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Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Country: United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan, Language: English, Japanese, 124 mins

  • Director: Nagisa Ôshima
  • Writer: Laurens Van der Post; Nagisa Ôshima
  • Producer: Terry Glinwood; Masato Hara

CGiii Comment

What nasty b*st*rds the Japanese were during the war - this production does not disguise that fact in any way...impressive.

It's a powerful piece and Bowie does a fine job.

Surprisingly moving with evocative music that heightens the repression, the suffocation and torture.

A fine work.


Trailer...

The(ir) Blurb...

In 1942 British soldier Jack Celliers comes to a Japanese prison camp. The camp is run by Yonoi, who has a firm belief in discipline, honor and glory. In his view, the allied prisoners are cowards when they chose to surrender instead of committing suicide. One of the prisoners, interpreter John Lawrence, tries to explain the Japanese way of thinking, but is considered a traitor.

Cast & Characters

David Bowie as Maj. Jack 'Strafer' Celliers;
Tom Conti as Col. John Lawrence;
Ryuichi Sakamoto as Capt. Yonoi;
Takeshi Kitano as Sgt. Gengo Hara;
Jack Thompson as Group Capt. Hicksley;
Johnny Okura as Kanemoto;
Alistair Browning as De Jong;
James Malcolm as Celliers' Brother;
Chris Broun as Celliers aged 12;
Yuya Uchida as Commandant of Military Prison;
Ryunosuke Kaneda as President of the Court;
Takashi Naito as Lt. Iwata;
Tamio Ishikura as Prosecutor;
Rokko Toura as Interpreter;
Kan Mikami as Lt. Ito