Last night I had occasion to see, once again, on the Turner Channel, "The Bridge on the River Kwai." It never bores me. I believe the novel it is based on, written by Pierre Boulle is titled, "The Bridge Over the River Kwai."
Toward the end of the movie a small binocular used by Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) from his lookout high above the bridge plays a critical role in the ultimate destruction of the newly built bridge ultimately turning the well designed plans designed to make this destruction a heroic endeavor into the "Madness, Madness!" of Major Clifton's (James Donald) lament at the end of the film.
During the night, when the river was running high the charges to destroy the bridge were put in place and the wiring to the detonater strung out through the river to the shore. The men settle down and sleep till dawn but wake then to find that the river is now running at a low level and the detonators wires are exposed to view in various places on the river bed.
Major Warden, to his horror, looking through his little binocular from high above also can see this and he watches the inevitable ending of the enterprise through it as it unravels and he ultimately contributes to it from the information he is getting from his close up view. (Unlike most fictitious views shown through a binocular in a movie, this is an accurate portrayal of an actual view. It is a small, narrow, circular view limited to the center of the movie screen.)
The binocular appears to be an old 6 x 30 Zeiss or Bausch and Lomb Porro Prism, with oval prism housings, except that the objective lenses seem smaller to me than 30mm. It shows much use and wear and is authentic in appearance and small enough to be held with one hand and is shown being used in that manner on occasion. I don't know what kind of binocular it was. Does anybody have an idea?
Also, I was wondering if anybody else has found their curiosity about binoculars stimulated by their use in movies or television?
Cordially,
Bob
Toward the end of the movie a small binocular used by Major Warden (Jack Hawkins) from his lookout high above the bridge plays a critical role in the ultimate destruction of the newly built bridge ultimately turning the well designed plans designed to make this destruction a heroic endeavor into the "Madness, Madness!" of Major Clifton's (James Donald) lament at the end of the film.
During the night, when the river was running high the charges to destroy the bridge were put in place and the wiring to the detonater strung out through the river to the shore. The men settle down and sleep till dawn but wake then to find that the river is now running at a low level and the detonators wires are exposed to view in various places on the river bed.
Major Warden, to his horror, looking through his little binocular from high above also can see this and he watches the inevitable ending of the enterprise through it as it unravels and he ultimately contributes to it from the information he is getting from his close up view. (Unlike most fictitious views shown through a binocular in a movie, this is an accurate portrayal of an actual view. It is a small, narrow, circular view limited to the center of the movie screen.)
The binocular appears to be an old 6 x 30 Zeiss or Bausch and Lomb Porro Prism, with oval prism housings, except that the objective lenses seem smaller to me than 30mm. It shows much use and wear and is authentic in appearance and small enough to be held with one hand and is shown being used in that manner on occasion. I don't know what kind of binocular it was. Does anybody have an idea?
Also, I was wondering if anybody else has found their curiosity about binoculars stimulated by their use in movies or television?
Cordially,
Bob
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