Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983) - full transcript
In 1942 British soldier Jack Celliers comes to a Japanese prison camp. The camp is run by Yonoi, who has a firm belief in discipline, honor and glory. In his view, the allied prisoners are cowards when they chose to surrender instead of committing suicide. One of the prisoners, interpreter John Lawrence, tries to explain the Japanese way of thinking, but is considered a traitor.
Hey.
Wake up, Lawrence.
- What is it?
It's so early, Sergeant Hara.
- Hurry up!
What?
What did he say?
Let's go, Sergeant.
- You know nothing!
Only Lawrence understands.
Attention!
Eyes front!
Salute!
As you were!
Return to your positions!
Out of the way.
Lawrence,
a disgraceful incident has occurred.
We didn't report this to the captain.
I'll deal with it myself.
If you want to keep it secret,
why show me?
I want you to witness it
just in case.
And...
Know what he did?
- This Dutch soldier?
Not him.
He was just in a cell
for stealing bananas.
The Korean guard?
- Of course.
Kanemoto,
what have you done?
Tell this British officer
what you did!
Kanemoto...
Come on! Say it...
You say it...
Why not?
Are you too ashamed?
Huh?
Say it!
You know what, Lawrence?
Last night, he stole into the cell
of that Dutch boy
while on routine patrol.
Kanemoto, how did you do it?
Show us how you used your gun,
cannon or whatever,
on this white fellow's arse.
You can't speak Japanese properly,
so just do it now!
Untie him.
- Yes, sir!
Kanemoto... do it!
Now!
Has it become shrunken and useless?
If you can do it here,
you may commit hara-kiri
with propriety.
Have you gone mad?
Lawrence, you must
want to see hara-kiri.
You haven't seen the Japanese
until you've seen hara-kiri.
I don't want to watch it!
Do you want me to...
hate the Japanese?
I'll show you!
Lawrence, out of the way!
Why do you have to shame him
here again?
Shame?
He didn't even resist
being buggered.
He has no shame!
Hands off him, Lawrence!
Hands off!
Alright, Kanemoto!
I'll make an exception
and assist you.
Stop it!
Shut up!
Stop it, Sergeant!
Watch this!
- No!
Stop it, Sergeant!
Mercy on...
- The captain is coming!
Attention!
Salute!
As you were!
What is going on?
Lawrence, this is not your concern.
Then why bring me here?
- Who ordered this execution?
Allow me to report.
This is not an execution.
Kanemoto is ashamed of his crime.
He is trying to commit suicide.
- And you let him?
Why didn't you report to me?
It is out of mercy.
- Mercy?
If only we deem
he was killed in an accident,
his family will be entitled
to a pension.
They may well be
on the edge of starvation, too...
What crime has he committed?
Let me report later.
Hara.
- Yes, sir.
I'm due at a military trial
in Batavia.
Make your report later.
Including
why you involved Lawrence.
This way, sir.
Captain Yonoi is here, sir.
Let him in.
Coming in!
I'm Captain Yonoi.
I'm here for the trial.
You must have come a long way.
This is the honourable Captain Yonoi.
This is Lt. Col. Fujimura,
Examiner-in-Chief today.
Pleased to serve with you.
Good to have you here.
I am Lieutenant Iwata.
The military situation here
is very serious.
Your service is important.
Be patient.
Gentlemen, the defendant
is a very difficult man.
Please be prepared.
All rise to attention!
Before the court is the case
of Jack Celliers,
a major in the British Army.
Omit the process of
reading the proof.
Read the charges.
The defendant is Jack Celliers.
The defendant is major
in the British Army.
After the defeat of the United Allies
in Indonesia
on around the 10th of August,
he parachuted with four men
into the upper reaches of Banten
and waged guerrilla warfare.
Specifically, on October 16th, 1942,
in the jungle
on the way leading to the airport,
they attacked
a Japanese transport unit.
In addition to taking ammunition
and other materials,
they killed Private Takeshi Tazaki
and one other
and wounded Corporal Sawafuji
and four others.
Under the first paragraph
of Article Five of material law,
we recommend the death penalty.
Erase all
the defendant's remarks.
May I question him?
- Go ahead.
Examiner-in-Chief,
if this man fought as a soldier
under orders
from his supreme commander
then we must treat him
as a prisoner of war.
