Chinese handled their logistics and the sand pebbles could be pure, dedicated fighting men. Richard mckenna author richard mckenna was born in idaho in 19. Steve mcqueen and richard attenborough tunneled out of a world war ii prison camp together in the great escape, scoring a major hit in the process, so pairing them again in the sand pebbles made excellent sense three years later. I think richard mckenna gives a very fair look at history and i cannot see mckenna s account of these events as revisionist in any way whatsoever. He had already noted how the crew respected big chew.
The newest member of the crew, who call themselves sand pebbles, is jake holman, a machinist with 8 years previous navy duty. Buy the sand pebbles by richard mckenna online at alibris. Based on the real life experiences of the author who served on the yangtze patrol, which protected european interests in the region from 18541949. It is a riviting tale about the chinese revolution, imperialism, missionaries, duty, honor and sacrifice. The sand pebbles by richard mckenna overdrive rakuten. Buy the sand pebbles by richard mckenna from waterstones today. The sand pebbles by richard mckenna and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The sand pebbles is the story of a small ship, on a small river deep in the heart of china. The crew are called after the ship the sand pebbles. San pablo who kidnaps his chinese bride from the auction block. Mckenna, a former asiatic fleet sailor, describes life in the river gunboats of the 1920s with an accuracy and authenticity that is amazing. Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. Navy in 1931 to help support his mother and younger brothers and spent over twenty years in the navy, serving for a. This gorgeous military epic from acclaimed director. He joined the us navy in 1931 to help support his mother and younger brothers and spent over twenty years in the navy, serving for a while in china on a gunboat that patrolled the yangtze river. Set in china on the eve of revolution, the book tells the story of an old u. Its the story of frenchy richard attenborough, a crewman on the u. He listened to the little man in the subbasement to clue him in all this in a long piece on the act of writing which begins this book, but his heart was with the man in the engineroom. In 1926, as strong feelings of nationalism are sweeping through china and the followers of chiang kaishek, as well as the war lords and communists, are demanding that all foreigners leave chinese soil, the u.
The sand pebbles is an historical fiction which portrays events and characters in chinas 1926 uprising. Often films which treat events of this nature concentrate to such an extent on historical accuracy and communicating the scale and import. The sand pebbles very likely no novel ever has devoted more prose to a ships engines than does the sand pebbles. The main character is jake holman and he is the engineer of a navy steamer called the san pablo. The sand pebbles the action of the sand pebbles takes place during historic events 1926 china on the brink of revolution.
The acting was also notable, with especially fine performances from mcqueen and mako. The sand pebbles was a major career achievement for director robert wise, though he was denied an oscar nomination. The setting of the 1966 production is china in the wake of world war i, when the united states asiatic fleet roamed through the region enforcing the open door policy. But the way the times went, with the smart ones back in the states mocking their own history, holmans basic confusion could creep. Crenna played the most interesting character, in my opinion, as. It was the winner of the 1963 harper prize for fiction. They would come to the galley and tell him how good the food was, but they would never think of joking with him as they did with clip clip. Richard mckennas descriptions of the naval river gunboat san pablo and its engine room recall melvilles extensive detailing of the pequod. The late richard mckenna the sand pebbles, 1963 found that only in writing did he remain free to range across the whole of human experience and to mix intellect with feeling. I was often more purely happy at such times than i think i have ever been since.
The sons of martha and other stories by richard mckenna. If holman was not one of them, they would know it and they would reject him. The distributed proofreaders canada ebook of the sand. Navy gunboat, the san pablo, and her dedicated crew of sand pebbles on patrol in the far reaches of the yangtze river to show the flag and protect american missionaries and businessmen from bandits. The sand pebbles was one of the topgrossing films of 1966. Its the story of china, a slumbering giant that rouses itself to the cries of its people and of the americans who are caught in its blood awakening.
The sand pebbles motion picture website established. I think it was odd to hear richard attenborugh with an american accent but he did a nice job with it. Unknown by most of the rest of the world but home to the crew of the ship. I know its the 60s, but dont get this film confused with the australian psychedelic rock band, sand pebbles, mainly because that band showed up way too late, in 2001, well after psychedelic. Buy the paperback book sand pebbles by richard mckenna at indigo. The movie, which was adapted from a novel by richard mckenna, features stunning visuals and one of jerry goldsmiths finest scores. The story of jake holman, an engineer on board the u. The sand pebbles did not have names for big chews dishes.
San pablo, an american gunboat on the yangtze river in china in the 1920s. The sand pebbles by richard mckenna nook book ebook. The sand pebbles is one of my favorite movies and i always wanted to read the book. He was best known for his historical novel, the sand pebbles which tells the story of an american sailor serving aboard a gunboat on the chinese yangtze river in 1925. The sand pebbles is een amerikaanse avonturenfilm uit 1966 onder regie van robert wise. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. This nowclassic novel by richard mckenna enjoyed great critical acclaim and commercial success when it was first published in 1962. Richard mckenna was born and raised in the small desert town of mountain home, idaho. Two of those years were on a yangtze river gunboat. Recommended reading as part of the chief of naval operations professional reading program.
The sand pebbles widescreen, subtitled, dubbed, dolby on. Though it starred steve mcqueen, who did an excellent job, its strength was the ensemble acting with a very talented cast including richard crenna, richard attenborough, mako and candice bergen. The sand pebbles by richard mckenna gives a detailed look at the life of a navy sailor in china during the rise of chinese nationalism and independence prior to world war ii. The perspective of the sand pebbles is therefore both panoramic as well as personal. The sand pebbles a 1966 film that was nominated for nine oscars is a compelling epic film that deserves your attention. It is the first novel by a man who actually served on a u. It is likely that audiences seeing the film robert wise has made from richard mckennas popular novel, the sand pebbles, will not see it simply as a tale of the involvement of a united states. The sand pebbles is a 1962 novel by american author richard mckenna about a yangtze river gunboat and its crew in 1926. The sand pebbles, one of the most influential films of the 1960s, tells the story of a lone u. In 1931, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the united states navy and served for ten years in asia.
Many of his works were published posthumously, although he did publish many sf works in the pulp magazines. I think richard mckenna gives a very fair look at history and i cannot see mckennas account of these events as revisionist in any way whatsoever. The sand pebbles by richard mckenna, 9781557504463, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. It, along with another boxoffice success, hawaii, is steeped in colonialism and american imperialism, without knowing quite what to do with it.
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