Review of The Sand Pebbles (1966) by Paul D — 18 Jul 2008
A historically accurate film (how odd is that) about the real life adventures aboard an old navy gunboat steaming up and down the Yangtze River in 1920's China. The riverops of these gunboats coincided with the Chinese National Revolution between Sun Yat Sen's Nationalist party, and Mao's Marxist.
The Chinese were seen by the Americans and other foreign nationalists as second class citizens and this film doesn't hold any punches in portraying this fact. A perfect juxtaposition to the internal conflicts China was going through at that time.
Steve McQueen has never been better as MM1 Jake Holman, and the suppoting cast of Mako, Simon Oakland, Richard Attenbborough, Richard Crenna, Candy Bergin and the actor who later played Capt Stubing on TV's The Love Boat are all pitch perfect as well.
For anyone interested in miliitary history, Chinese history, ships, Marxism, Mao, epic film making, Righteous bad muther fuckers or quality story telling. Steve should have received the Academy Award for this.
This review of The Sand Pebbles (1966) was written by Paul D on 18 July 2008.
The Sand Pebbles has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
