Empire of the Sun

Empire of the Sun is a 1987 English language war film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Christian Bale, John Malkovich, and Miranda Richardson. It is based on the novel of the same name by J.G. Ballard; the film's screenplay being adapted by Tom Stoppard and Menno Meyjes. The film was critically acclaimed, being nominated for six Oscars and winning three BAFTA (for Cinematography, Music and Sound). Bale received a special citation for Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor from the National Board of Review — an award specially created for his performance in Empire of the Sun. The story is a semi-biographical account of author Ballard's early years. The main character's name in the film, James Graham, is the same as that of J. G. (James Graham) Ballard. The idyllic childhood of a young English schoolboy, Jamie Graham living with his rich parents in a luxurious Shanghai suburb comes to an abrupt end in 1941 when the Empire of Japan, having invaded China since 1937, launch war... full article at wikipedia