Alan Spencer on THE SAND PEBBLES

[@pauldudakadanielthomson8890]

Our 8th grade teacher Mr. Cole gave us each , the book, The Sand Pebbles to read back in 1966 , then took us on the school bus to see the movie. Steve McQueen was an amazing mentor to me and probably millions of american teens of the 1960's and 70's.

[@robertbenson9797]

Great coverage of a great movie. Steve McQueen stood out in this movie but what a cast! Everyone gave great performances. Also, some of the best depictions of US small arms in use at the time.

[@camarocarl7130]

One of the BEST movies. Great history and acting/direction.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

In her memoir KNOCK WOOD, Candice Bergen mentions that while they were filming the movie, Richard Attenborough told her, "Someday I'm going to make a movie about Gandhi, and when I do I'll cast you as the photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White!" (He was as good as his word.)

[@juanaltredo2974]

Mcqueen was the best eyes actor I've ever seen. He could tell a whole story just by using his eyes, he did it in Papillon in a terrifying scene.

[@femme-mirage]

Indeed ! Malcolm McDowell is the same case - his eyes also worth thousand words.

[@chokkan7]

As a snipe in the USN years ago, we used to watch this movie in the berthing area over and over; it perfectly captured the feelings of an enlisted man trying to do a good job while flying under the radar of the officers' inscrutable paranoia...claustrophobic in some ways, yet utterly liberating in others...hard to describe to someone who hasn't lived that...

[@brianboisguilbert6985]

Your description was right on the mark Shipmate. Bravo Zulu.

[@SDsailor7]

You nailed it shipmate! snipe here also.

[@ianbauer4703]

Excellent film and it proved Steve McQueen as a great actor.

[@wearywanderer2722]

Been my favourite movie since I have ever had a favourite movie. Must have seen it 50 times, my son and I watched it when he was about 8, roughly the same age I watched it for the first time, just have to wait for another 6 years now to introduce it to the grandson.

[@MrTired666]

Thanks for highlighting this film. Almost a forgotten film!

[@brendanmcnally9145]

When I was a reporter covering Navy tech, officers would tell me that Sand Pebbles, the novel was their 'underground' favorite. One guy told me it was to steam engineering what "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" was to motorcycle engines. Having read the book, I totally agree,

[@jupiterkansas]

Love this movie. That boat blockade battle is one of the best action sequences I've ever seen. McQueen is great, but he's totally upstaged by Attenborough, who is simply amazing and intense.

[@tabletalk33]

Interesting. Attenborough's performance and role have been much panned by reviewers and some viewers as "corny," but I have always thought that was a mistake. Or maybe it goes like this: when we observe others in love, it can seem "corny"; when WE are in love, it's a very serious thing not to be mocked. In any case, it's really impossible to feel what lovers feel, or think what they think. It's takes a certain special empathy not to fall into the trap of dismissing their love in this way. Many of the sailors as portrayed looked too old for their parts, frankly, but whether young or old, they were clearly at sea much too long and had lost a lot of their humanity, if not their manhood, in the process. The love stories in this film brought out their long dormant humanity and emotions (or inhumanity, as with Stawski), while their involvement in the Navy served as a vehicle for their ultimate destruction. That was very sad to see.

[@willybilly008]

R.I.P. Sir Attenborough

[@Goatboysminion]

Love that film!

[@Harrison2253]

A great movie from another era

[@joeavent5554]

The movie was made in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The making of the movie was mentioned on the dvd about the "Sand Pebbles."

[@btraven7681]

This is my favorite "Emmanuelle" film.

[@HowardPaulblasingame]

Superb movie.

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

McQueen at his best .got fin robbed should have won . what happened. ! what the hell happened!!

[@tabletalk33]

Very good brief review of a great, underrated film.

[@michaelsix9684]

love this film, bought the DVD and still watch it

[@mikeevans5810]

an all-time favorite movie of mine, and Steve's best role

[@AlanBondFilms]

Yes, this is a top movie which I'm glad to have on DVD (no BlueRay yet in Australia, but will keep an eye out) with a 4.0 stereo sound and a 2.35:1 ratio. Fortunately I'm able to view via video projector on a 100" (8') movie screen. The only way to watch these top epic movies. There's even an Overture and Intermission.

[@AlanBondFilms]

Have this on a Blue Ray import now. Looks great!

[@johannes914]

Wonderfull movie.

[@halcyon289]

Steve McQueen ; best actor there's ever been. And to top it all, he gave his life to Jesus Christ before he died. Now that's what I call ....the King of Cool.

[@mahinat.coover8972]

Agreed. The King of Cool met n accepted the KING OF GLORY, THE KING OF KINGS, THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE as his personal Saviour, Lord, King and righteous Judge! That is the coolest thing one can ever do. To repent, accept, believe n obey the King of Glory here n then eternity! By the way, the KING OF COOL HAS ETERNAL LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST his KING. JESUS CHRIST IS THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE. THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND LIFE! AMEN AMEN AMEN.

[@hokehinson5987]

McQueen one of the best. Life cut short from asbestos inhalation while doing so much time below deck while a marine in the brig. That illness takes a long time to manifest. McQueen was a discipline case and spent time in brig and performing nasty tasks as punitive action. So, in a way his tuff early life and service life actions created consequences that did him end. He was a great actor and would probably had been a better one as producers and directors evolved. RIP the cooler king!

