MovieChat Forums > The Sand Pebbles (1966) Discussion > Several Questions

Several Questions

posted 12 years ago by DeepFriedJello
1 reply | jump to latest

1. Shirley Eckert (Bergen) was she related somehow to Jameson? Evidently not. So why would she want to go off to such a dangerous country, with a weird old guy. I can't imagine her family would be too thrilled about it.
2. It seemed strange that at the bar where they spent much time, the SP would encourage the raping of the girl who Frenchie liked. Same way with everyone else including the women. They all seem to think, women are there for just one purpose. Why does she hang out there, if she doesn't want that work?
3. If the captain had written a report of the incident with the crew wanting to turn over Holman to the slopeheads, what would have happened?

[–] wongsaur 12 years ago

1. Don't underestimate missionary fervor. This was another era and belief in spreading the good word of God to the heathens was a noble calling. The old guy Jameson probably sublimated all his sexual urges into his preaching.

2. To most Foreigners the Chinese were a lower form of life -- Chinese women were especially an even lower one. Non-Chinese enjoyed extraterritoriality as far as laws go. Naval personnel were only subject to the military laws of their own country. Waterfront bars are dives and so the SP's job is only to see that the sailors don't get into trouble that has repercussions for the US and the other foreign powers.

3. It's mutiny. It reflects badly on him as a commander, i.e. he failed to provide adequate leadership to control his crew -- the way things were done aboard ship showed that he couldn't exert his command authority and. There's a saying that there are no bad ships just bad captains --it reflects poorly on the skipper in this situation. Besides turning Holman over to the Chinese is giving up the American right of extraterritoriality. The Chinese siege on the gunboat would only end if Holman was surrendered to Chinese justice.