"The Sand Pebbles" was a lengthy, expensive, highly dramatic epic. A risky proposition for 20th Century Fox, their confidence in Producer/Director Robert Wise was redeemed when the film proved commercially successful and received eight Academy Award nominations.
Set in China of 1926, Steve McQueen played the lead role, sailor and engineer Jake Holman. Holman transfers to the small warship San Pablo, which is nicknamed 'Sand Pebbles' by its crew. Holman wants to be left alone to maintain the ship's engine, only to learn that Chinese 'coolies' perform all actual on-board work. Humorless, dramatic Captain Collins (Richard Crenna) prefers it this way, to free up the sailors for an on-deck show of force, designed to intimidate China.
Holman's campaign against the 'coolies' (he also refers to them as 'slope-heads') makes him unpopular with the crew. Later, Holman changes his racist ways, befriending his engine room trainee Po-han (Mako). Holman even trains him to fight loudmouthed bully Stawski (Simon Oakland). Holman also befriends Frenchy (Richard Attenborough, who has to hide his British accent) who is in love with well- educated, mixed blood Maily (Marayat Andriane). These actions make Holman even more unpopular with the crew, who consider Po-han to be a grunt and Maily to be a prostitute.
Civil War rages across China, threatening the lives of American missionaries. Collins violates orders to send the San Pablo on a rescue mission, one of whom (Candice Bergen, in an early role) has a big crush on Holman.
"The Sand Pebbles" is nearly three hours long, but has few unnecessary scenes. The sets are impressive, especially the old steam engine and the fleet of Chinese junks. The cast is excellent as well, with only Crenna's curious angst marring the performances. The film's biggest problem is that that the non-officer sailors all seem to be stupid savages, except for Frenchy and Holman. The crew is also frequently insubordinate to Collins, apparently for dramatic purposes.
The Oscar nominations included Best Picture, Best Actor (McQueen), Best Supporting Actor (Mako) and Best Color Cinematography (Joseph MacDonald). The film failed to take any trophies, most instead going to the costume drama "A Man For All Seasons". (65/100)
Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this fascinating (The New York Times) action-drama chronicles a volatile time in history a...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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