Empire of the Sun (1987)

Actors: Christian Bale (actor), J.G. Ballard (actor), Tony Boncza (actor), Za Chuan Ce (actor), Ray Charleson (actor), Peter Copley (actor), Michael Crossman (actor), Tom Danaher (actor), Nicholas Dastor (actor), Marc de Jonge (actor), Jack Dearlove (actor), Frank Duncan (actor), Ronald Eng (actor), Ken Enomoto (actor), Hiro Arai (actor),

Plot: Based on J. G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, tells the story of a boy, James Graham, whose privileged life is upturned by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, December 8, 1941. Separated from his parents, he is eventually captured, and taken to Soo Chow confinement camp, next to a captured Chinese airfield. Amidst the sickness and food shortages in the camp, Jim attempts to reconstruct his former life, all the while bringing spirit and dignity to those around him.

Keywords: 1940s, abandoned-house, abandoned-ship, air-drop, air-raid, aircraft-explosion, airplane, airplane-runway, american, arch
Genres: Drama, History, War,
Taglines: To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.

Quotes:

[Tossing a pair of sunglasses to Jim as the Japanese army begin to beat him]::Basie: I want these back when they're done.

Jim: I can't remember what my parents look like.

Jim: I was dreaming about God.::Mother: What did he say?::Jim: Nothing. [smiles] He was playing tennis.

Jim: I was dreaming about God.::Mary Graham: What did he say?::Jim: Nothing. He was playing tennis. Perhaps that's where God is all the time and that's why you can't see Him when you're awake, do you think?::Mary Graham: I don't know. I don't know about God.::Jim: Perhaps He's our dream... and we're His.

[Frank and Basie are about to leave Jim in the street]::Jim: [desperately] Basie, first I could show you some rich pickings. Hundreds of houses left empty. I could show you some of the houses I lived in before Frank found me. They were luxuriant!::Basie: Luxuriant? You had good sense being born there, Jim. I'm sure there was good living.::Jim: There certainly was good living, Basie. There - there was opulence!::Basie: Heh heh. Opulence. Frank, we'll go and take a look at some of these houses. Let's go, Frank. Opulence.

Jim: If the Americans land, the Japanese will fight.::Dr. Rawlins: You admire the Japanese?::Jim: Well, they're brave, aren't they?::Dr. Rawlins: That's important, is it, Jim?::Jim: It's a good thing if you want to win a war.::Dr. Rawlins: But we don't want them to win, do we. Remember, we're British.::Jim: Yes. I've never been there.

Jim: We'll have to leave the camp.::Basie: That's the idea, Jim. First one side feeds you and the other side tries to get you killed, then it's turned around; it's all timing.

Basie: Jim, didn't I teach you anything?::Jim: Yes! You taught me that people will do anything for a potato.

[Nurses attempt to wake a sickly man]::Jim: Can I have his shoes when he's dead?::Dr. Rawlins: God you're a pragmatist, Jim.

Maxton: I heard you resigned from the Scouts.::Jim: I've become an atheist.