We have no proof.
I believe what he said.
Start the discussion for judgement.
Stand up!
The prisoner, sir!
He is rebellious to the end.
Get him ready!
Let go of him.
Firing positions!
Idiot!
What are you saying?
Alright. Let him be.
Yes, sir!
Prepare to fire!
Firing stance!
Fire!
Sergeant Hara...
Sergeant Hara...
Lawrence,
why can't you let me have a nap?
I'm sorry.
I was just riding
on top of Marlene Dietrich's belly
in a whorehouse in Manchuria.
What do you want?
I must talk to you in private.
Why's he here?
Can you take care of him?
I want you to protect him.
What's the problem?
My men heard about him.
I told you not to talk about it.
I didn't.
But...
there were Japanese soldiers
and Korean civilian employees there.
You mean the Japanese
let it out?
It was probably the Koreans.
Everyone will know in time.
Don't you understand?
I see...
All your men will want to bugger him.
As I thought...
all Englishmen are poofs,
aren't you?
Don't be stupid.
Listen. I need your help.
A Japanese never asks for help
from an enemy.
Hey, are you a poof?
He says no.
You all fear poofs, don't you?
A Samurai doesn't fear such a thing.
War makes friendship
amongst men stronger.
But,
that hardly means
all soldiers become homosexual.
You're not soldiers,
you're mere prisoners.
So you lack discipline!
So you beg favours!
Shame on you!
Sergeant Hara...
I have... nothing
to be ashamed of.
What is it?
- A new prisoner has arrived.
Another queer's here.
I, Sergeant Jiro Asakuni
from the military police HQ in Batavia,
have brought a prisoner -
please confirm.
I, Sergeant Gengo Hara,
have certainly received the prisoner!
Your name and rank?
Attention!
Stay still!
Hara, take him to the sickbay
at once.
Excuse me.
- Come in!
What did the doctor say?
I have not talked to the doctor...
- You fool!
Hara, send our medic.
- Yes, sir.
This is Tajima.
- Come in!
The commanding officer, sir.
- Let him in.
Lawrence.
Lawrence.
Where is the new bloke?
- Sergeant Hara...
Where is he?
He should be sleeping.
Take me.
If he's a great officer,
why was he captured?
He wasn't. He surrendered.
Why does Captain Yonoi...
- Sh!
Why does the captain want him
to be the commanding officer?
Lawrence, do you know why?
- No, I don't.
Yes, you do. Answer me, Lawrence.
Because he's a born leader.
Lawrence, why are you still alive?
I'd admire you more
if you killed yourself.
A good officer like you!
How can you stand the shame?
Why don't you kill yourself?
We...
don't call it shame.
Being a prisoner is all about luck.
We certainly aren't happy...
being prisoners.
We want to escape...
And, we want to fight you again...
That's not true, it's just an excuse.
No.
We want to win.
This camp isn't the end.
We won't kill ourselves
because it's the coward's way out.
You're just scared of dying.
I'm not!
- Sh!
Don't wake the patients.
I...
visited the shrine in my village
before I joined the army
at the age of 17.
And I, Gengo Hara,
offered my life to the Emperor.
Yes...
but you're not dead, are you?
What?
What did he say, Lawrence?
I'm sorry I failed
to follow your sword.
Are you OK?
- Yes.
What is it?
Sorry to disturb your training.
Ueki is worried about you
practising kendo too hard.
Also, the prisoners are shaken,
feeling the power of your spirit.
Lawrence has asked me
to talk to you.
Lawrence is here?
I have him outside.
- Alright.
Hara!
- Yes, sir!
We execute Kanemoto at nine.
Hara-kiri.
Order the senior officers to attend.
The victim as well.
Attention!
Salute the captain!
Raise your rifles!
As you were!
Ready.
Raise your head.
You!
Raise your head!
Stop it!
Hara, pay your respects.
Ready for firing!
Load rifles!
Stop them!
Thank you.
Celliers?
That's right.
You aren't eating, are you?
You have a Manju cake!
What are these flowers for?
He ate it...
You... Stop resisting!
Stand up!
He ate Manju cakes and flowers!
Stop it!
Shut up!
Stop it, bastards!
Lawrence, what were they singing?
They're practising for Christmas.
Only one week to go.
