Trivia for
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983) More at IMDb Pro »

• The actors playing POWs use their actual names in the hospital roll-call scene.
  
  
• From interview with Yuya Uchida and lecture by Nagisa Oshima: Singer/actor Kenji Sawada was first choice for captain Yonoi. After he suggested 'David Bowie' for Celliers, Sawada dropped out due to his touring schedule. Tomokazu Miura was then considered for Yonoi briefly, before Oshima saw a photograph collection and noted the similar androgyny Ryuichi Sakamoto shared with Sawada. 'Shintaro Katsu', legendary chambara star already causing discord on the set of Akira Kurosawa's 'Kagemusha', was first choice for Sgt. Hara. Oshima conceived Yonoi in the image of Yukio Mishima. Celliers was fashioned after 'Peter O'Toole' played in 'Lawrence of Arabia'.
  
  
• First English language movie to feature Takeshi Kitano
  
  

• Tom Conti does not speak a word of Japanese. He learned his Japanese dialog phonetically.
  
  

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