During our last years in school
before entering the Medical College, two films which later won international
awards, were filmed by British film companies in Ceylon. These two were ‘The
Bridge over the river Kwai’ and ‘Elephant walk’. I saw both of them in the
cinemas of Ceylon during our medical student days and enjoyed seeing them
immensely. The Bridge over the
river Kwai was a story, about building a bridge over the river Kwai, by British
prisoners of war, during the Second World War. The Japanese army of occupation
during the Second World War, wanted this bridge built. It was a story about loyalties,
courage and pride in a job done. David Lean directed this film, which was shot
partly near the Kithulgala Rest House. A bridge was built by the Ceylon Army
Engineers and a narrow gauge Kelani Valley Locomotive and carriages, were
driven over the bridge to be blasted away by explosives, placed strategically
under the bridge. This realistic scene, was filmed by camera crews, located in
safe strategic spots. The chief actor in this film was Alec Guinness who got
various awards for his acting and later got a knighthood.
My friend Somadasa
Kongahawita told me, how the sound recordists, working on the above film,
wanted the cry of the large egrets, found in plenty on the paddy fields,
recorded on tape, to be dubbed onto the film. They offered Rs.25/- for each
egret brought to them. The salary of a government clerical servant, was only
Rs80/- those days. Quickly a thriving industry of catching egrets from the
paddy fields in Kitulgala, overwhelmed the demand for egrets. The cry of these
egrets, were duly recorded and dubbed realistically, into the appropriate
scenes, in the film.
One of the Burgher
Engine drivers, hired to drive the locomotive related, how he acquired the
heavy number plate, of the blown up locomotive. He had loosened the heavy nuts
holding the number plates on the engine, before the destined drive over the
bridge. He was instructed to start the engine moving, jump out of it and take
cover. The locomotive carried on over the bridge, with dummy engine drivers in
place. As soon as the explosion was over and the debris thrown into the air
settled down, he was the first man to jump into the swirling waters of the
river, to successfully retrieve the number plate of the locomotive. He had it
as a souvenir and conversation piece, in his living room in later years.
