Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) is a history drama, directed by Nagisa Ōshima. It stars David Bowie and Tom Conti. It unfolds against the backdrop of World War II. The 124-minute film holds an audience score of 7.3/10.
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What Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence Is About
In a Japanese prison camp on Java in 1942, a tension that neither language nor culture explains builds between a British officer and the camp commander. Another British officer who speaks Japanese is caught between them. The film reduces the war almost entirely to how these two men look at each other; the narrative never makes that interest explicit or names it. How differently honour, surrender and shame work on each side is the real subject. Nagisa Oshima directed. David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto lead; Sakamoto also wrote the score, which became known independently of the film. Takeshi Kitano is in the cast. Before watching: camp violence and suicide are shown directly. The narrative is also deliberately slow, and there is no combat.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence about?
In a Japanese prison camp on Java in 1942, a tension that neither language nor culture explains builds between a British officer and the camp commander. Another British officer who speaks Japanese is caught between them.
Where can I watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is available to watch on digital platforms such as Criterion Channel. Current rent and buy options are listed in the "Where to Watch" section on this page.
How long is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence runs for 124 minutes (2h 4m).
When did Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence come out?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was released in 1983.
Who directed Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was directed by Nagisa Ōshima.
Who stars in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence stars David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano.
What is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence's rating?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence holds 7.2/10 on IMDb and 7.3/10 on TMDB. Its Pulse Score is 73 out of 100.
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