The Sand Pebbles (1966)

Director: Robert Wise
Starring: Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Candice Bergen

Synopsis:
A machinist's mate is newly assigned to a gunship patrolling the Yangtze River in a time where the deteriorating political situation makes life for foreigners increasingly perilous.

Impressions:
I've been watching a number of movies about the Great Game since starting these reviews and this one is particular because it occurs as things are falling apart. You have the warlord system collapsing and the Kuomintang and the Communists warring to lay claim to the country while ground erodes under the feet of the foreign occupiers. There's something about having a tenuous hold on power and the threat of being completely overwhelmed. Basically, it's a single gunboat versus all of China and the tense, oppressive atmosphere is really powerful.

I liked Steve McQueen as main character Jake Holman and Richard Attenborough was also good as Frenchy, the most sympathetic member of the crew, as was Richard Crenna as Captain Collins. This film was also one of Candace Bergen's first (and her role here is much different from what I'm used to from her) and an early film role for Mako (who had mostly done TV work prior to this).

This is a good movie with a number of Oscar noms to its credit. If you have an interest in the time period or if you're a Steve McQueen fan, you should find it worthwhile. Give it a watch.

Rating:
Watch It