It was filmed primarily on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, with some excerpt shots of Thailand. The film was rated R in the U.S. for war violence and brutality, and for some language. The film was produced by Jack Hafer and David Cunningham.[4]
The screenplay is based on the autobiography of Ernest Gordon and recounts the experiences of faith and hope of the interned men.[5] The autobiography was originally published under the name Through the Valley of the Kwai,[6] then later as Miracle on the River Kwai (not to be confused with the separate novel The Bridge over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle). Gordon's book was finally re-issued with the title To End All Wars to tie in with the film.
Post-production of the film footage was delayed because of lack of funding, which was eventually provided by Goldcrest Films.[7]
Reception
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has a score of 62% based on reviews from 13 critics, with an average rating of 5.9/10.[8] The film was awarded the Crystal Heart Award and Grand Prize for Dramatic Feature at the Heartland Film Festival.[9] A review in Variety is mainly negative.[3]
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was never released as a stand-alone release. Various songs have been re-recorded by Moya Brennan on her subsequent solo albums, most recently 'Mo Mhian' on My Match Is A Makin'.
