MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

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

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

gilligan1965 Much like many movies made during the Cold War, such as "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago;" this, too, had to be filmed in places only 'similar' to the actual locations...but, who cares!?!? It's an epic movie and extraordinary adventure starring one of my favorite movie 'tough-guy' heroes, Steve McQueen.The movie also stars the legendary Richard Attenborough (Director of "Gandhi" and "A Bridge Too Far," and, star of "Jurassic Park" and other greats).Richard Crenna ("First Blood") also stars; as does Candice Bergen ("Gandhi"); Simon Oakland ("Psycho;" "Bullit;" "West Side Story"); Mako ("Seven Years In Tibet;" "Pearl Harbor"); Joe Turkel ("The Shining"); Gavin McLeod ("Kelly's Heroes"), making it a star-studded movie that no one should miss!"The Sand Pebbles" has everything - great actors; a great script; a great soundtrack (by Jerry Goldsmith); great settings; action; intrigue; and, even a love story; and, even another 'almost' love story. It's a perfect movie, but, set in a time when China was a nation in upheaval and most every other nation in the world wanted a piece of it.A great epic classic - 11 stars! :)

soneill The Sand Pebbles, for all its sweep and pageantry, is at its core a story of the cost of human cruelty, bigotry and arrogance, and indifference to the pain inflicted by these. Just about everyone in the story is trapped--Captain Collins by his stiff-necked devotion to intangibles like honor and duty, even when this devotion drives him to ignore his innate decency, at great cost to himself and others. Po-Han, who just wants to learn how to be a ship's engineer, tortured by Communists who want to punish him for what they see as casting his lot with the enemy. Maily, viewed by the brutish sailors and the madam of the whorehouse as chattel, an inhuman commodity to be rented by the hour until she is worn out and discarded. She cannot be redeemed even by the brave, clumsy tenderness of Frenchy, who gives his life for the privilege of being with her. The missionaries, who have no argument with anyone, being forced to take sides in a stupid and unnecessary conflict. And of course, Jake Holman, the rebel with a soft heart he wishes to God he didn't have but which makes him a better man than many others. He has the wisdom to take people not in bunches but on a per-case basis--he doesn't assume that just because somebody is Chinese, he's evil or stupid or uncivilized. The comradely ease he develops with Po-Han, his unquestioning acceptance of the romance between Frenchy and Maily despite knowing the perils they face, his refusal to brutalize himself to endear himself to some of his more Cro-Magnon shipmates are what lead to his tragic and wasteful death. Much as I loved this movie, I don't think I could get through another viewing. But if you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy. Just make sure you have plenty of Kleenex.

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.

Vic Lange I can't claim to know anything about the history of the Sand Pebbles, and I only know a bit about the actual historical period it took place in, but I would imagine that this story made some people unhappy. It's set in a time in history where America was someplace it probably didn't belong, but of course, that didn't make the American soldiers in China villains.Set during the time of Western occupation of China in the early 20th century, the movie does its best to portray its subjects fairly, with nasty and kind Americans and cowardly, duplicitous, and noble Chinese. Nevertheless, it's hard to come away from this movie without seeing the racist mindset from which it comes. I don't mean this as an insult, necessarily, as a piece of film history it can only be judged by the standards of its time. As a piece of entertainment, however, its moral discoveries that "the Chinese are perfectly capable of learning how American technology works!" and "they're just trying to get ahead, look how reasonable they are when they can speak English well!" are basically the stuff of children's cartoons these days.These flaws and the awkwardly antisocial nature of Steve McQueen's character make the first two-thirds of the movie drag in parts, no matter how good the production values are (they're very good). That still isn't quite enough to drag down a very strong ending, however, where the path the movie takes manages to keep you guessing until the very end.