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Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Java, 1942 — A clash of cultures, a test of the human spirit.

19837.32h 4m

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.

Directed by Nagisa Ōshima
Written by Nagisa Ōshima, Paul Mayersberg, Laurens van der Post
Produced by Jeremy Thomas
Box Office0Revenue: $2.3M

Top Cast

David Bowie

David Bowie

Celliers

Tom Conti

Tom Conti

Lawrence

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Yonoi

Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi Kitano

Hara

Jack Thompson

Jack Thompson

Hicksley

Johnny Ohkura

Johnny Ohkura

Kanemoto

Alistair Browning

Alistair Browning

De Jong

J

James Malcolm

Celliers' Brother

C

Chris Broun

Celliers (12 Years)

Yuya Uchida

Yuya Uchida

Commandant of Military Prison

Themes & Keywords

based on novel or bookwar crimesworld war iiprisoner of warpacific warcourt martialprison campmeditative1940sjava, indonesiadepressingcomplicateddistressingfrustratedprisãosegunda guerra mundial

About Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is a drama, history, war film released in 1983 exploring themes of based on novel or book, war crimes, world war ii, prisoner of war, pacific war, court martial. Directed by Nagisa Ōshima, it stars David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto. 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.

Movies Similar to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Discover titles like Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

If you enjoyed Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.

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