Cast: Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna & Candice Bergen
Director: Robert Wise
Rating:
Enetertainment Quotient: 30%
Genre: War/Drama
Runtime: 179 min
MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual material.

Synopsis:
Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) is a US naval engineer who is assigned to take care of engine part of 'San Pablo' (popularly known as Sand Pebbeles) in early 1900's. San Pablo is stationed in the interior waters of China. Then there is an American Missionary working in China to help the people out there. Jake Holman falls in love with a missionary girl (Candice Bergen). Jake's friend Frenchy (Richard Attenborough) falls in love with a local Chinese slave girl. The rest of the story is all about how these relationships and the Chinese local uprising forced San Pablo to go for a war.

What I liked in the film?

1. Gripping narration: The runtime of the film is over 3 hours. And the 80% of the movie takes place in the ship anchored at a China bay. The director has woven all the elements so seamlessly that the entire film is engrossing.

2. Two romantic subplots: The romance thread between Chinese slave and the sailor is heart touching. The subtle romantic thread between the hero and heroine is also very good.

3. Sacrifices: There are sacrificing moments in the film and all the sacrifices are filmed very convincingly.

4. Exotic feel: Watching an American film made in the Chinese backdrop gives you an exotic feel.

5. A war film with little violence: There is hardly 15-20 minutes footage of gun shots in the film. But there is no violence. Yet most of the main characters of the film become the causalities of war.

The scenes I liked

1. The boxing match between Po-han and an American sailor. The way Jake grooms Po-han to takeover the position of a head coolie.
2. The pre-climax scene in which the captain says that he could take his own decision and do something good as the communication with USA has got cut off.

Tailpiece:
This film is directed by Robert Wise who directed some of the greatest musical classics like 'The Sound of Music' and 'West Side Story'. This film got nominated for the Oscars in eight categories, but won none.