Rangoon in Burma. So when William Holden escapes and gets to the sea, he would be somewhere on the west side of the Thailand area, probably in the Andaman Sea.
A Super Classic! Cast, Story, Score, Cinematography! .... "Madness! Madness!"
Can never get enough of seeing this film. And a brilliant reaction!
😊❤
Fantastic selection, THANKS Ian. Wonderful watchalong with you both. The tension in the last moments of the film still hold up and is still a masterclass in arse-squeezing. I got to have quite a number of Films by Guinness under my belt before "Ben" showed up on the scene; and yes, it is a phenomenal career...Lawrence of Arabia sure, but Kind Hearts & Coronets and The Man In The White Suit are some real faves.
Cheers - I also submitted them another David Lean and Sam Spiegel film (Lawrence of Arabia) and am seriously thinking of adding a third (Dr Zhivago) in the spring.
@@StreamingNomad At first I coulda sworn they'd done Lawrence, but then maybe it's TBR I'm remembering. Great choices on your part.
- I kinda have Attenborough's Gandhi high up there on my reaction channel bingo card 😂
@@chefskiss6179 It's been on and off my list as other films took hold... it's a good choice though!
@@chefskiss6179 Lawrence is currently a Patreon only showing; but it's there....
I'll say the top three things I've shown Nick and Jen that I am most "proud" of are: 3 - Gene Kelly dancing in the rain, 2 - Major Kong riding the bomb, and 1 - Cary Grant dealing with his murderous aunts and brother.
Underappreciated WW2:
"Where Eagles Dare" (1968)
"Kelly's Heroes" (1970)
"Von Ryan's Express" (1965)
"The Guns of Navarone" (1961)
"Force 10 From Navarone" (1978)
"Operation Petticoat" (1959)
"Heaven Knows Mr. Allison" (1957)
"The Eagle Has Landed" (1976)
"Operation Crossbow" (1968)
"Stalag 17" (1953)
No island here; they're in Burma, currently known as Myanmar. This movie is based on a book written by Pierre Boulle, who also authored The Planted of the Apes, believe it or not.
As for Saito, I believe he felt that he dishonored his family, cutting his hair in acknowledgement of that conviction. I believe that he was preparing to kill himself once the train crossed the bridge to complete the acknowledgement.
You were right about James Donald ( the Doctor) he was in the " Great Escape " as the Senior British Officer. A great supporting actor who died just recently.
Great film. I remember watching it as a teenager and feeling gutted and perplexed by the ending (wasn't expecting it and hadn't watched many movies up to that point that had troubling endings). I think it's very much meant to hammer home just how crazy and nonsensical everything that war touches becomes. Such great performances. The physical acting of Alec Guinness was incredible (conveying the physical exhaustion). I think the Japanese commander was going to commit ritual suicide after the train passed because he had essentially been defeated by his British counterpart, I'm not sure about that, though.
For sure Saito kills himself if he wasn't stabbed beforehand seeing that bridge blow up. If the bridge survived, who knows what he would have done. I mean he had already lost the battle of wills to Nicholson well before the end with the bridge built and didn't kill himself.
The movie was filmed in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, the large island nation just south of India. Director David Lean is one of the most accomplished film makers of the mid-20th Century. He also Directed "Lawrence Of Arabia", "Doctor Zhivago" and "Out Of Africa". Thank You for reacting to this excellent movie. It was "lovely".
47:35. Regarding the Saito scene, he was essentially writing his official report on the the bridge and confirming it was completed on schedule (obviously sending an informal one via radio/telegram so they aren’t sending a train where there isn’t rail). He cuts a bit of hair to send to prove his identity, think wax seal or the modern stamp seals Japan uses (although symbolic). Just a formal Japanese thing, but fair enough it shares a lot of the same acts as with both seppuku, will drafting and samurai humiliation rituals too so easy misread that.
My mother tried to sneak me in to JAWS in ‘75.
I was 5 0r 6.
It’s a nature movie! One of my first memories because te commotion lol
😮
Good notice that you thought that the actor who plays the Japanese commander looked like the pirate captain in Swiss Family Robinson. Because this Japanese actor did, in fact play the pirate captain in the Disney 1960 classic The Swiss Family Robinson! The actor, Sessue Hayakawa, was in the Swiss Family Robinson 3 years after he was in The Bridge On The River Kwai.
Hayakawa was actually a major star in American silent films beginning in the 1910’s. He returned to Japan with the emergence of sound films.
@Flix2Us Guys if you wanna see more of Alec Guinness in his prime please check out 'Tunes Of Glory' from 1960. It's another military film but this time set in an army barracks during peace time. Guinness himself said it was his favourite film. Other great movies starring AG include:
Great Expectations (1946),
Oliver Twist (1948),
Kind Hearts & Coronets (1949),
The Lavender Hill Mob &
The Man In The White Suit (both 1951),
Father Brown (1954),
The Lady Killers (1955) and
Our Man In Havana (1959).
