You British prisoners have been chosen to build a bridge across the River Kwai.It will be pleasant work requiring skill, and officers will work as well as men.The Japanese Army cannot have idle mouths to feed.If you work hard, you will be treated well.But if you do not work hard, you will be punished!A word to you about escape.There is no barbed wire, no stockade, no watchtower.They are not necessary.We are an island in the jungle.Escape is impossible.You would die.Today you rest.Tomorrow you will begin.Let me remind you of General Yamashita""s motto: ""Be happy in your work."" Dismissed!In brief cutaways to Shears from the side, the chief ""know-it-all"" gravedigger watches with a mixture of amusement and disgust.One of the boys hums a few notes of eerieTwilight Zonemusic.Mary observes: "There""s nothing in here." Although they find a few odd-shaped racks in the dirt, Michael believes they are only the tracks of coyotes hat have returned to the neighborhood ("the coyote""s come back again, Mom").Spaulding announces: "The gates swung open and a Fig Newton entered." The Professor blows solid white puffs of cigarette smoke until Spaulding asks for a chocolate variety.Capra had originally wanted MGM stars Robert Montgomery and Myrna Loy to play the lead roles, but ended up, surprisingly, with top MGM star Gable ""on-loan"" (as punishment for refusing a role opposite Joan Crawford) from the studio.