When it comes to gay movies, some familiar names pop into our minds. For example, Wong Kar-wai's "Breakthrough"; Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain"; Chuuk Sakrico's "Love of Siam" and so on. These films, without exception, show the lingering sorrow, sadness, and passion of same-sex love, all of which are revealed in implicit or direct audio-visual language, giving an unforgettable viewing experience. And there is one movie that I think is a "heretic" of same-sex movies, but it left a deep impression on me. At the same time, it is also a classic forever in the history of photography. It is the work of Mr. Nagisa Oshima - "Merry Christmas, Lawrence" gentlemen". The Chinese translation of this film is generally called "Merry Christmas on the Battlefield", but such a translation can easily lead people astray in their imaginations before watching the film. As far as I am concerned, I prefer the popular but emotional translation of "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence". The film is adapted from the novel "The Seed and the Sower" by the British writer Lawrence Post. It tells the story of the struggle between Japanese officers and British prisoners of war on opposing positions and the intense spiritual level in a Japanese prisoner of war camp on an isolated Java island during World War II. collision. Japanese officers Yonoi (played by Ryuichi Sakamoto) and Sergeant Ohara (played by Takeshi Kitano) jointly manage the prisoner of war camp. Lawrence (Tom Conty), a British prisoner of war, is quite prestige among prisoners of war because of his proficiency in Japanese and his steadiness, and he often deals with Sergeant Ohara. Then the British army officer Jack (David Bowie) joined the original ordinary prisoner of war camp life has been turbulent. Jack's unique and ideal military temperament attracted many people, including Yonoi. However, Yonoi's affection for Jack is far beyond the general appreciation of same-sex relationships. It is an inexplicable affection, but it cannot develop in a straight line.
In that particular historical period, especially in Japanese prison camps, same-sex love was taboo. The Japanese officers represented by Yonoi have been baptized by the Japanese Bushido spirit under the oriental culture since childhood, which is even more taboo, but that kind of feeling cannot be suppressed. The same notion is expressed in the dialogue between Sergeant Ohara and Lawrence, that homosexuality is a shame for Japanese soldiers. The beginning of the film also reflects the strong traditional Japanese concept of honor and disgrace through the ending of a Japanese soldier who was punished for suicide by caesarean section because of a same-sex relationship with a Dutch doctor. Shame is an important part of Japanese militarism, and caesarean section in their culture symbolizes that one can wash away one's sins, earn the respect of others and die. This is often revealed in many Japanese movies about samurai. But in the eyes of these British prisoners of war, the Japanese were a peculiar people, and their incomprehension of their behavior and ideas formed the biggest conflict between them. The free will and cherishing of life from the Western world in the British seemed to the Japanese in the prisoner of war camps, but it seemed to be a manifestation of greed for life and fear of death. This constitutes a big conflict in the film's macro perspective. The conflict in the film is not only the cultural contradiction between the two different ethnic groups in the East and the West under the huge background of World War II, but also the emotional friction and collision between specific characters. When Lawrence executed himself because Yonoi ruthlessly wanted to make himself guilty, he vented his anger and despair. That night, he and Jack shared their thoughts with each other across a wall. He recalled his mortal past in Singapore and was full of regrets, but Jack had always buried deep guilt towards his younger brother in his heart.
The role of Jack has a dazzling light, whether it is a tall figure or a charming appearance, more importantly, the ideal soldier image of freedom and uninhibitedness he represents, all of which infect the prisoners of war in the prisoner of war camp, as well as the same. Sergeant Ohara and Yonoi. He led the prisoners of war to sing, picked flowers for a simple funeral for his deceased companion, was fearless in front of Japanese officers, and stepped forward to save the prisoner of war captain, all of which made Yono fall in love with him. When Lawrence and Jack were brought before Sergeant Ohara, Lawrence, who thought he was about to be executed, saw the other side of the usually ruthless Sergeant Ohara, who got drunk and pardoned Lawrence and Jack. It was a Christmas, and Sergeant Ohara said to Lawrence in broken English with a drunken smile: Merry Christmas, Mr.Lawrence! Seeing this, one can't help but be moved, this is a kind of cruel Bushido spirit Compromise, even the usually ruthless Sergeant Ohara inevitably shows his kindness at this time. As for Yonoi, he fell in love with a charming British man, Jack's blue eyes, and the brave military temperament that deeply attracted Yono made him unable to suppress the emotions surging in his heart. And this is incompatible with the traditional education rooted in his heart since he was a child, and he suffers from such emotional torment. The conflict of characters is deeply reflected. Although Jack's love for Yonoi is hardly shown in the movie, it is described in the original novel. Jack describes him and Yonoi as two birds who admire each other's beautiful feathers. As for the shocking kiss, there is not too much foreshadowing in the movie, although it seems abrupt, it directly hits the hearts of the people.
In the original novel, there is a description of the Japanese tearing up the kissing plot in the novel, which further reflects how shocking Jack's kiss to Yonoi was in this prison camp. That kiss completely destroyed a towering wall in Yonoi's heart, all beliefs were defeated, the unstoppable emotions in his heart were pierced, and the spiritual world was hit hard, which made Yonoi, the resolute Japanese soldier, there It collapsed in an instant. Jack's bold move inevitably brought destruction to him. Before dying, he seemed to have returned to his hometown in England and was forgiven by his younger brother. And Yonoi also came to him and cut off a bunch of Jack's hair. It is worth mentioning that, at the end of the film, after World War II, Yonoi was executed. Lawrence went to the war criminal detention center to visit Sergeant Ohara who was about to be executed. The two talked about Yonoi, about Jack, and recalled that Christmas a few years ago. Lawrence said: Captain Ichinoi gave me a lock of Jack Hillias' hair. He asked me to take it to his hometown in Japan to enshrine it in the ancestral shrine. This may be the final destination of Yonoi's feelings for Jack. At the end of the film, Sergeant Ohara stopped Lawrence and said with a smile Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
At the end of the film, Ryuichi Sakamoto's music sounded, and the subtitles finished the last line in the mood that could not be calmed down for a long time. This film has a huge psychological impact, whether it is the vague reflection on Japanese militarism in World War II, or the redemption brought by the soul of freedom to the people in this prison camp. But this is the case with movies. There are also a thousand Hamlets in the eyes of a thousand people. In a classic movie, every detail is worthy of our comprehension and contemplation. The director of the film, Mr. Oshima Nagisa, died in 2013. Both Ryuichi Sakamoto and Takeshi Kitano attended the funeral. At the funeral, Ryu Sakamoto unanimously delivered a memorial speech: "You are a great film director, a great person. Without this A person who criticizes society harshly, maybe the country of Japan will become boring. Thank you for everything." Or maybe, without Mr. Oshima's "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence", when we It's also a little less fun when it comes to gay movies.
There is also an interesting place, the original name is "The Seed and the Sower", and at the end of the movie, Lawrence said: It seems that Jack's death sowed a seed in Yonoi's heart, and we shared the growth of this seed.
In the original book, Yonoi was not executed. Lawrence went to the detention center to visit Yonoi, and Yonoi asked Lawrence to bring Jack's hair back to Japan. Later, Yonoi returned to Japan, wrote a letter to thank Lawrence, and attached a small poem to the letter, which I also attached at the end of the article.
In the spring, Obeying the August spirits I went to fight the enemy In the Fall, Returning I beg spirits, To receive also the enemy.
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