The explosive Korean War novel by celebrated author James A. Michener (Sayonara, South Pacific) soars to the screen in this rousing cinema classic from director Mark Robson (Bright Victory, Von Ryan’s Express). Not every Navy pilot can guide his aircraft from a wave-tossed carrier deck, seek out targets over unfamiliar Korean terrain, and then return to what looks like a speck in the sea. Naval Reservist Harry Brubaker (movie legend William Holden, Stalag 17) can. This masterful story of a war-weary World War II veteran who must leave his family to fight again combines moving drama with surefire, bombs-away aerial action. Luminous Grace Kelly (High Noon) co-stars as Brubaker’s loving wife, and rounding out a stellar cast are Fredric March (Inherit the Wind), Mickey Rooney (The Bold and the Brave) and Robert Strauss (The Seven Year Itch). The Bridges at Toko-Ri landed two Academy Award nominations for 1955, with Paramount’s Special Effects team winning the coveted Oscar for their thrilling, fiery handiwork.

For thoughts on The Bridges at Toko-Ri, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

Kino Classics presents The Bridges at Toko-Ri with a stellar new 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The level of detail and clarity is quite striking with the perfect amount of natural film grain intact and resolved without issues of swarming or clumping. There does not appear to be any pesky digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. The film appears to be free of nearly all dirt and damage for a crisp and clear viewing experience that captures the locations famously. The film features some deep, bold colors on land and at sea, not to mention with the costumes. Black levels are deep with a great stability throughout, and the highlights are contained at the appropriate level. This presentation restores this one to its former glory.

Audio Quality

The film has been given a fulfilling DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that does everything that is asked of it. Even with a feature of this vintage, there are few moments when the track shows any issues. Dialogue comes through clearly throughout without being overwhelmed by any competing elements. The rousing Lyn Murray score maintains an amiable fidelity with no swings in stability. The track balances vocals with the action-packed environmental sounds with wonderful clarity. Kino Classics has provided a fantastic audio presentation that showcases the film well. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin provide a very informative commentary track in which they discuss the background details of this film, the novella which inspired the feature, the backgrounds of the various performers we see on screen, the authentic elements incorporated into the production, the thematic details of the story and more.

Trailers: The nearly two-minute trailer for The Bridges at Toko-Ri is provided here. There are also trailers provided for The Turning Point, The Horse Soldiers, The Counterfeit Traitor, The 7th Dawn, The Devil’s Brigade, 21 Hours at Munich, 633 Squadron, Hell Is For Heroes and Mosquito Squadron.

Final Thoughts

The Bridges at Toko-Ri is a captivating and heartbreaking wartime drama that deserves more time in the spotlight. The film is not as packed to the brim with action sequences as other films, but it makes up for that in character development as you spend a good amount of time with these soldiers before they are put in harm’s way. William Holden puts forth a very layered performance, and Grace Kelly shines on screen in a way that brings his humanity to the forefront. There are some narrative threads which are less rewarding, but overall this packs a wallop. This new Blu-Ray release from Kino Classics offers up a grand A/V presentation and a fine selection of special features. If you are looking for an anti-war picture that does not feel the slightest bit preachy, this will serve you well. Recommended

The Bridges at Toko-Ri is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.