The Bridge on the River Kwai Trivia Quiz

Answer: Colonel Bogey March

The Director, David Lean, wanted the soldiers to be singing a more vulgar version of this tune, regarding certain parts of Hitler's anatomy; however, the idea was rejected for it's vulgarity and the fact that the movie was primarily about the British and Japanese, not Germans.

This note from Wikipedia explains the actual origin of the tune: "The "Colonel Bogey March" is a popular march that was written in 1914 by Lieutenant F. J. Ricketts (1881-1945), a British military bandmaster. Supposedly, the tune was inspired by a military man and golfer who whistled a characteristic two-note phrase (a descending minor third interval) instead of shouting "Fore!".

It is this phrase that begins each line of the melody. Bogey is a golfing term meaning one over par."

Answer: Pierre Boulle

Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson were also awarded the same Oscar for assisting Boulle, but never received it. According to IMDB.com, both Foreman and Wilson were blacklisted at the time and received no screen credit; however, they were posthumously awarded Oscars in 1984. Pierre Boulle was not present at the awards ceremony.

Answer: Accountant

He had been an accountant in Montreal. According to Joyce, it was a frightful bore. He checked rows and columns of figures that three or four others had already checked and that three or four others would still check.

Answer: London Bridge

The trees in the forest were noted by Major Reeves, the engineer, as being similar to the elm pilings used in the London Bridge, which had stood for 600 years. Nicholson, in a dreamy voice, responded, "600 years."

Answer: Major Clipton, the camp doctor

Clipton said this as he sat on a stump high over everything, shaking his head, overlooking the destroyed bridge, the destroyed train, and the bodies of Saito, Nicholson, Shears and Joyce. He had quite a war.

Throughout the movie, the character of Clipton acted as the practical, more "caring" side balanced against Nicholson's stern, "official" military persona. At one point, Nicholson told Clipton that he had a lot to learn about the army, though he was a fine doctor!

Answer: Major Warden

After Joyce killed Saito, Nicholson raised the alarm. Joyce was shot, so Shears attempted to cross the river and blow up the bridge. He was then shot as well. As he died, he looked up into the face of Nicholson, who in total disbelief said "you". The response from Shears, "you", was spoken with utter contempt.

Major Warden, not knowing if Shears or Joyce were dead or just badly wounded, sent a mortar bomb directly at Shears that killed him, what was left of Joyce and mortally wounded Nicholson.

At this point, Warden turned around and looked into the accusing eyes of the Burmese women porters (who had become close with Shears and Joyce in particular). His scream of "I had to, they could have been captured" captured the character's essence, that the mission was paramount.

Answer: Colonel Nicholson

After he was hit by the shrapnel from Warden's mortar, which killed Shears, Nicholson realized his errors. "What have I done", he stated, as he realized that his obsession over the bridge had not only ended in the deaths of allied soldiers, but that he had actually "collaborated" with the enemy.

He staggered towards the detonator plunger and fell dead on top of it, just as the train was crossing the bridge, sending it cascading into the river below. A fantastic climax to a great movie.

Answer: Worse

There were no fences at the camp, just the impenetrable jungle to keep the prisoners from escaping. Saito made it very clear to the new prisoners. Clearly, it was a miserable place. Later in the movie, Nicholson actually argued that since they had been ordered to surrender by HQ in London, trying to escape might actually be construed as going against a direct order.

Answer: They made jokes that were not funny.

Saito just could not get over the fact that Nicholson would not allow his officers to do manual labor, in defiance of the Geneva Conventions. Saito, in accordance with the Japanese warriors code of Bushido, felt that the Geneva Conventions were a "coward's code".

Answer: "I'd have to kill myself."

"I supposed if I were you, I'd have to kill myself". While Saito stared in disbelief, Nicholson followed that with a raised shot glass and "Cheers." I always loved that line.

Saito was adamant that the British officers must work alongside the enlisted men, in defiance of the Geneva Conventions, to which Nicholson was just as adamantly opposed, in accordance with same. Saito was convinced this was why the work was behind schedule.