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   4,643 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 21% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Robert Wise
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:
Drama | Romance | War more
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:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations more
User Comments:
This terrific movie deserves so much more acclaim 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
more
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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:
USA
Language:
English | Mandarin
Color:
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:
When original composer Alex North fell ill, 20th Century Fox exercised their right to pull their contract composer Jerry Goldsmith from another studio's assignment- MGM's Grand Prix (1966). more
Goofs:
Continuity: Upon seeing the boom in the river, the Captain (Richard Crenna) leans forward grabbing the forward handrail. In the next scene, he again leans forward grabbing the forward handrail. more
Quotes:
[Jake Holman (Machinist Mate 1st Class ) teaching Po-han (Engine Room coolie) the engine room]
Jake Holman: Valve.
Po-han: Wow.
Jake Holman: Valve.
Po-han: Wow.
[points to valve, more emphatically]
Po-han: Wow.
Jake Holman: Yeah, okay... wow.
[pointing to another valve]
Jake Holman: Main steam stop valve.
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool (2005) (TV) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
14 out of 15 people found the following comment useful.
This terrific movie deserves so much more acclaim, 16 August 2004
8/10
Author: Duane (duanecu) from South Bend, IN, USA

Wow! What a terrific movie!

My favorite aspect of this movie is the fearless story-telling. The movie plainly shows the prostitution business; the savagery of the fledgling nation of China; the brutality of war; a realistic view of military decision-making; Asian racial tensions; and the movie doesn't try to glorify the main characters. The main characters instead seem real, with flaws just like everyone has. You just don't see that in Hollywood now-a-days, and that's a shame. Movie makers today need so much more bravado and fearlessness as seen in this movie.

It's just such a shame this movie doesn't get more acclaim, it certainly deserves it!

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (79 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
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
Poor man's Lawrence of Arabia kkhsiivonen
more

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