Nonureva Really Surprised!

ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Brent Burkwell Great movie, but to those who call America "imperialist", tell me,how many Chinese agreed with that accusation AFTER they experienced the full weight of Communist domination? I bet none. Like the Soviet Union, not many migrate to China, but everyone wants to come to "imperialist" America, hmm. Odd, isn't it?

qormi The Sand Pebbles is a larger-than-life film. Great acting, great cinematography, great soundtrack. The soundtrack was very moving...the subtle notes work in perfect harmony with the visuals. McQueen's very best acting performance...a simple man with integrity and compassion, tough and low-key. McQueen immersed himself in this character...he probably deserved the Oscar he didn't get. Richard Crenna was very convincing as the self- indulgent, incompetent,stubborn, power-obsessed captain. Reminds me of some bosses I've had to suffer through. The key to this movie is the magical way in which we are transported to a forgotten time and place. Attention to detail, intense acting. One flaw I noticed was in the scene at the bar/ cat house in which it just seemed like a phony, overly lit, cavernous sound stage. It seemed so phony and out of place. A dark, claustrophobic setting would have been much more effective.

tprspan I had seen this film of war torn 1926 China in the theater when it first came out, and for that time period it was very different, if not shocking at times. Some would argue it is too long, and maybe some scenes are, but that helps to develop the characters very well.Looking at the film today, what really stands out for me today is that one could argue that Richard Crenna(Captain Collins) deserved an Oscar for best supporting actor, as his performance came close to upstaging Steve Mc Queen, who was of course outstanding.I bought the two disc special edition recently(highly recommended), and loaned the film to a couple of my friends and colleagues at the university where I work, and they both liked it. One, who has worked in China extensively believes it to be a fairly realistic looking film of the country and its people. My other friend, who had never heard of the film, watched it and thought it was good also.In other words, here is a film from almost half a century ago, that still captivates first time viewers with outstanding acting, direction, photography, and music. And yes, I bought the two disc music soundtrack also.The Sand Pebbles is an outstanding period film of historical fiction.

SnoopyStyle Seaman engineer Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) transfers to gunboat USS San Pablo patrolling the Yangtze River in 1926 revolutionary China. From the start, it is culture shock. Much of the work on board is being done by Chinese coolies. There is a lot resentment in the Chinese population against these foreign militaries. Eventually the San Pablo finds themselves blockade by the Chinese Nationals. As the ship starts to deteriorates, so does the crew. Shirley Eckert (Candice Bergen) is a teacher at a mission.There is a lot going on here. At 182 minutes, it could have been a slow grind but the story flows quite well. There is a love story between a crewman and Chinese girl. Although it provide a key story element, it also saddles the movie with unnecessary melodrama. There is already enough drama. Steve McQueen is a powerful screen presence, and this probably wouldn't work as well with another actor.