MovieChat Forums > The Sand Pebbles (1966) Discussion > the sand pebbles

the sand pebbles

posted 18 years ago by rhdado2002
13 replies | jump to latest

i am the consul and charge d' affaires , philippine embassy, argentina. there has never been a film that has captured the tension between east and west as well as ' the sand pebbles.'

when chinese wharf coolies mock jittery american sailors raising the US flag aboardship , you could feel bad things were about to happen.

steve mcqueen was an indelible screen persona in the philippines. more important, when you look back on history and US relations with china and the east, you can't help but recall and revisit 'the sand pebbles' .

[–] foster1234 18 years ago

I don't know what You're looking for here pal---let me go with this

The chinese coolies making fun of the Navel customs seems entirely natural, and probably occured at British, French , and italian gunboats. The coolies didn't care about politics, it was just funny to watch.

The movie takes place in the 20's early 30's I forget. Tensions were high any way, the Monarchy had been dissolved and everybody wanted control. And was the gunboats, a leftover from the Boxer rebelion.

I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney, than driving with Ted Kennedy

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] snaglefoot 18 years ago

If I understand you correctly, you're the consul and charge d' affairs of the Phillipines in Argentia?

If that is so, my deepest gratitude towards the Phillipinos for their aid to the US during WW2, my shame and apologies for US support of a dictator who took power in the Phillipines after the war, and the shameful near-abondonment of the Phillipines by the US after the 80's.

We failed, and have failed, to act as true friends of the Phillipino people in their efforts to prosperity and geniune self-rule.

This movie exemplifies (by most of the characters) the atrocious behaviour by the US and a lack of true commity towards peoples, Chinese and others, who we should be striving to engage as friends and allies, rather than objects of exploitation.

[–] cgostel 18 years ago

"shameful near-abondonment of the Phillipines by the US after the 80's. "

FYI corrupt Filipino politicians kicked the U.S. out. They refused to renew the land-lease contracts for anything other than an outrageous sum of money and sizable personal bribes. They thought we needed our bases in the Philippine. They thought wrong.

I lived in the Philippines for six years. The people of the P.I. are exploited by each other far, far worse than anything foreigners inflict upon them. Just as in every third world country, the only honest people in the P.I. are those without any power.

[–] jeffyoung1 16 years ago

cgostel,

I tend to agree with the first part of your post and want to add something more.

The outrageous high rent proposed for the U.S. military bases may have been motivated by politicians' greed, but my theory is that there was something more behind the greed: nationalism.

Have you ever heard of people who deliberately charge a ridiculously high price for something because they REALLY DON'T WANT TO SELL IT?

For my money, the Filipinos were simply tired of the Americans being in their country since 1900. True, and very true they understood the U.S. military bases brought in substantial income to their country. But human beings tend to be very proud beings, even to the point of illogic. From what I hear, there hasn't been a large outcry from the population over the closing of the U.S. military bases. The Filipino people simply sucked up the loss of income and went their merry way. In my opinion the Filipino people and the Filipino government were relieved to finally see the Americans off their soil. I don't hold anything against the Filipinos. They didn't commit any large demonstrations or acts of terrorism or violence against military American personnel in their country. For the most part, I heard they were, most of the time, okay with the Americans. It's just that they can now feel happy about not having any foreigners on their soil, regardless if the foreigners were allies and brought in money.

[–] foster1234 16 years ago

Boy you must have kissed every ass in your town to get where you are

to the OP----This clown speaks for himself

I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney, than driving with Ted Kennedy

[–] hawks-bill 18 years ago

"there has never been a film that has captured the tension between east and west as well as ' the sand pebbles.'"

I quite agree with you! And I can never quite get over the fact that it was made in the 1960s. It still feels ahead of its time today, and it moves me more than most other films I've ever seen.

And violence may be omnipresent in cinema today, but few scenes have disturbed me as much as the scene in which Mako is tortured by the Chinese peasants. What a brilliant, truthful and passionate piece of filmmaking.

[–] cgostel 18 years ago

Very well put.

[–] sfrsez 12 years ago

fu retrd

[–] tmf_scipio 12 years ago

Ah, the ugly American.

"Hitler! C'mon, I'll buy you a glass of lemonade."

[–] sfrsez 12 years ago

u r quite the idiot. youve nvr met an american. and i am not 1. dont reply, im done w this site , its pathetic like u

[–] tmf_scipio 12 years ago

I am an American. Ciao.

"Hitler! C'mon, I'll buy you a glass of lemonade."

[–] EastCoastMariner 12 years ago

Wherever it is you're from, proper spelling and grammar must be a mystery.