I know this is an old thread, but I was just watching the end of this movie today. I have always thought the ending was just messed up, re: the final dialog. I have seen several good explanations for the nonsense of "I had to do it". And I can see one of those explanations might explain it, but not for me. It simply makes no sense at all. First of all, all of the young ladies that dew back in horror from him after the bridge was blown knew exactly why they were there, and I'm sure they all hated the Japanese soldiers. That is why they were assisting and guiding these British soldiers.
2nd, the very same girl who was among the women who drew back from the Jack h\Hawkins character had just been, a couple of minutes before, helping him with the morter by dropping the shells down into it.
3rd, were their lovers possibly still alive? Maybe, but no way they could see one way or another at that distance, all they could see is that they were down after apparently being shot.
4th, they came there to stop the progress of enemies who had been killing their relatives. If the Hawkins character did not stop the Guinness character, he was going to disable the detonator. Which would mean that the 3 men just shot by the Japanese (including their 2 lovers), would have died for nothing(or worse, if surviving for a while, tortured by the Japanese), and the entire mission would have been for nothing. And accomplished nothing against their occupiers and murderers and rapists.
5th, in the unlikely event that their people who were now obviousy shot were still alive, if Hawkens did not stop the Japanese with the mortar, then the Japanese would almost cetainly finish them off withing the next few minutes, and then disable the detonator.
So, all considered, it seems highly unlikely that all of those women would draw back in horror just because Hawkens fired his mortar at the Japanese and Guinness, even if some of their own people possibly(a real long shot) still alive down in the midst of the Japanese. So, for me, whether or not Hawkens was willing to kill his own men(though as far as he and the gals knew, already dead), these women knew the score and in fact were helping load the mortar, so I don't believe that is why they drew back from him. But if not because they were upset at his killing there men right along with the Japanese, then why? I have no clue, and the ending makes no sense.
But, I have a new question. I have also never understood the doctor, and his "madness" response. Had he not witnessed the brutality of the Japanese, including the ones who held him captive now? The ones who had caused the death, and even often times murdered, his fellow prisoners? Was he not up on the hill rather than down with Guinness for the ceremonoes, because he suspected they might actually be aiding the enemy and even being traitors? If so, shouldn't he have been glad that some of his people had managed to destroy this bridge which would only aid the enemy who were killing so many all around the world? He might not have known about the rape of Nanking, but he had witnessed much brutality against his fellow soldiers and the local people. In fact, with so many Japanese now killed and the rest occupied with the bridge and survivors on the rain, wouldn't that have been a great time for him to escape? Even Guinness came to his senses at the end(what have I done?) and tried(and succeeded) to fall on the plunger. Why was he having a fit observing the defeat of his enemy?
So, as much as I love this movie- I first saw it in high school in the late 60s- the ending has never made any sense whatsoever to me.
Bridge on the River Kwai -- Scene That Makes No Sense?
in General Discussions
Posted
I know this is an old thread, but I was just watching the end of this movie today. I have always thought the ending was just messed up, re: the final dialog. I have seen several good explanations for the nonsense of "I had to do it". And I can see one of those explanations might explain it, but not for me. It simply makes no sense at all. First of all, all of the young ladies that dew back in horror from him after the bridge was blown knew exactly why they were there, and I'm sure they all hated the Japanese soldiers. That is why they were assisting and guiding these British soldiers.
2nd, the very same girl who was among the women who drew back from the Jack h\Hawkins character had just been, a couple of minutes before, helping him with the morter by dropping the shells down into it.
3rd, were their lovers possibly still alive? Maybe, but no way they could see one way or another at that distance, all they could see is that they were down after apparently being shot.
4th, they came there to stop the progress of enemies who had been killing their relatives. If the Hawkins character did not stop the Guinness character, he was going to disable the detonator. Which would mean that the 3 men just shot by the Japanese (including their 2 lovers), would have died for nothing(or worse, if surviving for a while, tortured by the Japanese), and the entire mission would have been for nothing. And accomplished nothing against their occupiers and murderers and rapists.
5th, in the unlikely event that their people who were now obviousy shot were still alive, if Hawkens did not stop the Japanese with the mortar, then the Japanese would almost cetainly finish them off withing the next few minutes, and then disable the detonator.
So, all considered, it seems highly unlikely that all of those women would draw back in horror just because Hawkens fired his mortar at the Japanese and Guinness, even if some of their own people possibly(a real long shot) still alive down in the midst of the Japanese. So, for me, whether or not Hawkens was willing to kill his own men(though as far as he and the gals knew, already dead), these women knew the score and in fact were helping load the mortar, so I don't believe that is why they drew back from him. But if not because they were upset at his killing there men right along with the Japanese, then why? I have no clue, and the ending makes no sense.
But, I have a new question. I have also never understood the doctor, and his "madness" response. Had he not witnessed the brutality of the Japanese, including the ones who held him captive now? The ones who had caused the death, and even often times murdered, his fellow prisoners? Was he not up on the hill rather than down with Guinness for the ceremonoes, because he suspected they might actually be aiding the enemy and even being traitors? If so, shouldn't he have been glad that some of his people had managed to destroy this bridge which would only aid the enemy who were killing so many all around the world? He might not have known about the rape of Nanking, but he had witnessed much brutality against his fellow soldiers and the local people. In fact, with so many Japanese now killed and the rest occupied with the bridge and survivors on the rain, wouldn't that have been a great time for him to escape? Even Guinness came to his senses at the end(what have I done?) and tried(and succeeded) to fall on the plunger. Why was he having a fit observing the defeat of his enemy?
So, as much as I love this movie- I first saw it in high school in the late 60s- the ending has never made any sense whatsoever to me.