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In 1926, a U.S. Naval engineer gets assigned to a gunboat on a rescue mission in war-torn China.In 1926, a U.S. Naval engineer gets assigned to a gunboat on a rescue mission in war-torn China.In 1926, a U.S. Naval engineer gets assigned to a gunboat on a rescue mission in war-torn China.
- Nominated for 8 Oscars
- 2 wins & 21 nominations total
- Maily
- (as Marayat Andriane)
- Shanahan
- (as Joseph di Reda)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDirector Robert Wise was so proud of this movie that he held yearly parties with surviving cast members to celebrate it.
- GoofsDuring the battle scene at the blockade, Holman is sent forward on the port side with two men manning a B.A.R. position. When the main battery on San Pablo fires and hits the mast of a junk, a group of men near midships who are part of the boarding party are seen laughing, Holman being one of them.
- Quotes
Frenchy Burgoyne: [exchanging marriage vows; slowly and with feeling] We're mixing our lives together, Maily, and we'll never be able to unmix them again, and we'll never want to. I take you for what you are, and all that you are, and mix you with all of me, and I don't hold back nothing. When you're cold, and hungry, and afraid, so am I. I'm going to stay with you all that I can, take the best care of you that I can, and love you 'til I die.
Maily: I will always love you and honor you and serve you, and stay as near to you as I can, and do everything for you, and live for you. I won't have *any* life except our life together. I will just love you, Frenchy, all of me, loving you forever.
- Crazy creditsThere is a credit for 'Diversions by Irving Schwartz' in tribute to a mysterious, unknown correspondent whose letters proved a morale booster to cast and crew during trying location work in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
- Alternate versionsThe original "roadshow" version ran 196 minutes; later cut to its present length (182 minutes) for its general release. The roadshow version was included in a 2007 special edition DVD release, which provided the first viewing of this version since the original 1966 release.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Slaying the Dragon (1988)
- SoundtracksSleepy Time Gal
(uncredited)
Music by Richard A. Whiting and Ange Lorenzo
Lyrics by Ray Egan and Joseph R. Alden
Steve McQueen delivers one of his strongest performances as Jake Holman, the sailor responsible for the engine room of the U.S.S. San Pablo gunboat.
There are uncomfortable scenes in the film. The 1920s were not a time of political correctness and the treatment of the Chinese "coolies" on board the ship, and the bargirls on shore, is shocking.
Richard Attenborough plays the romantic Frenchy Burgoyne, who falls in love with the local bar's new hostess, Maily (Marayat Andriane).
The beautiful soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is memorable.
8 out of 10.
- DVD_Connoisseur
- Jan 5, 2019
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Kanonenboot am Yangtse-Kiang
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $12,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime3 hours 2 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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