Which of these David Lean films was based on a novel by French author Pierre Boulle?

The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 British-American epic war film directed by David Lean and starring William Holden, Jack Hawkins, and Alec Guinness, and featuring Sessue Hayakawa. Based on the novel Le Pont de la Rivière Kwai (1952) by Pierre Boulle, the film is a work of fiction, but borrows the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943 for its historical setting. The movie was filmed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The bridge in the film was near Kitulgala.

Carl Foreman was the initial screenwriter, but Lean replaced him with Michael Wilson. Both writers had to work in secret, as they were on the Hollywood blacklist and had fled to England in order to continue working. As a result, Boulle, who did not speak English, was credited and received the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay; many years later, Foreman and Wilson posthumously received the Academy Award.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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14 Comments

Susan Lake-Harris

Blacklisting - a blight on the history of Hollywood. So many decent people needlessly persecuted because of anti-communism policy. And most of them weren't even communists.

Georgia Kemp

He also wrote Planet of the Apes and The Garden on the Moon, which I have.

dmarkc

Two of my childhood favorite films from Boulle's works. Both casts were packed with top actors. I whistled the Bogey March song for weeks.

Howard Groopman

Great movie, and also read the book.

Chris Braid

Read the book, and Planet of the apes which Boulle also wrote, when I was a teenager!

Lynne Zeman

Lynne Zeman, 'cuse. Mixed meta stars. Guinness was exceptional.

Lynne Zeman

Wonderful film. Niven was exceptional.

Louella Wilson

Stevie G, Pierre Boulle's novel Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï has the U.S. title, The Bridge over the River Kwai and U.K. title, The Bridge on the River Kwai. So both are correct!