My favorite movie 😊❤ great actors 😊
😊
A great companion movie I watch with this one which also stars Alec Guinness & Jack Hawkins, the leader of the attack to blow up the bridge (both seen in here) is 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962) featuring Peter O'Toole as Lawrence, Anthony Quinn & Omar Sharif. It is a star studded film that is still examined in film schools as a masterpiece in film making. It has unbelievably beautiful visual scenes that have very rarely been matched since, with a blend of perfect music, acting, cinematography, editing, production design, dialogues, etc. It doesn't lack in anything. You have seen a few seconds of 'Lawrence of Arabia' in the movie 'Prometheus' (2012). It is long (3h 47m) but never drags & will become a repeat watch.
FYI they built a bridge for the movie. Put a real train on it, then blew it all up. That's the way it should be.
Yes! 😊
Yeah I'm Old now! I think I first saw this Classic as a kid in the back of my Dads '59 Dodge at the drive In movies.
😊
Yeah, those great old 59's with the kinda mean face on em.
That is excellent spotting...Sessue Hayakawa plays Colonel Saito in this film...and he did play Kuala the Pirate Chief in Swiss Family Robinson.
He also played a Japanese prison camp commandant in "Three Came Home" (1950), a gut-wrenching film.
First off, FANTASTIC movie that was released in the year that I was born and I've always loved this film!!
With that said I'm 67 years old with sometimes the mind of a child because every time I hear them whistling that tune that they whistle all I can think of are the lyrics that we used to sing to it when we were kids...
Now sing these lyrics to the tune of what they whistle...
"Comet, it makes your mouth turn green
Comet, it tastes like Listerine
Comet, it makes you vomit
So get some comet and vomit today!"😂❤
Like I said, 67 years old with the mind of a child sometimes😮😅
😅
One of my favorite classics.
James Donald, who plays Dr. Clipton in this film, was in (seemingly) every other British war film of this period (Went the Day Well?, In Which We Serve, Glory at Sea, The Way Ahead, San Demetrio London, The Great Escape, King Rat).
The historic River Kwai bridge construction project took place in WW2 Burma (Myanmar), but believe the movie was filmed in present day Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Such an outstanding film!
Colonel Saito's speech when the new prisoners arrive was used almost exactly in "Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country" by the Klingon prison commander.
Sir Alec Guinness played eight or nine characters in "Kind Hearts and Coronets" (1949), one of the many Ealing comedies he did. As Canadians, you will also be interested to know that on 13th, July 1953, he inaugurated the Stratford Ontario Shakespearean Festival in the title role of "Richard III."
One of the overlooked all-time gems of subtle black comedy.
The book on which this film is based, and the film are located at a river in Thailand. However, all filming was actually done in Sri Lanka.
Go back even more: William Holden in "Sunset Boulevard" (or "Stalag 17") and Alec Guinness in "Kind Hearts and Coronets."
The whistling scene is now famous for its use here, but it is meant to be disrespectful when they enter because the melody was known then as "Hitler Has One Ball".
It's real name however is " Colonel Bogey " - often played by military bands
The kids whistled this tune in The Breakfast Club☮️
Filmed in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka...The Japanese were building the railway in preparation for invading India. The "island" was not literal...Saito said they were in an island in the jungle.
I always thought it was shot in Thailand. The actors who played the native women had Thai names.
Pierre Boulle penned the novels to this and Planet of the Apes. Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay for this and co wrote the Apes screenplay along with Rod Serlings previous drafts. Wilson was a victim of the blacklist so when this screenplay won the Academy Award, Boulle had to come up and accept it. I also read where Heston's blowing up Earth at the end of Apes 2 came from him thinking of Guiness blowing the bridge at the end of this story. Good choice here Mom and Son! Great film.
When the commander said "island in the jungle", he didn't mean literally, just that they were isolated in the middle of jungle (in Thailand, not Burma not Indonesia).
David Lean is the epic king. The River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and Passage to India.. The forties films stand out too. Personally Zhivago
That bridge looks a lot like the Firth of Forth bridge in Scotland. Japan never signed onto the Geneva Convention of treatment of war prisoners, they considered soldiers who surrendered to be dishonorable. And, the Geneva Convention was drawn up in Europe, of course, where working class people, such as enlisted military men, were considered expendable, while the officer class was definitely above them.
~ The talk you referred to concerning Peter Sellers being the next Alec Guinness was referring to their earlier British films, when both were putting out satirical comedies in a somewhat comparable vein, as their careers afterwards had nothing much to do with each other, Sellers remains in comedies exclusively, while Guinness took on a much more serious role path ~
This movie was filmed in Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka), an island off the eastern tip of India.
Peter Sellars and Alec Guiness joined forces for the first time, I believe, in The Pink Panther, which is the start of that franchise. Hilarious film! You might enjoy that one sometime if you haven't seen it already.
Alec Guiness also played Marcus Aurelius in the 1960s movie, The Fall of the Roman Empire. Gladiator is inspired by it.
Sir Alec also played Hitler, Jacob Marley's Ghost and Fagin. And I really like the beer his family makes.
