The Sand Pebbles
“This is the heroic story of the men on the U.S.S. San Pablo who disturbed the sleeping dragon of savage China as the threatened world watched in breathless terror.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Sand Pebbles Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-03-09
Top Cast
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Steve McQueen
Jake Holman
Richard Attenborough
Frenchy Burgoyne
Richard Crenna
Captain Collins
Candice Bergen
Shirley Eckert
Mako
Po-han
Larry Gates
Jameson
Charles Robinson
Ensign Bordelles
Simon Oakland
Stawski
Ford Rainey
Harris
Joe Turkel
Bronson
Gavin MacLeod
Crosley
Joe Di Reda
Shanahan
Richard Loo
Major Chin
Barney Phillips
Franks
James Hong
Victor Shu
Gus Trikonis
Restorff
Emmanuelle Arsan
Maily
Shepherd Sanders
Perna
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 20, 1966
Wide Cinema Exhibition
December 1, 2003
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$12M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$20M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.67x
+$8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robert Wise
- Screenplay & Story
- Robert Anderson
- Original Score
- Jerry Goldsmith
- Original Title
- The Sand Pebbles
- Country of Origin
- United States of America, Taiwan, Hong Kong
- Spoken Languages
- Mandarin, English
- Runtime
- 3h 16m
- Production Budget
- $12M
- Worldwide Gross
- $20M
- Production Studios
- Robert Wise Productions, Solar Productions, 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robert Wise
Robert Anderson, Richard McKenna
Jerry Goldsmith
Joseph MacDonald
William Reynolds
Robert Wise, Steve McQueen
Department Leadership Roster
Robert Anderson
Screenplay
Robert Wise
Director
William Reynolds
Editor
Boris Leven
Production Design
Renié
Costume Design
Joseph MacDonald
Director of Photography
Robert Wise
Producer
Jerry Goldsmith
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Sand Pebbles.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sand Pebbles
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Sand Pebbles about?
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.
Who directed The Sand Pebbles?
The Sand Pebbles was directed by Robert Wise.
Who stars in The Sand Pebbles?
The principal cast of The Sand Pebbles includes Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna, Candice Bergen, Mako.
When was The Sand Pebbles released and how long is it?
The Sand Pebbles was released in 1966 with a total runtime of 3h 16m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Sand Pebbles?
The Sand Pebbles had a reported production budget of $12M and grossed $20M at the worldwide box office (1.67 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Sand Pebbles?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Sand Pebbles was composed by Jerry Goldsmith.
Is The Sand Pebbles based on a book or true story?
The Sand Pebbles is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Richard McKenna".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Sand Pebbles?
The Sand Pebbles holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).