The Sand Pebbles (1966)

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Richard McKenna (novel)
Robert Anderson (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 December 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

THE STORY OF MEN...men who disturbed the sleeping dragon of China as the world watched in terror!

Plot:

Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat U.S.S. San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of...

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Roadboatmovie | Pregnant Woman Murdered | Offscreen Killing | Engine

Awards:

Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Holman
Richard Attenborough	...	Frenchy
Richard Crenna	...	Collins
Candice Bergen	...	Shirley
Emmanuelle Arsan	...	Maily (as Marayat Andriane)
Mako	...	Po-han
Larry Gates	...	Jameson
Charles Robinson	...	Ensign Bordelles
Simon Oakland	...	Stawski
Ford Rainey	...	Harris
Joe Turkel	...	Bronson
Gavin MacLeod	...	Crosley
Joe Di Reda	...	Shanahan (as Joseph di Reda)
Richard Loo	...	Major Chin
Barney Phillips	...	Franks

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual material.

Runtime:

179 min | UK:243 min (BBFC submission before censorship) | Sweden:193 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:11 (DVD rating) (2006) | Iceland:16 | USA:Approved (certificate #21310) (original rating) | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (re-rating) (2000) | West Germany:16 | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Robert Wise Productions

Trivia:

The movie was intended as an allegory for the Vietnam War.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Apparatus for simulating the gunshot wound in Richard Crenna's back, called a squib, is quite visible as he runs away from the camera in the China Light courtyard.

Quotes:

Captain Collins: Holman, I'll have you shot as a mutineer!
Jake Holman: Well shoot something!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Sound of Music: From Fact to Phenomenon (1994) (V)

Throughly enjoyable.

"The Sand Pebbles" was a throughly enjoyable movie. The setting was exotic and the story engaging. Though it starred Steve McQueen, who did an excellent job, its strength was the ensemble acting with a very talented cast including Richard Crenna, Richard Attenborough, Mako and Candice Bergen. The story was nicely involved and, though it portrayed the sailor's prejudices, did not feel condescending toward the Chinese as many war-type movies do. The men were caught up in the turbulent times and many of the conflicts portrayed seem to come more from troubled psyches. It is not Ramboish macho crap. I found the portrayals of the people and times entertaining. I had read the book so maybe I read more into the movie than others seeing it cold. It was a very good movie and well worth a watch.