Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)
Genre: War / Drama
Duration: 123 minuten
Alternative titles: Merry Christmas Mister Lawrence / Merry Christmas, Mister Lawrence
Country:
United Kingdom / New Zealand / Japan
Directed by: Nagisa Ôshima
Stars: David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Tom Conti
IMDb score:
7,2 (21.272)
Releasedate: 28 May 1983
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence plot
"Java, 1942— A clash of cultures, a test of the human spirit."
A group of British POWs are trapped in a Japanese camp. The camp commander is tough and doesn't shrink from anything. When Major Jack 'Strafer' Celliers (David Bowie) makes his entrance as a prisoner, a strange bond of mutual understanding develops between him and the camp commander. This is evidenced by an incessant psychological battle between the two.
Actors and actresses
Celliers
Lawrence
Yonoi
Hara
Hicksley
Kanemoto
De Jong
Celliers' Brother
Celliers (12 Years)
Commandant of Military Prison
Reviews & comments
mister blonde
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- 12622 messages
- 5672 votes
Special film that largely derives its strength from its mystical tone. The character development and elaboration is very strong, everyone remains mysterious but that works well. Character development does not mean that you have to reveal as much information about the characters as possible. The best example are the flashbacks. They seem a bit strange, but it works well for character development. Also remarkable scenes such as the famous kiss, the butterfly (or moth) or the conversation with oneself, worked excellently for me. Celliers is a kind of archetypal character, which makes and keeps him and the film interesting. But there is also more going on with the other characters. What that is then does not need to be fully analyzed.
I thought the actors (at least the important roles) were all pretty good, but Bowie in particular proves again what a great actor he is. He always has added value in the roles he plays (now seen 9 films with him) and fits perfectly with his character (again here). In terms of direction and visually it is a bit unbalanced, but that unpolished feel fits Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence does. The battle between the prisoners and the Japanese is fascinating and the film also works well on a purely dramatic level. It is a fascinating film that deviates from the beaten track. Something that I think is no exception for Oshma (Ai no Korîda). There are really some downsides to come up with (not everything works equally well, visually it is sometimes a bit sloppy and some scene transitions don't run so smoothly, which sometimes doesn't affect the tempo), but I couldn't worry about that to make. The music was beautiful by the way. 4 stars.
Filmkriebel
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- 9555 messages
- 4432 votes
Quite a tough film, but also a somewhat disappointing psychological drama about the cultural clash between British and Japanese in an Indonesian prison camp. After "The Hunger" the second Bowie movie I see. It's good to see that big man at work again. Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence talks about how people do their best in times of war to cling to their humanity...that's how I felt. War is governed by all kinds of codes and rules that must be followed. Here the military order is pierced by human emotions and thoughts that bring both camps on the same wavelength, and sometimes that is quite nice to see. Especially in the end with that mutual respect between Hara and Lawrence . The homoerotic feelings between Yonoi and Celliers went a bit too far and seemed like a forced trick to me. I find the Mr Lawrence from the title a bit weak and overshadowed by Bowie's penetrating performance as Celliers. Oshima sometimes opts for too theatrical scenes and that got in the way of a really good movie experience. Not a disaster but a film that will certainly not be to everyone's liking.
jono
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- 342 messages
- 4003 votes
merry christmas mr. Lawrence I once bought because of the great soundtrack. The film was directed by Nagisa Oshima and produced by Jeremy Thomas. The screenplay is based on the novel The Seed and the Sower (1963) in which Laurens van der Post describes his experiences as a prisoner of war during the Second World War.
The film is about the adventures of a number of Dutch, Australian and British prisoners of war in a Japanese prison camp on Java in 1942. The leading roles include David Bowie, Tom Conti and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The latter is also responsible for the beautiful film music.
Although David Bowie does quite nicely in his POW role, I could never help but feel that I was watching David Bowie, not Major Jack Celliers. That's always the downside of casting famous artists in a movie role. In addition, his bleached hair is always perfect, and he is clean-shaven for the entire runtime of the film, despite the many hardships he has to endure. That must have been different in a real Japanese camp. 3*
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