Review of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) by Irvin C — 11 Sep 2011

This was a very cryptic metaphorical film the underlying theme is homosexuality which was portrayed In the film from different aspects. The most intriguing was that of Jack Cellier's betrayal of his little brother whom I believe was actually Jack himself.

Jack told the story of his brother's betrayal as a way of expressing his own perceived failing of being gay thus turning his back on his true self. His little brother's failing was a small deformity in the form of a hump on his back this was Jack's way of symbolically expressing his shame of his own sexuality and how he was ridiculed for it at school.

At the end of the film just before he is about to die Jack visits his little bother (or true self) in his mind and begs forgiveness thus is reunited with his true self and is able to die in peace as is portrayed by him singing to himself one last time which he hadn't been able to do for so many years.