Story: Feature film

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, 1983

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, 1983

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, a drama set in a Second World War prison camp, had a Japanese director, starred international names such as David Bowie and Tom Conti, and was shot in Rarotonga as well as Auckland. However, the production was largely financed from New Zealand, many New Zealanders played minor roles, and the crew included Lee Tamahori as first assistant director. Tamahori later made an international name as a director of action movies.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-E-CINEMA-1983-02

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Courtesy of Barrie Everard

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How to cite this page:

Helen Martin, 'Feature film - The 1980s: breaking new ground', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/42481/merry-christmas-mr-lawrence-1983 (accessed 11 May 2024)

Story by Helen Martin, published 22 Oct 2014