Bridge on the River Kwai

Bridge on the river Kwai

At first glance, Sir David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai adds up to a wonderful epic loaded with subjects of fortitude, valor, and vision, all set against a amazing setting of intense pictures captured by virtuoso camerawork. Underneath this Hollywood shell, nonetheless, dwells a challenging picture that confronts and engages. It recounts the tale of two men who refuse to accept defeat; keeping in mind their own thin definitions of respect amides the lunacy of war.

        The two most important leaders throughout the movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai” were Colonel Nicholson and Colonel Saito. Colonel Saito could be portrayed as a Path-Goal Leader, in that he lead the detainees in his camp by motivating and propelling them to finish the main goal, that was to finish the bridge on the river Kwai. His inspiration, however, was by threat of discipline and guarantee of reward (Carrot and Stick). Similarly Colonel Nicholson could be viewed as a Path-Goal Leader, yet in a more conventional understanding of the idea, he has clearly defined his goals as seen from the movie where he redesigns the bridge to make it perfect.  His followers reacted well to this type of Leadership and finish the bridge. Both Colonel Nicholson and Colonel Saito’s style of Leadership could also be described as task-motivated, as learnt from the Contingency Theory of Leadership thought in class, since there was a very specific goal and way to complete that goal.  

        The backdrop of this entire movie is a very unique one —a prisoner of war camp in the Thai jungle. The group comprised of Colonel Saito, the Japanese military and was outnumbered by the British, Dutch and American PoWs which included Colonel Nicholson, Major Clipton and Commander Shears. Colonel Saito was confronted with the assignment of leading both the Japanese military officials under him at the camp he presided over, as well as the PoWs at his camp. Saito additionally needed to reply to higher up Japanese authorities about completing the bridge by the deadline. The impending deadline placed Saito under an immense weight of pressure, since failure meant that the General had to abide by the samurai’s bushido custom and commit suicide.

        Saito was also confronted with the choice of regardless of whether to break the terms of the Geneva Convention, and chose to do so by ordering Nicholson and his officers perform manual labor. Saito's refusal to maintain the terms of the Convention prompts to Nicholson's initial demonstration of leadership. Nicholson, upon arrival with his officers, was faced with the decision of whether or not to order his men to violate the terms of the Convention and engage in manual labor. Even placed under immense pressure from Saito and the elements, and ultimately the collapse of one of his own men, he refused to back down. Colonel Nicholson exhibited enormous quality and resolve to Saito, his own men, and other POWs. Upon his release and examination of the work being done on the bridge, Nicholson requested the plans be changed with a specific end goal to help the detainee's morale. While this choice appeared to be outlandish, it demonstrated leadership.