Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
“Java, 1942 — A clash of cultures, a test of the human spirit.”
Island of Java, 1942, during World War II. British Major Jack Celliers arrives at a Japanese prison camp, run by the strict Captain Yonoi. Colonel John Lawrence, who has a profound knowledge of Japanese culture, and Sergeant Hara, brutal and simpleton, will witness the struggle of wills between two men from very different backgrounds who are tragically destined to clash.
Where to watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence in United States
Criterion Channel
Shout! Factory TV
Plex
Tubi TVClick a service to open Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, Tubi TV | — |
| United Kingdom | Arrow Video Amazon Channel, ARROW | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies |
| Canada | Criterion Channel, Crave, Tubi TV, CTV | — |
| Australia | Brollie | Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| Germany | Amazon Arthaus Channel, Arthaus+ Apple TV channel, Arthaus+ | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| France | Molotov TV | Apple TV Store, Canal VOD, Cinemas a la Demande |
| Spain | Movistar Plus+, Movistar Plus+ Ficción Total , Filmin, Acontra Plus | Acontra Plus |
| Brazil | Oldflix, Diamond Films Amazon Channel | — |
| Japan | Amazon Prime Video, U-NEXT, FOD Channel Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| South Korea | — | Google Play Movies |
About Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is a 1983 Japanese-language drama, history and war film directed by Nagisa Ōshima. The cast is led by David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto. It has a runtime of 2h 4m. Viewers rate it 7.3/10 across 500 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV, Plex.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was produced by Recorded Picture Company, National Film Trustee Company, and Antares-Nova and made in Japan and New Zealand. It was released on May 28, 1983, and carries a R certification. At the box office it grossed around $2 million worldwide.
- Director
- Nagisa Ōshima
- Writers
- Nagisa Ōshima, Paul Mayersberg
- Release date
- May 28, 1983
- Original language
- Japanese
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Japan, New Zealand
- Box office
- $2 million
- Production
- Recorded Picture Company, National Film Trustee Company, Antares-Nova
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence cast & crew
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence was directed by Nagisa Ōshima and written by Nagisa Ōshima and Paul Mayersberg.
The cast features David Bowie as Celliers, Tom Conti as Lawrence, Ryuichi Sakamoto as Yonoi, Takeshi Kitano as Hara, Jack Thompson as Hicksley, and Johnny Ohkura as Kanemoto.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, cinematography is by Tōichirō Narushima, and it was produced by Terry Glinwood and Geoffrey Nethercott.
Is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence worth watching?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence holds an audience score of 7.3/10 from 523 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 4m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, history, and war, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
In United States, you can stream Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, and Tubi TV. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
David Bowie
Celliers
Tom Conti
Lawrence
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Yonoi
Takeshi Kitano
Hara
Jack Thompson
Hicksley
Johnny Ohkura
Kanemoto
Alistair Browning
De Jong
James Malcolm
Celliers' Brother
Chris Broun
Celliers (12 Years)
Yuya Uchida
Commandant of Military Prison
Ryūnosuke Kaneda
President of the Court
Takashi Naito
Lieutenant Iwata
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence — FAQs
▸Where can I watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence in United States?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is streaming on Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, Tubi TV in United States.
▸Is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence on Criterion Channel?
Yes — Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is currently available on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸What language is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence in?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is originally in Japanese, with audio tracks including English, Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence runs 2 hours 4 minutes (124 minutes).
▸What is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence rated?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is rated R. It holds a 7.3/10 audience score from 523 ratings.
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