Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

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

Sep 2 1983 R 2h 3m
Drama, War

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.

Plot

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.

Written by

Nagisa Ôshima, Paul Mayersberg, Lourens van der Post

Directed by

Nagisa Ôshima

Cast

David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United Kingdom, New Zealand, Japan

Production Companies

Broadbank Investments, Asahi Broadcasting Company, Oshima Productions, Antares-Nova, National Film Trustee Company, Recorded Picture Company

Languages

English

Awards

Won 1 BAFTA Award10 wins & 8 nominations total

Trailers
Trailer
Official Trailer
Featurettes
Mark Kermode reviews Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1982) | BFI Player
Scores
# of Votes
21,100
Average Rating
7.2 out of 10
Metascore
53
Popularity
NA