Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
戦場のメリークリスマス
“Java, 1942 — A clash of cultures, a test of the human spirit.”
Synopsis
Island of Java, 1942, during World War II. British Major Jack Celliers arrives at a Japanese prison camp, run by the strict Captain Yonoi. Colonel John Lawrence, who has a profound knowledge of Japanese culture, and Sergeant Hara, brutal and simpleton, will witness the struggle of wills between two men from very different backgrounds who are tragically destined to clash.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2020-06-15
Top Cast
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David Bowie
Celliers
Tom Conti
Lawrence
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Yonoi
Takeshi Kitano
Hara
Jack Thompson
Hicksley
Johnny Ohkura
Kanemoto
Alistair Browning
De Jong
James Malcolm
Celliers' Brother
Chris Broun
Celliers (12 Years)
Yuya Uchida
Commandant of Military Prison
Ryūnosuke Kaneda
President of the Court
Takashi Naito
Lieutenant Iwata
Tamio Ishikura
Prosecutor
Rokkō Toura
Interpreter
Kan Mikami
Lieutenant Itō
Yūji Honma
PFC Yajima
Daisuke Iijima
Corporal Ueki
Hideo Murota
New Commandant of Camp
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
September 2, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 7, 2013
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
Undisclosed
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.3M
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Nagisa Ōshima
- Screenplay & Story
- Nagisa Ōshima, Paul Mayersberg
- Original Score
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Original Title
- 戦場のメリークリスマス
- Country of Origin
- Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English, Japanese
- Runtime
- 2h 4m
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.3M
- Production Studios
- Recorded Picture Company, National Film Trustee Company, Antares-Nova, Oshima Productions, Broadbank Investments, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Nagisa Ōshima
Nagisa Ōshima, Paul Mayersberg, Laurens van der Post
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Tōichirō Narushima
Tomoyo Oshima
Terry Glinwood, Geoffrey Nethercott, Eiko Oshima, Jeremy Thomas, Masato Hara
Department Leadership Roster
Nagisa Ōshima
Director
Nagisa Ōshima
Screenplay
Paul Mayersberg
Screenplay
Jeremy Thomas
Producer
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Original Music Composer
Tomoyo Oshima
Editor
Tōichirō Narushima
Director of Photography
Shigemasa Toda
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
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Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence about?
Island of Java, 1942, during World War II. British Major Jack Celliers arrives at a Japanese prison camp, run by the strict Captain Yonoi. Colonel John Lawrence, who has a profound knowledge of Japanese culture, and Sergeant Hara, brutal and simpleton, will witness the struggle of wills between two men from very different backgrounds who are tragically destined to clash.
Who directed Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was directed by Nagisa Ōshima.
Who stars in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
The principal cast of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence includes David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano, Jack Thompson.
When was Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence released and how long is it?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 2h 4m.
How much did Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence make at the box office?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence grossed $2.3M in worldwide ticket sales.
Who composed the musical score for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence based on a book or true story?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Laurens van der Post".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).