Liar... It's for a funeral!
Take him.
He...
is not an evil spirit...
He is a human being.
Get rid of your superstitions.
We found this radio.
Who's there?
- Give me the key.
I will go with you.
I can't give it to you.
It's the captain's order.
Isn't he coming?
Does he come here?
Every night.
- What for?
Patrol, of course.
Give me the key.
- Stop it!
You!
Hey.
I'll shoot him.
To the cells.
- Yes, sir!
Please forgive me, Captain.
I am ready to pay
for my arbitrary action with death.
Can you only do it
with your left hand?
Yes.
Why did you try to kill him?
Captain!
That man is a devil
that's destroying your spirit!
Don't move!
Should I have lied,
Sergeant Hara?
Should I have said
I brought it into the camp?
Sergeant Hara!
Stop it!
Take him back to the cells!
- Yes, sir.
Get him in!
The prisoners are here!
- Come in!
What?
Sergeant Hara,
you're human after all.
Lawrence-San!
Do you know Father Christmas?
Yes, I do, Hara-San.
Father Christmas...
means Santa Clause, doesn't it?
Yeah, yeah!
Tonight,
I'm Father Christmas.
I'm... Father Christmas.
Father Christmas!
Father Christmas!
Excuse me!
You can go back with him.
Thank you.
Lawrence!
Hara with the prisoners'
representatives!
All representatives present, sir!
He was released last night
on my authority.
What?
Yesterday I did
another investigation,
and found that it was Rakuen Cho
in charge of Block Seven
who smuggled that radio
into the camp.
He confessed to smuggling it,
so I arrested
and executed him immediately.
It was my misjudgement
to arrest Lawrence as the smuggler.
Why didn't you report it?
I also released Jack Celliers.
- Celliers as well...
Without my permission?
Sir, I was a little drunk.
But I don't think either
Lawrence or Celliers
are useful to us.
I believe it wouldn't do us any good
to give them special treatment.
I will take the consequences.
Hara...
- Yes?
I'm sending half of the prisoners
to Haruku Island to build an airstrip
in three days.
You'll take charge of it.
- Yes, sir.
Sergeant Hara,
in the meantime
confine yourself to a room.
Yes, sir.
Without sake.
You!
You are not sick!
You are faking!
You are all faking!
Your spirits are sick!
You are not sick!
I'll finish you!
Stop it!
Wake up, Lawrence.
- What is it?
It's so early, Sergeant Hara.
- Hurry up!
What?
What did he say?
Let's go, Sergeant.
- You know nothing!
Only Lawrence understands.
Attention!
Eyes front!
Salute!
As you were!
Return to your positions!
Out of the way.
Lawrence,
a disgraceful incident has occurred.
We didn't report this to the captain.
I'll deal with it myself.
If you want to keep it secret,
why show me?
I want you to witness it
just in case.
And...
Know what he did?
- This Dutch soldier?
Not him.
He was just in a cell
for stealing bananas.
The Korean guard?
- Of course.
Kanemoto,
what have you done?
Tell this British officer
what you did!
Kanemoto...
Come on! Say it...
You say it...
Why not?
Are you too ashamed?
Huh?
Say it!
You know what, Lawrence?
Last night, he stole into the cell
of that Dutch boy
while on routine patrol.
Kanemoto, how did you do it?
Show us how you used your gun,
cannon or whatever,
on this white fellow's arse.
You can't speak Japanese properly,
so just do it now!
Untie him.
- Yes, sir!
Kanemoto... do it!
Now!
Has it become shrunken and useless?
If you can do it here,
you may commit hara-kiri
with propriety.
Have you gone mad?
Lawrence, you must
want to see hara-kiri.
You haven't seen the Japanese
until you've seen hara-kiri.
I don't want to watch it!
Do you want me to...
hate the Japanese?
I'll show you!
Lawrence, out of the way!
Why do you have to shame him
here again?
Shame?
He didn't even resist
being buggered.
He has no shame!
Hands off him, Lawrence!
Hands off!
Alright, Kanemoto!
I'll make an exception
and assist you.
Stop it!
Shut up!
Stop it, Sergeant!
Watch this!
- No!
Stop it, Sergeant!
Mercy on...
- The captain is coming!
Attention!
Salute!
As you were!
What is going on?
Lawrence, this is not your concern.
