Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

May 28, 1983

2h 4m

★ 7.3

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.

Genres

Drama

History

War

Production Companies

Recorded Picture Company

National Film Trustee Company

Antares-Nova

Oshima Productions

Broadbank Investments

Asahi Broadcasting Corporation

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence Trailers

Cast

Celliers

David Bowie

Lawrence

Tom Conti

Yonoi

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Hara

Takeshi Kitano

Hicksley

Jack Thompson

Kanemoto

Johnny Ohkura

De Jong

Alistair Browning

Celliers' Brother

James Malcolm

Celliers (12 Years)

Chris Broun

Commandant of Military Prison

Yuya Uchida

President of the Court

Ryūnosuke Kaneda

Lieutenant Iwata

Takashi Naito

The 30-minute film centers around a group of high school students who became nurses called Himeyuri and served during the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. The Himeyuri Alumnae Incorporated Foundation, which runs the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Okinawa, produced the film with the aim to convey the experiences of those high school students, many of whom lost their lives during the battle, to children.

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