Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence poster

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence( 1983)

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Java, 1942— A clash of cultures, a test of the human spirit.

Overview

Island of Java, 1942, during World War II. British Major Jack Celliers arrives at a Japanese prison camp, run by the strict Captain Yonoi. Colonel John Lawrence, who has a profound knowledge of Japanese culture, and Sergeant Hara, brutal and simpleton, will witness the struggle of wills between two men from very different backgrounds who are tragically destined to clash.

    Top Billed Cast

    1. cast image

      David Bowie

      Celliers

    2. cast image

      Tom Conti

      Lawrence

    3. cast image

      Ryuichi Sakamoto

      Yonoi

    4. cast image

      Takeshi Kitano

      Hara

    5. cast image

      Jack Thompson

      Hicksley

    6. cast image

      Johnny Ohkura

      Kanemoto

    7. cast image

      Alistair Browning

      De Jong

    8. cast image

      James Malcolm

      Celliers' Brother

    9. cast image

      Chris Broun

      Celliers (12 Years)

    10. cast image

      Yuya Uchida

      Commandant of Military Prison

    11. cast image

      Ryūnosuke Kaneda

      President of the Court

    12. cast image

      Takashi Naito

      Lieutenant Iwata

    13. cast image

      Tamio Ishikura

      Prosecutor

    14. cast image

      Rokkō Toura

      Interpreter

    15. cast image

      Kan Mikami

      Lieutenant Itō

    16. cast image

      Yūji Honma

      PFC Yajima

    17. cast image

      Daisuke Iijima

      Corporal Ueki

    18. cast image

      Hideo Murota

      New Commandant of Camp

    19. cast image

      Barry Dorking

      Chief Doctor

    20. cast image

      Geoff Clendon

      Australian Doctor

    21. cast image

      Grant Bridger

      P.O.W. Officer

    22. cast image

      Richard Adams

      P.O.W. #1

    23. cast image

      Geoff Allen

      P.O.W. #2

    24. cast image

      Michael Baxter-Lax

      P.O.W. #3

    25. cast image

      Mark Berg

      P.O.W. #4

    26. cast image

      Marcus Campbell

      P.O.W. #5

    27. cast image

      Colin Francis

      P.O.W. #6

    28. cast image

      Richard Hensby

      P.O.W. #7

    29. cast image

      Richard Hoare

      P.O.W. #8

    30. cast image

      Martin Ibbertson

      P.O.W. #9

    31. cast image

      Rob Jayne

      P.O.W. #10

    32. cast image

      Richard Mills

      P.O.W. #11

    33. cast image

      Mark Penrose

      P.O.W. #12

    34. cast image

      Arthur Ranford

      P.O.W. #13

    35. cast image

      Steve Smith

      P.O.W. #14

    36. cast image

      Stephen Taylor

      P.O.W. #15

    37. cast image

      Richard Zimmerman

      P.O.W. #16

    38. cast image

      Ian Miller

      English Guard

    39. cast image

      Don Stevens

      Pastor

    40. cast image

      Yōichi Iijima

      Japanese Soldier #1

    41. cast image

      Satoshi Itō

      Japanese Soldier #2

    42. cast image

      Masaki Kusakabe

      Japanese Soldier #3

    43. cast image

      Kunihide Kuruma

      Japanese Soldier #4

    44. cast image

      Hiroshi Mikami

      Japanese Soldier #5

    45. cast image

      Akihiro Masuda

      Japanese Soldier #6

    46. cast image

      Tokuhisa Masuda

      Japanese Soldier #7

    47. cast image

      Takeshi Nagasawa

      Japanese Soldier #8

    48. cast image

      Takashi Odashima

      Japanese Soldier #9

    49. cast image

      Masanori Okada

      Japanese Soldier #10

    50. cast image

      Shoetsu Sato

      Japanese Soldier #11

    51. cast image

      Rintaro Shibata

      Japanese Soldier #12

    52. cast image

      Masamichi Shibasaki

      Japanese Soldier #13

    53. cast image

      Kaname Shimura

      Japanese Soldier #14

    54. cast image

      Kenzo Shirahama

      Japanese Soldier #15

    55. cast image

      Hisao Takeda

      Japanese Soldier #16

    56. cast image

      Hidenobu Togo

      Japanese Soldier #17

    57. cast image

      Atsuo Yamashita

      Japanese Soldier #18

    58. cast image

      Heiwa Yoshihara

      Japanese Soldier #19

    59. cast image

      Takeshi Yū

      Japanese Soldier #20

    Social

    Review 1Discussion

    A review by CinemaSerf

    7
    Written by CinemaSerf on Thu Apr 14 2022
    This offers a really poignant look at what we might describe as mutual insanity. "Maj. Celliers" (David Bowie) is convicted by the occupying Japanese on the island of Java on citing rebellion. With hindsight, perhaps he would rather not have been, but he is spared the firing squad and sent to the POW camp of "Col Yonoi" (Ryuichi Sakamoto) who leaves much of the day to day brutality to his henchman "Sgt. Hara" (Takeshi Kitano). Also interned is "Col. Lawrence" (a strong performance from Tom Conti) who knows a thing or two about the culture of their "hosts" and tries, as best he can, to mediate a...

    Media

    Videos 3Backdrops 13Posters 56

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    Facts

    Status

    Released

    Original Language

    English

    Budget

    -

    Revenue

    2306560.00

    Keywords

    • based on novel or book
    • war crimes
    • world war ii
    • prisoner of war
    • pacific war
    • court martial
    • prison camp
    • meditative
    • 1940s
    • java, indonesia
    • depressing
    • complicated
    • distressing
    • frustrated