Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

This feature explores desire, death, and guilt in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during WWll. Japanese art cinema legend Nagisa Ôshima (the notorious In the Realm of the Senses), cast musicians David Bowie (as a defiant captive) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (a conflicted camp commander). The NZ-Japanese-English production was shot in Auckland and Raratonga, and financed through Kiwi company Broadbank during the 1980s tax shelter era. Kiwi crew included first assistant director Lee Tamahori, and actor Alistair Browning (Rain) as a prisoner of war. Sakamoto's electronic score — his first — was BAFTA-nominated. 

On the day the prospectus was issued we sent a messenger a few blocks along The Terrace from the Film Commission office to collect a copy. By the time it arrived the film had been over-subscribed. I knew several people who were investors. They seemed very pleased with the deal. The film ... was selected for competition at Cannes in 1983.

– Ex NZ Film Commission Marketing Director Lindsay Shelton in his 2005 book The Selling of New Zealand Movies

Key Cast & Crew

Alistair Browning

As: Karl De Jong

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Composer, As: Captain Yonoi

David Bowie

As: Major Jack Celliers

Takeshi Kitano

As: Sergeant Hara

Nagisa Ôshima

Director, Writer

Jeremy Thomas

Producer