[@sachaput]

I don't think I have seen this film since the first time at a drive-in theater. I only have dim memories of some of the action scenes. Interesting hearing some of the behind-the-scenes stories.

[@alecfoster4413]

Great review! But let's not overlook the excellent performance by Richard Crenna as McQueen's antagonist. His character was almost as complex as Jake Holman, and by the end of the film I have just as much sympathy for Collins as I have for Holman.

[@funkyalfonso]

Superb analysis of a superb film. I suggested it to merchant marine officer cadets in Finland and they loved it especially the scene when Holman explains how the engine works...'sleepy steam'.

[@CaminoAir]

I don't think the film's perfect, but it has many excellent elements and it has a lot of emotional power. The ending is unforgettable and it you're going to put that much money, time and struggle into making a move, then it was worth it this time.

[@russellcampbell9198]

It is an excellent film and, yes, Steve had something to work with beyond his accepted screen persona. He could really act - especially when not saying anything.

[@CaminoAir]

I've heard many stories about McQueen telling a director and/or a script writer that he preferred to have less lines of dialogue and that he could express the missing dialogue using his face alone. He really was something special.

[@johnminehan1148]

Trailor narrated by B-9 from Lost in Space .. . .

[@frederickburke9944]

The trailer narrator is none other than Dick "Danger, Will Robinson!" Tufeld

[@jeffreylardizabal3964]

This is my favorite movie.

[@גרשוןפרלמן]

I first saw this on TV as a kid. Loved it then and now realize why.

[@WRPUS471]

Fascinating!! Great narrative.

[@dennissmith8031]

I loved this movie so much, I found the book on e-bay. It's a great story.

[@richardviolet8759]

This is one of the Best Movies ever, My favorite movie and my Favorite Steve McQueen Move. I read Steve McQueen had many scene done twice None of which made it to the Final Cut . . Steve McQueen was given all the film footage by Robert Wise with these alternate scene footage , No one know were that film footage is, ..It would great to do a documentary on the a making of Sand Pebbles with this extra footage . The cast is amazing

[@connorbrennan4233]

I wonder if Sylvester Stallone watched this film before making the fourth Rambo because the plot synopses for both films seem similar in a few ways. Also, Richard Crenna (Col. Trautman) has a supporting role.

[@johnholecek4411]

Such a great movie

[@lamecasuelas2]

I saw It Early this week, and i really liked it. Great performances, beautiful cinematography and the anti imperialism stuff Is just spot on.

[@davehoward22]

The bit where his friend is sliced up on the beach used to scare me to death as a kid

[@johnminehan1148]

Crenna was good in this . . . .

[@JHarder1000]

He was great. He got the role because he had just starred in one of the most under-rated TV dramas of all time, Slattery's People. FOUR of the actors in the movie- Simon Oakland, Ford Rainey, Larry Gates and McLean Stevenson- were featured in episodes of Slattery's People-

[@johnminehan1148]

@@JHarder1000 McLean Stevenson was in this film? Oakland was an underrated actor.

[@brentlund2272]

MY FAVORITE FILM......................... !

[@zerokomma]

Goldsmith!

[@doogboh]

The GOAT!

[@FooFahFoeFum]

To me this is Steve McQueen's best acting role. He looks so believable. Pay attention to the final action scenes of gun fire and shooting in the movie. This Asian looking set was altered slightly and used again in the TV series Kung Fu with David Carradine, where it was used as part of the Shaolin temple. This used to be a 125 minute movie... About 10 minutes of this are missing. Let us have a worldwide search. to find the lost footage.... For a rallying point, a team effort is possible ...... Please check out .... www.thesandpebbles.com

[@chuckfrost5624]

A VERY PERCEPTIVE AND DETAILED ANALYSIS.

[@jeffsmith2022]

Excellent film for sure...

[@lylegorch5956]

I love Sledge Hammer.

[@clevlandblock]

A model 1921 Thompson with a drum mag would have served Steve better than the 20 round BAR for the end scene.

[@Cha-y412]

To bad the USN did not issue Thompsons to the China Sailors of the Yangtze patrol. Maybe the Navy did that because the BAR had much superior firepower and range.

[@stutzbearcat5624]

Ha! The Trailer narration is "DANGER WILL ROBINSON" dude!!

[@kevinfarrell523]

Because Robert Wise had made West Side Story and The Sound of Music and received Oscars, it was felt he had been rewarded enough; for his past achievements, the Academy bestowed on him the Irving G Thalberg Memorial award. Strangely Mr Wise received a nomination from the Director's Guild of America for The Sand Pebbles but the Oscars only gave the film a Best Picture nomination, not a Director one. Steve McQueen lost to the superior Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and to the obvious favourite Paul Scofield as Best Actor for A Man for all Seasons. That's Hollywood.

[@Cha-y412]

Sand Pepples is beyond a great movie and story. There is one technical flaw in the film that surprises me got past the advising staff. Every Petty Officer in the film has their rank and rate insignia correctly placed in their uniform . But the problem is that the Eagle on the insignia is facing the wrong way. Prior to 1941 Petty Officer insignia Eagle faced the other way. 1926 Petty Officer insignias Eagle -- wrong.

[@abdifarah3545]

Steve mcqeen good actor

[@maureencora1]

Good Movie, Bad Ending.

[@lindaoneil5085]

Good movie, tragic ending.

[@GoodmanMIke59]

Not a bad review. Just learn how Naval rates work. Learn how to pronounce them