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The Sand Pebbles (1966)

APPROVED  182 min  -  Drama | Romance | War   -  20 December 1966 (USA)
7.7
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Ratings: 7.7/10 from 5,953 users  
Reviews: 86 user | 25 critic

Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat U.S.S. San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Richard McKenna (novel), Robert Anderson (screenplay)
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Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen ...
Candice Bergen ...
Richard Attenborough ...
Richard Crenna ...
Emmanuelle Arsan Emmanuelle Arsan ...
Maily (as Marayat Andriane)
Mako ...
Larry Gates Larry Gates ...
Jameson
Charles Robinson Charles Robinson ...
Ensign Bordelles
Simon Oakland Simon Oakland ...
Stawski
Ford Rainey Ford Rainey ...
Harris
Joe Turkel ...
Bronson
Gavin MacLeod ...
Joe Di Reda Joe Di Reda ...
Shanahan (as Joseph di Reda)
Richard Loo Richard Loo ...
Major Chin
Barney Phillips Barney Phillips ...
Franks
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Storyline

Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat U.S.S. San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China. His iconoclasm and cynical nature soon clash with the "rice-bowl" system which runs the ship and the uneasy symbiosis between Chinese and foreigner on the river. Hostility towards the gunboat's presence reaches a climax when the boat must crash through a river-boom and rescue missionaries upriver at China Light Mission. Written by Martin H. Booda <booda@datasync.com>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

China | Chinese | Gunboat | Missionary | Battle  | See more »

Taglines:

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

Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual material (re-rating) (2000) See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

El Yang-Tsé en llamas See more »

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$20,000,000 (USA) (January 1968)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | UK: (BBFC submission before censorship)  | Sweden:  | USA: (roadshow version)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve McQueen gave writer Robert Anderson such a hard time, that Anderson left the project after McQueen was cast. Years earlier, McQueen was not cast in a play by Anderson and McQueen never forgave him. See more »

Goofs

Factual errors: At the fight at the boom,the cannon on the USS Sand Pebble has a recoil cylinder on top of the barrel but when fired, the barrel doesn't recoil. There is also no recoil shown for the muzzle loading cannon on the Chinese Junks. See more »

Quotes

Jake Holman: [Last Lines] I was home. What happened? What the hell happened?
See more »

Crazy Credits

There is a credit for 'Diversions by Irving Schwartz' in tribute to a
mysterious, unknown correspondent whose letters proved a morale booster to
cast and crew during trying location work in Hong Kong and Taiwan. See more »

Connections

Featured in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 (1999) See more »