A Nyberg

This film is worth a watch. Steve McQueen is at his quiet best as river gunboat mechanic Holman on the San Pablo (called the "Sand Pebble" by the sailors, who call themselves "Sand Pebbles"). The San Pablo is an American navy gunboat patrolling the Yangtze River in 1926 China during the warlord era.. Holman is a pariah among his crew mates, except for seaman "Frency" (Richard Attenborough) who becomes his friend. Holman falls for an American missionary (played by a very young Candice Bergen) on her way to a very remote mission called the "China Light". When civil war breaks out, the mission is endangered and the boat goes on a dangerous mission to rescue the missionaries. Tragic ending. The message of the film seems to be avoid getting bogged down in land wars in Asia, just as we were getting bogged down in Vietnam (film was made in the mid 1960s). Richard Crenna is excellent as the by the book captain, as is Mako as a talented Chinese coolie that Holman teaches how to run the machinery of the "San Pablo", and also fight a sailor who bullies him. Seek this film out.

60 years old this year, this remains a timeless movie with a giant heart that still seems modern because human hearts don't change. Like real life, equal parts comedy and drama (which at a couple of points veers close to tragedy). Deeply cynical at the surface, but extremely sweet and true deep down because it concerns longing and love. I won't ruin the movie for you with plot details if you haven't seen it, except to say it has an unforgettable ending with twice the wallop of "Sleepless in Seattle" and "When Harry Met Sally". Great cast. Fred MacMurray as the evil boss at his best since "Double Indemnity" (also directed by the the great Billy Wilder). If you only know MacMurray from his Disney films and "My Three Sons", expect to be astonished. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine also shine as the (almost) star-crossed lovers. Do see this timeless movie! If it doesn't move you, you have a heart of stone.