Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

There are times when victory is hard to take.

1983's MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE is an odd and oddly disjointed motion picture from co-writer/director Nagisa Oshima, who adapted two books by Sir Laurens Jan van der Post's experiences as a prisoner of war in Japanese camps during World War II.  There's quite a bit going on in this screenplay (co-written by Paul Mayersberg), and while there are many arresting scenes, it didn't quite come together as a satisfying whole for me.  So many elements are at odds, including the film's stew of Christian imagery, homoeroticism, and wildly diverse acting styles.

1942, WWII POW camp.   Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto) is the strict but troubled commandant.  Sergeant Hara (Takeshi Kitano) is a bit of an oafish brute, but occasionally reveals a heart.  Among their prisoners are British soldiers -  Lieutenant colonel John Lawrence (Tom Conti), fluent in Japanese; Royal Air Force Captain Hicksley (Jack Thompson), prisoner spokesman; and the defiant and also quite troubled Major Jack Celliers (David Bowie).  The film opens with a conflict between two other prisoners, one of whom is accused of raping the other.  Soon, we see Celliers before a tribunal, sentenced for death, but instead is shipped to Yonoi's camp, where his old friend Mr. Lawrence has some rank, mainly for his language skills but also his subservience, something quite foreign to the rebellious Celliers.

Cellier's relationship with Yonoi forms the most intriguing thread of this story, and the tension within may be the salient theme.  But the Major's repeated valor and willingness to play martyr is unmistakable and critical to this story.  Is it an atonement for the betrayal of his young brother many years ago at boarding school (seen in a lengthy flashback)? Oshima also intriguingly examines the different attitudes toward suicide, the seppuku.  For the Japanese, it is an act of honor.  For the Brits, it is considered cowardice.  The notion of justice, of the need for someone to be punished for a crime, even the wrong person, is also addressed.  I was especially curious about the Japanese method of treating "laziness."

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE benefits from impressive work by its cast, possibly excepting Sakamato, who comes off a bit over the top, though that tends to reflect the Japanese acting style.  He is forgiven as he also contributed this film's amazing electronic score, which while obviously very '80s sounding is perfect for this material.  Kitano, who would go on to make his own films, fares much better, and does impressive work.  Bowie's acting career was uneven but he's very good here.  Even if he wasn't, he has such a presence about him.  And one can't help but chuckle when his character utters, "I wish I could sing."

Oshima, best known for the controversial IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES, is an intuitive director but his film is choppy.  It could be said, lumpy.  Events tend to play episodically, even with linear storytelling.  He has a sharp sense of atmosphere and tone, but his film is finally merely a curiosity.