Return from the River Kwai
Synopsis
A group of war prisoners has spilt blood, sweat and tears to construct a bridge over the river Kwai in Thailand. Just when the bridge is ready, an American bomber arrives and destroys it. Camp commander Tanaka wants to set an example and orders that some of the prisoners must be executed. Just in time major Harada arrives with orders that the healthiest prisoners must be transported to Japan by train and boat. A treacherous journey since the allied forces keep a close eye on railroads and practically own the seas.
Top Cast
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Edward Fox
Major Benford
George Takei
Lieutenant Tanaka
Chris Penn
Lieutenant Crawford
Denholm Elliott
Colonel Grayson
Timothy Bottoms
Seaman Miller
Nick Tate
Lt. Commander Hunt
Richard Graham
Sergeant Perry
Paul Holme
Benford's Patient
Tatsuya Nakadai
Major Harada
Ronnie Lazaro
Boonrod
Anna Maria Tirol
Meo Girl
Andres Tepongco
Anon
Masato Nagamori
Lieutenant Yamashita
Pierre Valderon
Frenchman in Saigon
Patricia Edmondson
Lady in Saigon
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$15M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Andrew V. McLaglen
- Screenplay & Story
- Sargon Tamimi, Paul Mayersberg
- Original Score
- Lalo Schifrin, Kitaro
- Original Title
- Return from the River Kwai
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Production Budget
- $15M
- Production Studios
- Roadshow Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Andrew V. McLaglen
Sargon Tamimi, Paul Mayersberg
Lalo Schifrin, Kitaro
Arthur Wooster
Department Leadership Roster
Andrew V. McLaglen
Director
Lalo Schifrin
Original Music Composer
Arthur Wooster
Director of Photography
Sargon Tamimi
Writer
Paul Mayersberg
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Return from the River Kwai.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Return from the River Kwai.
War: World War II
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
1989
1989
list_War
Movies categorized under War
World War II Films and TV
MovieLens[50K:]
DVD
my collection
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Frequently Asked Questions About Return from the River Kwai
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Return from the River Kwai about?
A group of war prisoners has spilt blood, sweat and tears to construct a bridge over the river Kwai in Thailand. Just when the bridge is ready, an American bomber arrives and destroys it. Camp commander Tanaka wants to set an example and orders that some of the prisoners must be executed. Just in time major Harada arrives with orders that the healthiest prisoners must be transported to Japan by train and boat. A treacherous journey since the allied forces keep a close eye on railroads and practically own the seas.
Who directed Return from the River Kwai?
Return from the River Kwai was directed by Andrew V. McLaglen.
Who stars in Return from the River Kwai?
The principal cast of Return from the River Kwai includes Edward Fox, George Takei, Chris Penn, Denholm Elliott, Timothy Bottoms.
When was Return from the River Kwai released and how long is it?
Return from the River Kwai was released in 1989 with a total runtime of 1h 41m.
Who composed the musical score for Return from the River Kwai?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Return from the River Kwai was composed by Lalo Schifrin, Kitaro.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Return from the River Kwai?
Return from the River Kwai holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.).