Then why bring me here?
- Who ordered this execution?
Allow me to report.
This is not an execution.
Kanemoto is ashamed of his crime.
He is trying to commit suicide.
- And you let him?
Why didn't you report to me?
It is out of mercy.
- Mercy?
If only we deem
he was killed in an accident,
his family will be entitled
to a pension.
They may well be
on the edge of starvation, too...
What crime has he committed?
Let me report later.
Hara.
- Yes, sir.
I'm due at a military trial
in Batavia.
Make your report later.
Including
why you involved Lawrence.
This way, sir.
Captain Yonoi is here, sir.
Let him in.
Coming in!
I'm Captain Yonoi.
I'm here for the trial.
You must have come a long way.
This is the honourable Captain Yonoi.
This is Lt. Col. Fujimura,
Examiner-in-Chief today.
Pleased to serve with you.
Good to have you here.
I am Lieutenant Iwata.
The military situation here
is very serious.
Your service is important.
Be patient.
Gentlemen, the defendant
is a very difficult man.
Please be prepared.
All rise to attention!
Before the court is the case
of Jack Celliers,
a major in the British Army.
Omit the process of
reading the proof.
Read the charges.
The defendant is Jack Celliers.
The defendant is major
in the British Army.
After the defeat of the United Allies
in Indonesia
on around the 10th of August,
he parachuted with four men
into the upper reaches of Banten
and waged guerrilla warfare.
Specifically, on October 16th, 1942,
in the jungle
on the way leading to the airport,
they attacked
a Japanese transport unit.
In addition to taking ammunition
and other materials,
they killed Private Takeshi Tazaki
and one other
and wounded Corporal Sawafuji
and four others.
Under the first paragraph
of Article Five of material law,
we recommend the death penalty.
Erase all
the defendant's remarks.
May I question him?
- Go ahead.
Examiner-in-Chief,
if this man fought as a soldier
under orders
from his supreme commander
then we must treat him
as a prisoner of war.
We have no proof.
I believe what he said.
Start the discussion for judgement.
Stand up!
The prisoner, sir!
He is rebellious to the end.
Get him ready!
Let go of him.
Firing positions!
Idiot!
What are you saying?
Alright. Let him be.
Yes, sir!
Prepare to fire!
Firing stance!
Fire!
Sergeant Hara...
Sergeant Hara...
Lawrence,
why can't you let me have a nap?
I'm sorry.
I was just riding
on top of Marlene Dietrich's belly
in a whorehouse in Manchuria.
What do you want?
I must talk to you in private.
Why's he here?
Can you take care of him?
I want you to protect him.
What's the problem?
My men heard about him.
I told you not to talk about it.
I didn't.
But...
there were Japanese soldiers
and Korean civilian employees there.
You mean the Japanese
let it out?
It was probably the Koreans.
Everyone will know in time.
Don't you understand?
I see...
All your men will want to bugger him.
As I thought...
all Englishmen are poofs,
aren't you?
Don't be stupid.
Listen. I need your help.
A Japanese never asks for help
from an enemy.
Hey, are you a poof?
He says no.
You all fear poofs, don't you?
A Samurai doesn't fear such a thing.
War makes friendship
amongst men stronger.
But,
that hardly means
all soldiers become homosexual.
You're not soldiers,
you're mere prisoners.
So you lack discipline!
So you beg favours!
Shame on you!
Sergeant Hara...
I have... nothing
to be ashamed of.
What is it?
- A new prisoner has arrived.
Another queer's here.
I, Sergeant Jiro Asakuni
from the military police HQ in Batavia,
have brought a prisoner -
please confirm.
I, Sergeant Gengo Hara,
have certainly received the prisoner!
Your name and rank?
Attention!
Stay still!
Hara, take him to the sickbay
at once.
Excuse me.
- Come in!
What did the doctor say?
I have not talked to the doctor...
- You fool!
Hara, send our medic.
- Yes, sir.
This is Tajima.
- Come in!
The commanding officer, sir.
- Let him in.
Lawrence.
Lawrence.
Where is the new bloke?
- Sergeant Hara...
Where is he?
He should be sleeping.
Take me.
If he's a great officer,
why was he captured?
He wasn't. He surrendered.
Why does Captain Yonoi...
- Sh!
