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 India
Can I watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence in India? Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence isn't currently available to stream in India. Availability changes often — add it to your watchlist and check back.
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Click a service to open Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence there. Availability last verified on November 13, 2026.
Where is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | YouTube TV, Shout! Factory TV, YouTube Free, Plex | — |
| United Kingdom | Arrow Video Amazon Channel, ARROW, Tubi TV | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, YouTube |
| Canada | Crave, Tubi TV, Plex | — |
| Australia | — | YouTube |
| Germany | Amazon Arthaus Channel, Arthaus+ Apple TV channel, Arthaus+ | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| France | — | Apple TV Store, Canal VOD, Sooner |
| Spain | Movistar Plus+, Movistar Plus+ Ficción Total , Filmin, Acontra Plus | Amazon Video, 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 |
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 600 ratings.
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 556 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
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence isn't currently available on major streaming services in India. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect India 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 India?
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is not currently available on major streaming services in India. Availability changes often — check back soon.
▸Where can I watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence in the US?
In the US, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is streaming on YouTube TV, Shout! Factory TV, and YouTube Free.
▸Where can I watch Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence in the UK?
In the UK, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is streaming on Arrow Video Amazon Channel, ARROW, and Tubi TV, and available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store and Amazon Video.
▸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 556 ratings.
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