The Sand Pebbles (1966): cast, story & where to watch
1966 · Film · ★ 7.2
Released in 1966, The Sand Pebbles is a drama, adventure and war film directed by Robert Wise, running about 182 minutes. “This is the heroic story of the men on the U.S.S. San Pablo who disturbed the sleeping dragon of savage China as the threatened world watched in breathless terror.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Engineer Jake Holman arrives aboard the gunboat USS San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China. His iconoclasm and cynical nature soon clash with the 'rice-bowl' system which runs the ship and the uneasy symbiosis between Chinese and foreigner on the river. Hostility towards the gunboat's presence reaches a climax when the boat must crash through a river-boom and rescue missionaries upriver at China Light Mission.
Who’s in it. The Sand Pebbles stars Steve McQueen as Jake Holman, Richard Attenborough as Frenchy Burgoyne, Richard Crenna as Captain Collins and Candice Bergen as Shirley Eckert, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, The Sand Pebbles has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $20M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Sand Pebbles page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Sand Pebbles tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Sand Pebbles (1966)?
- In US, The Sand Pebbles is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Sand Pebbles worth watching?
- The Sand Pebbles holds an audience score of 7.2 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, adventure and war. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Sand Pebbles?
- The Sand Pebbles stars Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna, Candice Bergen and Mako.