During World War II, British Major Celliers (David Bowie, The Hunger) and Japanese prison camp commander Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto,...
During World War II, British Major Celliers (David Bowie, The Hunger) and Japanese prison camp commander Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto, CODA) enter into a tragic battle of wills.
Directed and co-written by Nagisa Ōshima (In the Realm of the Senses), this drama was named by Akira Kurosawa as one of his favourite films. Also stars Tom Conti (Beyond Therapy) and Takeshi Kitano (Hana-Bi).
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Where to watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
86 %28 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
79 %6,588 reviewsAudience score rating
"What this movie needed was a diplomatic acting coach."
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Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert"(It) is sometimes tense and surprising, sometimes merely bizarre."
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The New York Times
The New York Times"Oshima's handling of the narrative is not so much elliptical as awkward, and Bowie's performance is embarrassingly wooden."
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Time Out
Time Out"Bowie is superb, as is Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose evocative soundtrack is one of the best ever to grace a motion picture."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"If films were made by pulling the lever on a fruit machine to generate a random combination of actors, plot and setting, you would occasionally get a hilarious freak like Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence."
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Little White Lies
Little White Lies"Lurid sadism blends with equally lurid lyricism..."
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Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader"By no means an easy picture to deal with..."
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Variety
Variety"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence fascinates mostly for the hit-and-miss alchemy of its discordant elements..."
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Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine"Bowie is a potent irritant, but Tom Conti is solid in support..."
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Empire Magazine
Empire Magazine"The performances are riveting throughout..."
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Collider
ColliderMerry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence | Details
Award winner- Winner of Best Score (Ryuichi Sakamoto) at the 1984 BAFTA Awards.
- Rating
- R,
- Runtime
- 124
- Genre
- Drama, War
- Country of origin
- Japan, New Zealand, UK