Why does the captain want him
to be the commanding officer?
Lawrence, do you know why?
- No, I don't.
Yes, you do. Answer me, Lawrence.
Because he's a born leader.
Lawrence, why are you still alive?
I'd admire you more
if you killed yourself.
A good officer like you!
How can you stand the shame?
Why don't you kill yourself?
We...
don't call it shame.
Being a prisoner is all about luck.
We certainly aren't happy...
being prisoners.
We want to escape...
And, we want to fight you again...
That's not true, it's just an excuse.
No.
We want to win.
This camp isn't the end.
We won't kill ourselves
because it's the coward's way out.
You're just scared of dying.
I'm not!
- Sh!
Don't wake the patients.
I...
visited the shrine in my village
before I joined the army
at the age of 17.
And I, Gengo Hara,
offered my life to the Emperor.
Yes...
but you're not dead, are you?
What?
What did he say, Lawrence?
I'm sorry I failed
to follow your sword.
Are you OK?
- Yes.
What is it?
Sorry to disturb your training.
Ueki is worried about you
practising kendo too hard.
Also, the prisoners are shaken,
feeling the power of your spirit.
Lawrence has asked me
to talk to you.
Lawrence is here?
I have him outside.
- Alright.
Hara!
- Yes, sir!
We execute Kanemoto at nine.
Hara-kiri.
Order the senior officers to attend.
The victim as well.
Attention!
Salute the captain!
Raise your rifles!
As you were!
Ready.
Raise your head.
You!
Raise your head!
Stop it!
Hara, pay your respects.
Ready for firing!
Load rifles!
Stop them!
Thank you.
Celliers?
That's right.
You aren't eating, are you?
You have a Manju cake!
What are these flowers for?
He ate it...
You... Stop resisting!
Stand up!
He ate Manju cakes and flowers!
Stop it!
Shut up!
Stop it, bastards!
Lawrence, what were they singing?
They're practising for Christmas.
Only one week to go.
Liar... It's for a funeral!
Take him.
He...
is not an evil spirit...
He is a human being.
Get rid of your superstitions.
We found this radio.
Who's there?
- Give me the key.
I will go with you.
I can't give it to you.
It's the captain's order.
Isn't he coming?
Does he come here?
Every night.
- What for?
Patrol, of course.
Give me the key.
- Stop it!
You!
Hey.
I'll shoot him.
To the cells.
- Yes, sir!
Please forgive me, Captain.
I am ready to pay
for my arbitrary action with death.
Can you only do it
with your left hand?
Yes.
Why did you try to kill him?
Captain!
That man is a devil
that's destroying your spirit!
Don't move!
Should I have lied,
Sergeant Hara?
Should I have said
I brought it into the camp?
Sergeant Hara!
Stop it!
Take him back to the cells!
- Yes, sir.
Get him in!
The prisoners are here!
- Come in!
What?
Sergeant Hara,
you're human after all.
Lawrence-San!
Do you know Father Christmas?
Yes, I do, Hara-San.
Father Christmas...
means Santa Clause, doesn't it?
Yeah, yeah!
Tonight,
I'm Father Christmas.
I'm... Father Christmas.
Father Christmas!
Father Christmas!
Excuse me!
You can go back with him.
Thank you.
Lawrence!
Hara with the prisoners'
representatives!
All representatives present, sir!
He was released last night
on my authority.
What?
Yesterday I did
another investigation,
and found that it was Rakuen Cho
in charge of Block Seven
who smuggled that radio
into the camp.
He confessed to smuggling it,
so I arrested
and executed him immediately.
It was my misjudgement
to arrest Lawrence as the smuggler.
Why didn't you report it?
I also released Jack Celliers.
- Celliers as well...
Without my permission?
Sir, I was a little drunk.
But I don't think either
Lawrence or Celliers
are useful to us.
I believe it wouldn't do us any good
to give them special treatment.
I will take the consequences.
Hara...
- Yes?
I'm sending half of the prisoners
to Haruku Island to build an airstrip
in three days.
You'll take charge of it.
- Yes, sir.
Sergeant Hara,
in the meantime
confine yourself to a room.
Yes, sir.
Without sake.
You!
You are not sick!
You are faking!
You are all faking!
Your spirits are sick!
You are not sick!
I'll finish you!
Stop it!