Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence official wallpaper
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence poster

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

  • 7.2 /10

  • 444

  • 86%

Plot

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.

Cast

David Bowie as Celliers
David Bowie

as Celliers

Tom Conti as Lawrence
Tom Conti

as Lawrence

Ryuichi Sakamoto as Yonoi
Takeshi Kitano as Hara
Jack Thompson as Hicksley
Jack Thompson

as Hicksley

Johnny Ohkura as Kanemoto
Johnny Ohkura

as Kanemoto

Alistair Browning as De Jong
Alistair Browning

as De Jong

James Malcolm as Celliers' Brother
James Malcolm

as Celliers' Brother

Chris Broun as Celliers (12 Years)
Chris Broun

as Celliers (12 Years)

Yuya Uchida as Commandant of Military Prison
Yuya Uchida

as Commandant of Military Prison

Movie Facts

Rated

  • R

Status

  • Released

Release Date

  • May 28, 1983

Production Companies

  • Recorded Picture Company

  • National Film Trustee Company

  • Antares-Nova

  • Oshima Productions

  • Broadbank Investments

  • Asahi Broadcasting Corporation

Production Countries

  • Japan

  • New Zealand

  • United Kingdom

Spoken Language

  • English

  • 日本語

Budget

  • $0.00

Revenue

  • $2,306,560.00

Runtime

  • 2.07 hrs

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Reviews

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 henchma…