Wonderful to see you react to this. I'm grateful to the viewer who suggested it. I hope this entrée into the roles that made Alec Guinness a legend decades before he played a crazy old hermit in the desert, will hook you in for more. The bucolic London suburb of Ealing has such delights to show you: Home of some of his most brilliant work, you cannot begin to know Alec Guinness without plunging into his Ealing Studios collection. The 2 most famous titles might be THE LADYKILLERS (1951), and THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (1955); both Oscar-nominated landmarks in British comedy. You mentioned Peter Sellers; his first major feature role was as one of Guinness' partners in THE LADYKILLERS. I also hope you will watch my favourite Ealing comedy, KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS, which is truly Guinness' tour de force (No Pun Intended). Thanks again & more Guinness, please!🙏🤩👍
Hey guys.
Another classic let’s go
If you research the bridge on youtube you'll find the original, which still exists -- and the actual non-fictionalized story. The railway was in Thailand, and very long. There are some excellent documentaries about it.
Glad you’re finally watching this masterpiece. Has been a favorite of mine forever. And as usual, you know the background politics and the roles the countries played in the wars. 👍 just like in “Troy” you know your history. 😊
I can't believe Old Ben was so dumb...
According to your post, El Lawrence is under your belt. David Lean, director par excellence, has those two and one more, Dr Zhivago.
Great reaction to a great movie. I always enjoy watching movies with y'all ✌️
😊❤
Excellent reaction. You do a good job with these ww2 films. An outstanding German/French railroad men battle of will is “The Train” with Burt Lancaster with lots of action and stunts be the actors.
😊
Much enjoyed. Thanks for posting.👍
I saw "Bridge On the River Kwai" one first release at a drive-in. Even though I'm not tall enough to be older than 18.
William Holden is one f the greats.
See 1966's "A Man for All Seasons" (6 Oscars). Splendid cinematography, and exploration of ethical reasoning and law.
_____
Excerpts:
In the following, Roper was Thomas More's hot-headed and impulsive son-in-law--
Roper: So now you'd give the Devil benefit of law!
More: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
Roper: I'd cut down every law in England to do that!
More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you -- where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws, from coast to coast -- man's laws, not God's -- and if you cut them down -- and you're just the man to do it -- do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.
_____
Imprisoned by Henry VIII for refusing to swear oath to the Act of Succession, More is visited by his daughter, who urges him to say the words of the oath but think otherwise in his heart.
"After all," she argues, “God more regards the thoughts of the heart than the words of the mouth.”
"What is an oath then but words we say to God? When a man takes an oath, Meg, he’s holding his own self in his own hands. Like water (he cups his hands). And if he opens his fingers then -- he needn’t hope to find himself again. Some men aren’t capable of this, but I’d be loathe to think your father one of them."
_____
If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride, and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice, and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little, even at the risk of being heroes.
Do yourselves a favor & check out some of Alec Guinness’s wonderful earlier British films before he came to America, “Last Holiday”, “The Man In The White Suit”, “Our Man In Havana” 👌
This was set in Thailand (a.k.a. Siam)
Try "A Bridge Too Far"
Holden turned down the lead in "Sayonara" (M. Brando)) for this film. Good choice.
Colonel Saito was going to commit Hari-Kari. I think he was writing to his family.
Sorry to tell you both, but it was principals that won the Pacific war. Principal's backed up by bravery.
Maybe the WW2 movie you were thinking of with Robert Mitchum is "Heaven Help Mr. Allison," with Deborah Kerr.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven_Knows,_Mr._Allison
Here are a couple of more movies with Alec Guinness:
The Horses'Mouth
The Lavender Hill Mob
The Ladykiller's
Dr. Zhivago
My Dads favourite film. Thanks for doing this.
Do you still do Patron requests based on a membership? I am a Patron but don't know which tier you accept requests. Be curious and appreciated if you see this and reply.
Currently only our Grandmaster level Patrons can make requests for us each month. That level is full, but we're always open to comments and suggestions.
@Flix2Us Thanks for replying. I just wanted to make sure I got that correct but thank you so much taking time to reply back. I enjoy your two reactions regardless. I made a few suggestions in comments before but either way I enjoy what you guys do. Thanks again for replying 🙂🇬🇧❤️🇨🇦
It’s not a pacific island it’s Burma I believe
you ought to read the book Ghost soldiers
If you want to see Sir Alec Guinness do a bit of comedy, he played a part in an ensemble comedy titled Murder by Death. It parodies the whodoit mystery.
Should watch the penguin very good show
See Alec Guinness in
Kind hearts and coronets 1949 and
The Lady killers 1955
Please watch the Swiss family Robinson film use will love it .
Great movie, but most prisoners of the Japanese in that region panned it on the reality scale.
Hollywood was pretty strict what you could show so even if they wanted to get more real and frankly, gruesome, it prob wouldn't pass standards for the time.
The Japanese weren't signatories to the Geneva convention and didn't treat their prisoners any worse than they expected Japanese prisoners to be treated.
I've always loved this movie and it's an incredible cast. My one thing against it, even though I understand why they did it for the telling of the story, is they made the Japanese look completely inept. They made it look like the Japanese had no concept of engineering, like only the white man could do it right, when, in reality, the Japanese were very good at building bridges and had plenty of experience at doing so by then.