Bridge on the River Kwai

1957.

#13 / #36

Winner of 7 Academy Awards

Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) urges his men, British prisoners of war, to help the Japanese build a bridge across the Kwai. Commander "Shears" (William Holden) escapes from the prison camp, but then leads a British squad back to the camp to blow up the completed bridge.

Eddie: I loved this movie. I'm not sure if it belongs on the AFI list, since the director and most of the cast are British, but I really enjoyed all two hours and forty minutes of it. This David Lean epic surpasses the one that follows, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. I enjoyed BRIDGE's subtle theme of anti-imperialism (specifically, anti-British-imperialism). Obi-Wan portrays Colonel Nicholson with such tragic pathos that I found myself rooting for him, even though his outdated point of view is worthy of dismissiveness. The deliberate pace of the story provides balance throughout the movie. The jungle lends a lush backdrop for BRIDGE.

And on a technical note, Jack Hildyard earns his Oscar with those day-for-night shots alone. I don't know why David Lean didn't bring him back for LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (which has terrible day-for-night shots).

Sarah: I'm not really sure what I was supposed to take away from this nearly three hour film. It was so start-and-stop. It was basically the same conversation for three hours. Here is it how it went.

Soldier #1: Let's build a bridge!

Soldier #2: Let's take it down!

Soldier #1: Let's build a new bridge!

Soldier #2: Wait. For real? I thought we were taking it down.

Soldier #1: No, we're really building it now.

Soldier #2: Ok.

Soldier #1: Ohhh! Let's build a tiny bridge, too.

What I was really unclear about was what motivated the characters' actions. I'm not entirely sure why Colonel Nicholson was so excited about building the bridge, and I'm equally dissatisfied with Shears' reasons for returning to the camp. The most sympathetic character, Lieutenant Joyce (Geoffrey Horne) does not even show up until the film is ending. I was completely underwhelmed with the story. This bridge takes you straight to sleeptown.

But I will agree with Eddie that the cinematography is beyond impressive. The patience and work it must have taken to film those long tracking shots through the jungle. Real jungle with bugs and bats and humidity. I can't even imagine braving those shooting obstacles, and that is certainly worth admiring.

Why You Should See It: There are a few shots in the movie that are stupendous because of the effort required to shoot them. We're talking about any shot with bats in it and, of course, the climactic train shot.

Sunset Boulevard

1950.

#12 / #16

Winner of 3 Academy Awards.

SUNSET BOULEVARD follows Joe Gillis (William Holden), a Hollywood screenwriter, who is invited into aging silent film star Norma Desmond's (Gloria Swanson) home to rewrite her masterpiece screenplay. Gillis practically becomes a prisoner to the temperamental star, whose script is eventually rejected by Cecil B. DeMille. As Gillis falls in love with another woman, Desmond confronts and murders him. "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." The end.

Sarah: This film is a slow walk down crazy lane. And I love that. Gloria Swanson is amazing as Norma Desmond. Probably because the part hit close to home with Swanson. Gloria was a washed up silent film star herself. It would be easy to make Norma Desmond a joke, but instead Swanson makes her crazy come from desperation, and insecurity hidden behind a huge ego. She gives the character complexity.

I think this film is so fun, in it's twisted way. There are guest appearances by Buster Keaton and other Hollywood notables, and lot's of old 20's style and charm. If I ever go crazy, I want to go the way of Norma Desmond. "I am big, it's the pictures that got small."

Eddie: NGL: I didn't like this movie. There's something very post-modern about watching a movie about a crazy woman while sitting next to a crazy woman (ahem, Sarah).

That being said, I didn't think the movie was a complete bust. Erich von Stroheim's performance as Max is excellent and subtle.

Why You Should See It: At one point in the film, Desmond returns to Paramount to meet with Cecil B. DeMille. This entire sequence is incredible.