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.
Critics Sentiment
Dying Holman asks what happened as San Pablo steams away
Chinese forces kill Maily and frame Holman for murder
The film's most dramatic shift occurs from Frenchy's death through Maily's murder, dropping from 5.4 to 4.8 as all hope for the characters' happiness is systematically destroyed.
The Sand Pebbles follows a classic tragic arc, opening with solid character establishment before building through engaging conflicts and romantic subplots. The film systematically destroys hope in its middle section through shocking deaths and mounting political tensions, before recovering for powerful action sequences and an emotionally devastating but critically acclaimed ending that elevates the entire experience.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 32
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
James Jeter
Farren
Tom Middleton
Jennings
Crew
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