Directed by David Lean • 1957 • United Kingdom
Starring William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins

A highly principled British colonel (Alec Guinness) becomes obsessed with leading a band of World War II POWs to build a bridge at the behest of their Japanese captors in Burma—setting up an explosive ethical conflict as Allied commandos embark on a mission to destroy the structure. Spectacularly produced and morally nuanced, David Lean’s gripping, thought-provoking World War II drama established the director as a master of the intelligent screen epic and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Guinness), and Best Director.