The Sand pebbles

Set in revolutionary China in the 1920s (1926 to be precise), “The Sand pebbles” garnered Steve McQueen his only Oscar nomination (he lost to Paul Scofield in “A Man for all seasons”). McQueen plays navy engineer Jake Holman, sent to work on the gunboat San Pablo that trawls the tributaries of the Yangtze River, maintaining peace in a time of civil unrest whilst attempting to adopt a position of neutrality. The inhabitants of the boat are affectionately known as Sand Pebbles, of which Holman is reluctantly accepted, preferring to spend time with the machinery and slowly familiarising himself with the coolies (local inhabitants who work on the ship). Trouble brews when friend and crewman Frenchy (Richard Attenborough) falls in love with a local and makes her his bride. A tragedy ensues, Holman is made a scapegoat, and the San Pablo crew is faced into a series of incursions with local rebels. The film reaches a climax with Holman and Captain Collins (Richard Crenna) going back to China Light to save the lives of missionaries - one of whom (Candice Bergen) Holman has fallen in love with. Produced in 1966 and littered with what we would now perceive as cringeworthy racist remarks, the film drew clear parallels with the situation in Vietnam at the time and was the first film Wise made after the success of “The Sound of music”. Based on the novel by Richard McKenna. Screenplay by Robert Anderson.