The Bridge on the River Kwai damage. Boulle nonetheless enjoyed the film version though he disagreed with its climax. Many directors were considered for the project, among them John Ford, William Wyler, Howard Hawks, Fred Zinnemann, and Orson Welles (who was also offered a starring role). The film was an international co-production between companies in Britain and the United States. Director David Lean clashed with his cast members on multiple occasions, particularly Alec Guinness and James Donald, who thought the novel was anti-British. Lean had a lengthy row with Guinness over how to play the role of Nicholson; Guinness wanted to play the part with a
BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay Kill" – Paul Dehn "The Bridge on the River Kwai" – Pierre Boulle "The Man Who Never Was" – Nigel Balchin "The Ladykillers" – William Rose "The Young Lovers" – George Tabori, Robin Estridge BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay The BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay was a British Academy Film Award from 1954 to 1967. "A Man for All Seasons" – Robert Bolt "Morgan!" – David Mercer "Darling" – Frederic Raphael "The Pumpkin Eater" – Harold Pinter "Tom Jones" – John Osborne "Lawrence of Arabia" – Robert Bolt "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" – Wolf Mankowitz and