British soldier Jack Celliers arrives at a Japanese prison camp in 1942, where he is confronted with the strict discipline and rigid code of honor and glory enforced by camp commander Yonoi. The prisoners, including interpreter John Lawrence, who attempts to bridge the cultural divide, are viewed as cowards for surrendering rather than taking their own lives.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
A British colonel and a Japanese commander form an unlikely friendship, working to overcome cultural differences and prevent violence in a POW camp during World War II.