It was coming up to the festive season, so I wanted to watch a few seasonal films I had never seen before, I assumed, from the title, that this was a Christmas movie, it comes nowhere close, but it didn't stop me watching it, directed by Nagisa Ôshima (In the Realm of the Senses, Gohatto). Basically in 1942, during World War II, in Java, an island in Indonesia, British-New Zealand Major Jack "Straffer" Celliers (David Bowie) arrives in the Japanese POW (Prisoner of War) camp, he has surrendered to avoid the Japanese soldiers murdering local villagers. The camp commander Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto) is sort of fascinated by Jack, he sends him to the infirmary to be treated. Liaison of the prisoners is British officer Lieutenant Colonel John Lawrence (Tom Conti), he can speak Japanese, often convening with Yonoi and Sergeant Gengo Hara (Takeshi's Castle star Takeshi Kitano). Lawrence has lives with the Japanese for many years, so can understand their culture, it is questioned if Lawrence will one day replace ranking Allied officer and prisoner representative Group Captain Hicksley (Jack Thompson). When rebel Jack leaves the infirmary, he challenges Yonoi, who follows principles of honour and discipline, in Yonoi's view, the prisoners are cowards, choosing to surrender rather than commit suicide, he sees them as weak and dishonourable. As the interpreter, Lawrence tries to explain the Japanese way of thinking, but in doing so he is considered a traitor, but Lawrence see their cruel and bloodthirsty nature. The arrival of Celliers has had an effect on all of the camp, Yonoi believes that Jack is possessed by demons, later as a means of punishment Celliers is buried up to his neck in a pit filled with sand, he is left there to die. Four years later, Hara has learned to speak English, he reminisces with Lawrence about Celliers and Yonoi, he also mentions the amusement of a Christmas Eve, in the end, they bid each other farewell, with Hara saying "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence!" Also starring Johnny Ohkura as Kanemoto, Alistair Browning as De Jong, James Malcolm as Celliers' Brother and Chris Broun as Celliers aged 12. The late great Bowie gives a terrific performance as the rebellious soldier, Conti does well as the bilingual prisoner forced to act as intermediary for both sides, and there is good support from Sakamoto, Kitano and Thompson. Admittedly I could not follow everything going on, and not just because of the occasional cuts into Japanese language with subtitles, for example there is the odd dream sequence with Bowie in a school uniform, but is does deliver messages about duty and culpability, and the characters are interesting, overall it is a worthwhile Second World War drama. It won the BAFTA for Best Score for Ryuichi Sakamoto. Good!
Review of Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
