# Empire of the Sun

Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American coming of age war film about a young English boy who struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of Shanghai during World War II.
    Directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by Tom Stoppard, based on J. G. Ballard's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name.

## Jim Graham

* Wah, ha ha! Go! P-51, Cadillac of the sky!
* Learned a new word today: "Atom bomb". It was like a white light in the sky, like God taking a photograph.
* I could bring everyone back.

## Dialogue

    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.
    Jim: [about the Japanese troops camped nearby] It almost looks as if they're waiting for something to happen...
    John Graham: Yes.
    Jim: They didn't look angry or anything...
    Maxton: It's not their anger; it's their patience.
    Jim: [as Frank and Basie are about to leave him in the street] 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.
    Basie: What did you say your name was boy?
    Jim: Jamie and I'm building a man-flying kite and writing a book called Contract Bridge.
    Basie: Jim: a new name for a new life.
    Dainty: Hey kid, would you like a Hershey bar?
    Jim: Oh yes please Dainty!
    Dainty: So would I kid. Have you got one?
    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: Dr. Rawlins, do you remember how we had helped build the runway? If we'd died like the others, our bones would be in the runway. In a way, it's our runway!
    Dr. Rawlins: No, it's their runway, Jim! Try not to think so much! Try not to think so much!
    [silence]
    Jim: I can't remember what my parents look like.
    Basie: Jim, didn't I teach you anything?
    Jim: Yes. You taught me that people will do anything for a potato.
    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.

## Taglines

* To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.

## Cast

* Christian Bale - Jamie "Jim" Graham
* John Malkovich - Basie
* Miranda Richardson - Mrs. Victor
* Nigel Havers - Dr. Rawlins
* Ben Stiller - Dainty

## See also

* J. G. Ballard

## External links

* Empire of the Sun at the Internet Movie Database
* Empire of the Sun at the TCM Movie Database
* Empire of the Sun at Allmovie