The film is set in
Java in 1942. David plays "Major Jack Celliers" also known as "Straffer
Jack". He is a soldier with the British Army and is brought to the
Japanese Prisoner Of War Camp where he meets up with old acquaintance
"Colonel Lawrence" (Tom Conti). He is defiant and stubborn and despite the
harsh treatment by the Japanese, he refuses to be broken. Colonel Lawrence
is the Japanese speaking go-between, trying to keep the peace between the
Japanese guards and his fellow prisoners. Majority of conversations held
between Lawrence and Sergeant Hara are conducted in Japanese, excellent
dialogue from Tom Conti. The film provides English subtitles.
The film starts with
Colonel Lawrence being taken to witness a suicide ordered by Sergeant
Hara. Lawrence doesn't want to be there but Hara insists. The victim, a
Korean guard named Kanemoto is to commit harikiri in payment for
his crime. He raped another Dutch soldier. Captain Yonoi then appears and
halts the suicide telling Hara to report later as he is due in Batavia. It
is there that Celliers is on trial.
During the court scene
Celliers is questioned by the Japanese panel, including Captain Yonoi who
actually opts against the death penalty and suggests Celliers is kept as a
prisoner of war.
Major Celliers is
brought before a Japanese guard, beaten for his insolence and is confined
to a concrete cell. When two guards collect him from the cell there is a
fabulous scene with some excellent improvisational mime from David. From there he is
lead to the firing square where he refuses to wear a blindfold. He
receives several shots. And lives!
He is taken to the
prisoner of war camp and Captain Yonoi insists that he is taken to sick
bay and brought back to health as soon as possible. His plan is to replace
Captain Hicksley (Jack Thompson) as commanding officer with Celliers.
Lawrence is ordered to look after him and moves into the medical block
temporarily. Sergeant Hara is intrigued by Yonoi's interest in Celliers
and wakens Lawrence one night to enquire about him. While they talk, Yonoi
comes in to check on Celliers, demanding to the duty medic that he is
restored to health quickly.
Another incident
involving violent fencing matches upsets the prisoners. Lawrence speaks to
Captain Yonoi about it. Yonoi then instructs Lawrence to bring all
prisoners to a suicide/execution (that of Kanemoto), including the sick
officer. When all but Celliers appear at the site Yonoi is angry but
Lawrence advises him he is too weak. Yonoi instructs all prisoners to
remain in their barracks for 48 hours to ungergo "guo" (not sure how it's
spelt!) during which time there will be no eating or drinking. A Japanese
guard arrives to register all prisoners and Celliers does not answer when
his name is called. The guard is about to report him missing when he walks
in the door with a basket of flowers and manju cakes. The flowers are in
memory of Dion. Captain Hicksley is seemingly unimpressed. The prisoners
sing "Rock Of Ages", Celliers singing very badly (strange hearing a known
rock star sing badly!). Suddenly Japanese guards arrive to do an
inspection and find the manju cakes. Celliers says he will take
responsibility. When questioned about the flowers he defiantly eats one
saying "Well, I've tried the manju and I've tried the flowers and I think
the flowers taste better". He is dragged out of the barracks by the two
guards when Captain Yonoi arrives in a jeep, asking him if he is an evil
spirit and orders Celliers to be locked in the cells. During the
inspection a guard finds a radio and Yonoi expects an explanation from
Lawrence, who obviously knows nothing about it.
A Japanese guard then
kills his colleague at the cells and sneaks in to try and kill Celliers.
Jack, however, is too alert for him and overpowers the guard, taking his
dagger and escaping from the cell where he goes to find Lawrence, who has
been tied up. Carrying Lawrence across the camp they meet Captain Yonoi.
Jack does not fight him, just digs his dagger into the ground. Sergeant
Hara arrived and pulled a gun on Celliers but Captain Yonoi stood infront
of him. Lawrence says to Celliers "I think he's taken a bit of a shine to
you". He is again ordered to the cells.
Lawrence is taken to a
ceremony where Sergeant Hara is conducting a service in memory of
Kanemoto. Yonoi announces that Lawrence is to die because of the radio,
even though it has not been proven he is the culprit. Yonoi simply wants
punishment, the intended victim is irrelevant. He banishes Lawrence to the
cells, next to Celliers so they can talk before being put to
death.
During these scenes,
both officers talk about past memories. Lawrence about a woman he once
knew before being sent off to war. Celliers about his betrayal of his
brother when at school. His younger brother had a hunched back and he
wrote and sang songs. At church one day he mocked other boys who were
singing out of tune. The following week the gang were waiting to attack
the two boys shouting "hunchback" and Celliers told his brother to run
home while he tackled them. The young boy ran off and brought back the
pastor who shouted at the gang and they ran off. Celliers was left with
cuts and a black eye. A little while later, the young boy started school
with Celliers and they took the train together (during these scenes Bowie
looks very young, almost a believable 17). While at school Celliers
ignores his brother and the youngster is carried off by older boys and
ordered to sing while they poke at him and make fun. This leaves the kid
traumatised but Celliers shows no guilt at the time, pretending not to
have seen.
After reminiscing the
two men are dragged infront of Sergeant Hara who lets them both off after
having a little too much Sake. He tells them he is Father Christmas.
Captain Yonoi is not happy about Hara's initiative but Hara informs him
that he received a confession from a Chinese prisoner about the radio,
hence his decision to release Lawrence. Yonoi demands an inspection and
insists that all prisoners be on parade in 5 minutes. He informs Hara that
he is to monitor prisoners building an airstrip and will in leave in three
days.
The prisoners
assemble, something Lawrence has seen before, but not Celliers. Yonoi
arrives and demands that the prisoners in the hostel be out on parade too,
sending other officers to fetch them. Some of these prisoners are too weak
to even stand, let alone walk. One of them collapses and dies once outside
in the line up. Hicksley announces this to Yonoi and is called over by the
Captain who again questions him about the ammunition experts in his group.
Captain Hicksley defiantly says "none" and Yonoi says "Death" and holds a
sword up to his head. Celliers walks across the parade ground and stands
infront of Hicksley, Yonoi pushes him over but Celliers gets up taking
Yonoi by the shoulders and kisses him on each cheek. Yonoi faints and the
guards beat Celliers. For this he is executed by burial up to his neck in
sand where he is left to starve and dehydrate. This action however, saves
Hicksley's life. The other prisoners watch as Celliers is buried in the
sand. Hicksley can barely look. When sent to build the airstrip the
prisoners salute as they walk past Celliers.
Celliers reminisces
one last time before he dies, thinking of his brother. Captain Yonoi
approaches late that night and cuts a lock of Jacks hair. He then stands
infront of Jack and salutes, as he walks off Jack is dead.
The film then goes to
1946 and the defeat of the Japanese. Colonel Lawrence goes to see Hara who
is now in a cell awaiting execution by the British, a role reversed
situation. He speaks English to Lawrence and there follows an emotional
and compassionate conversation between the two soldiers. They talk about
Jack Celliers, Captain Yonoi and that Christmas. And as Lawrence
leaves the room, Hara shouts:
"Merry
Christmas, Merry Christmas Mr
Lawrence"
From www.bowieland.co.uk