IMDb > The Sand Pebbles (1966)
The Sand Pebbles
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The Sand Pebbles (1966) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   4,682 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 20% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Richard McKenna (novel)
Robert Anderson (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Sand Pebbles on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 December 1966 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
THE STORY OF MEN...men who disturbed the sleeping dragon of China as the world watched in terror! more
Plot:
Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat U.S.S. San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of... more | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations more
User Comments:
Throughly enjoyable. more (79 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Steve McQueen ... Jake Holman

Richard Attenborough ... Frenchy Burgoyne

Richard Crenna ... Captain Collins

Candice Bergen ... Shirley Eckert
Emmanuelle Arsan ... Maily (as Marayat Andriane)

Mako ... Po-han
Larry Gates ... Jameson
Charles Robinson ... Ensign Bordelles
Simon Oakland ... Stawski
Ford Rainey ... Harris
Joe Turkel ... Bronson

Gavin MacLeod ... Crosley
Joe Di Reda ... Shanahan (as Joseph di Reda)
Richard Loo ... Major Chin
Barney Phillips ... Franks
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual material.
Runtime:
182 min | UK:243 min (BBFC submission before censorship) | Sweden:193 min | USA:196 min (roadshow version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)
Certification:
Norway:11 (DVD rating) (2006) | Iceland:16 | Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #21310) (original rating) | Brazil:14 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (re-rating) (2000) | West Germany:16 | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | Singapore:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The movie is often mistakenly described as being intended as an allegory for the Vietnam War, but Richard McKenna, the author of the best-selling novel on which the film was based, served on U.S. Navy gunboats in China during the 1930's and based the book on his own experiences. The Vietnam War allegory, perhaps inevitably, was ascribed to the film by the press on it's release in 1966, although not the original intention of the author, screenwriter, or director. more
Goofs:
Continuity: At the end in the missionary's courtyard 2 Chinese soldiers are shot at the obelisk. One falls in the right open portion the other falls to the left. The left soldier disappears in subsequent scenes. more
Quotes:
Jake Holman: [Holman enters the engine room after boarding the San Pablo. He looks around the room, smiles and places his hand on the machinery] Hello, Engine; I'm Jake Holman. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The Slanted Screen (2006) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
29 out of 33 people found the following comment useful.
Throughly enjoyable., 28 March 2003
8/10
Author: barberoux from Philadelphia

"The Sand Pebbles" was a throughly enjoyable movie. The setting was exotic and the story engaging. Though it starred Steve McQueen, who did an excellent job, its strength was the ensemble acting with a very talented cast including Richard Crenna, Richard Attenborough, Mako and Candice Bergen. The story was nicely involved and, though it portrayed the sailor's prejudices, did not feel condescending toward the Chinese as many war-type movies do. The men were caught up in the turbulent times and many of the conflicts portrayed seem to come more from troubled psyches. It is not Ramboish macho crap. I found the portrayals of the people and times entertaining. I had read the book so maybe I read more into the movie than others seeing it cold. It was a very good movie and well worth a watch.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Am I the only one to find it sooo boring? Epapadaki
I can't stand people my age. huggin_possums
End of movie-warning *spoiler* bm206996
Awful color needs to be restored. mrvolvo
What Happened to Stawski?? Salavas
the sand pebbles rhdado2002
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