The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the novel The Bridge over the River Kwai, written by Pierre Boulle. Boulle's novel and the film's screenplay are fictional; they use the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943 as historical setting. It stars William Holden, Alec Guinness, and Jack Hawkins, with Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald, Ann Sears, and Geoffrey Horne in supporting roles. Best Picture at the 30th Academy Awards, March 26, 1958 — hosted by Bob Hope, David Niven, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Rosalind Russell, and Donald Duck at Pantages Theatre. Wiki link Wiki link Poster: TMDB (this product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB).