The Sand Pebbles
Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat USS San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China. His iconoclasm and cynical nature soon clash with the 'rice-bowl' system which runs the ship and the uneasy symbiosis between Chinese and foreigner on the river. Hostility towards the gunboat's presence reaches a climax when the boat must crash through a river-boom and rescue missionaries upriver at China Light Mission.
From the archive
"The Sand Pebbles" is a 1966 American film directed by Robert Wise, based on the novel of the same name by Richard McKenna. It stars Steve McQueen, who plays the role of Jake Holman, a naval engineer serving on a gunboat in 1926 China. The film explores themes of isolation, cultural clash, and the moral dilemmas faced by those in foreign lands. The film follows Holman as he navigates the complexities of life on the Yangtze River, dealing with both the local Chinese population and the conflicts among the crew members of the USS San Pablo. The narrative highlights Holman’s struggle to find his place amid the turbulent political landscape. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards and won for Best Cinematography, capturing the sweeping visuals of the Chinese landscape.
Why this is free to watch
The Sand Pebbles (1966) is hosted by the Internet Archive as a public-domain or openly licensed work, which means its copyright has expired, lapsed, or was released by the rights holder. The uploader declared an explicit licence, linked in the source panel. Nitrate streams the file directly from the Archive and hosts no video itself.
- Director
- Robert Wise
- Starring
- Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna, Candice Bergen, Mako, Larry Gates, Charles Robinson, Simon Oakland
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