The Sand Pebbles

The Sand Pebbles

Year: 1966

Runtime: 196 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Wise

WarDramaPolitics and human rightsWar and historical adventureEpic heroes

Engineer Jake Holman boards the gunboat USS San Pablo, sent to patrol a Yangtze tributary in 1926 China. His cynical outlook clashes with the ship’s corrupt ‘rice‑bowl’ hierarchy and the coexistence of Chinese and foreign crews. Hostility builds until the vessel breaks through a river boom to rescue missionaries at the China Light Mission, testing loyalties amid turmoil.

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Timeline & Setting – The Sand Pebbles (1966)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Sand Pebbles (1966). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1926

Set in 1926, China is fractured by warlord rule and rising nationalism. Foreign crews and gunboats operate in a fragile balance, trying to stay neutral while danger from local and nationalist forces grows. The year marks mounting violence that shapes every decision aboard the San Pablo.

Location

Yangtze River, China; USS San Pablo

The story unfolds on the Yangtze River during the Warlord Era, aboard the U.S. Navy gunboat USS San Pablo. The ship threads through river towns and busy ports, navigating anti-foreign sentiment and local mobs. Shore life centers on bars and brothels that reflect a tense mix of commerce, duty, and cultural clash.

🏯 Historical setting 🚢 Foreign naval presence

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:37

Main Characters – The Sand Pebbles (1966)

Meet the key characters of The Sand Pebbles (1966), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jake Holman (Steve McQueen)

A taciturn Navy machinist who takes control of the engine room and resists using Chinese labor. His engineering skill and stubborn independence earn him respect and provoke friction with the crew and captain.

🔧 Engineering 🧭 Duty

Shirley Eckert (Candice Bergen)

A schoolteacher who travels with Jameson and becomes Holman’s love interest. She embodies resolve, moral clarity, and a longing for safety and a future beyond China.

💖 Romance 📚 Education

Po-han (MAKO)

The simple, genial engine-room replacement chosen after a fatal accident. He becomes caught in a dangerous power struggle that escalates tensions aboard and on shore.

🇨🇳 Chinese worker 🧰 Engineer

Frenchy Burgoyne (Richard Attenborough)

A seasoned sailor who befriends Holman and strives to secure Maily’s freedom, facing danger and hardship alongside the crew.

🎖️ Veteran 🫶 Friendship

Jameson (Larry Gates)

A missionary seeking to aid locals, caught between foreign interests and rising hostility. His efforts highlight moral complexity amid war.

🕊️ Mission 🙏 Faith

Maily (Emmanuelle Arsan)

A high-priced captive whose fate sheds light on exploitation and tragedy on the frontier. Her presence catalyzes romance, danger, and loss.

💔 Tragedy 🔒 Freedom

Stawski (Simon Oakland)

A rival sailor whose schemes and the boxing match with Po-han expose class tensions and authority challenges aboard the ship.

🥊 Rivalry 🎯 Ambition

Captain Collins (Richard Crenna)

The ship’s captain tasked with neutrality and safety, balancing orders with the realities of violence and loss that unfold around him.

🎯 Leadership ⚖️ Duty

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:37

Major Themes – The Sand Pebbles (1966)

Explore the central themes of The Sand Pebbles (1966), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚔️ Duty vs Morality

Jake Holman’s strict sense of duty to the ship conflicts with orders and the needs of those around him. The film probes whether professional obligation can trump personal conscience in a volatile political climate. His choices ripple through the crew and the fate of friends and enemies alike.

💖 Love and Loyalty

Shirley Eckert’s relationship with Holman grounds the human cost of war in intimate emotion. Their bond develops under threat and sacrifice, forcing them to weigh personal happiness against uncertain futures. The romance complicates loyalties to country, crew, and each other.

🧭 Cultural Clash

The San Pablo’s presence amid anti-foreigner sentiment exposes tensions between foreign sailors and Chinese civilians. Conflicts grow from miscommunication, prejudice, and power struggles to open hostility. The film portrays how survival amidst war tests cross-cultural understanding.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:37

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The Sand Pebbles Summary

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The Sand Pebbles Summary

The Sand Pebbles Timeline

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The Sand Pebbles Timeline

More About The Sand Pebbles

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The Sand Pebbles (1966) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

The Sand Pebbles (1966) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

The Sand Pebbles (1966) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow