This is a very good book and movie.

It takes place in WWII in southeast Asia.  It deals with life inside a POW camp and how a sargent effectively rules the camp because he is able manipulate the system.

The book as some addiitonal parts that take place in England that deal with the families of the men in the POW camps.

It also has elements of the Edwardian class system of England in that time period.