Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Nagisa Oshima |
| Produced by | Jeremy Thomas |
| Written by | Laurens van der Post (original novels) Nagisa Oshima (screenplay) Paul Mayersberg (screenplay) |
| Starring | David Bowie Tom Conti Ryuichi Sakamoto Takeshi Kitano |
| Music by | Ryuichi Sakamoto |
| Cinematography | Toichiro Narushima |
| Editing by | Tomoyo Oshima |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures (USA) Palace Pictures (UK) Optimum Releasing (UK, DVD) |
| Release date(s) | September 3 1983 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 118 min |
| Language | Japanese / English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (Senjou no Merii Kurisumasu, aka Furyo in many European editions) is a 1983 film directed by Nagisa Oshima, produced by Jeremy Thomas and starring David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Takeshi Kitano.
It was written by Oshima and Paul Mayersberg and based on World War II experiences as a prisoner of war of the writer Laurens van der Post as told in his works The Seed and the Sower (1963) and The Night of the New Moon (1970). Ryuichi Sakamoto also wrote the musical score and the vocal theme "Forbidden Colours" featuring David Sylvian was a hit single in many territories.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film deals with the relationships among four men in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during the Second World War — Jack Celliers (Bowie), a rebellious prisoner with a guilty secret from his youth in New Zealand; Captain Yonoi (Sakamoto), the young camp commandant; Lieutenant Colonel John Lawrence (Conti), a British officer who has lived in Japan and speaks Japanese fluently; and Sergeant Hara (Kitano), with whom Lawrence develops a peculiar friendship.
Like Celliers, Yonoi, too, is tormented by guilt. Having been posted to Manchuria previously, he was unable to be in Tokyo with his Army comrades, the "Shining Young Officers" of Japan's February 26 Incident, a 1936 military coup d'état. When the coup fails, the young army officers are executed. Yonoi regrets not being able to share their patriotic sacrifice. Jack Celliers had betrayed his deformed younger brother while the two of them were attending boarding school. Although Celliers confesses this only to Lawrence, Captain Yonoi senses in Celliers a kindred spirit. He wants to replace Hicksley with Celliers as spokesman for the prisoners.
The taboo of homosexuality, especially harsh in an otherwise ultranationalist and traditional environment, is suggested throughout the film. One Japanese soldier is condemned to commit seppuku after being caught in an "improper" relationship with one of the Dutch prisoners. As the execution is carried out, the Dutch prisoner, who is forced to watch it along with the rest of the prisoners and the Japanese officials as well, bites his tongue and then dies of suffocation himself.
As Celliers is interned in the camp, Yonoi seems to develop a homoerotic fixation with him, often asking about him to Hara, silently visiting him in the small hours when Celliers is confined and, later on, buried in the ground up to his neck as a means of punishment.
As the allies approach the camp, all prisoners are prompted to form outside the barracks, including sick and moribund ones. The climax of the film is reached by then, when Celliers breaks the rank and walks decidedly in Yonoi's direction, only to end up resolutedly kissing him in the cheek with a straight face. This is an unbearable offense to Yonoi's bushido honor code; he reaches out for his katana against Celliers, only to collapse under the conflicting feelings of vindicating himself from the offense suffered in front of his troops and his own feelings for Celliers, who is subsequently sentenced to death. Captain Yonoi himself is redeployed.
[edit] Analysis
The film also deals with communication between cultures. Lawrence is the only one who can effectively communicate with the Japanese officers, but the British camp commandant, Colonel Hicklsey, sees his liaison with the Japanese as betrayal. Each culture has its own code of conduct, each of which is unfathomable to the other. Lawrence tries to bridge the gap, but he is hampered by the fact that Yonoi and Hara don't understand –nor try to understand– the British as well as Lawrence understands –or tries to understand– the Japanese.
Psychological and psychoanalytical reasons for the way people act in time of war are closely examined. The tension of an unaccepted homoerotic disposition towards a foreign prisoner seizing the otherwise ultranationalist and conservative Captain Yonoi seems to be one of the main mottos as well.
Both Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Bowie were superstars in their own cultures. A strong sense of national identity is established. The film is seen mainly from the British point of view, although filmed by a Japanese director. It is an even-handed treatment of intercultural communication, and the controlling power of desire and the unexpected forms that it can take.
[edit] Music
The film is mostly known for its soundtrack, by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The main score, which bears the same title as the movie, ranks among Sakamoto's most well-known songs and made him known to a broader public. The soundtrack also contains the vocal version of this title track, better known as "Forbidden Colours" with lyrics sung and composed by David Sylvian.
There exists also a 12" vinyl remake version on the famous Italian record label DISCOMAGIC named Clock On 5 - Theme From Furyo (http://www.discogs.com/release/488118)
