Was the coin even important?

September 14, 2007 4:32 PM

Help me identify a movie I barely remember. Coins, pools, abandoned houses, and maybe a war?

A boy is given a coin by his father, and he throws it (or drops it) into the swimming pool behind his home. Much later, he returns to the house, now abandoned, and he finds the coin in the bottom of the dry pool. I want to say the family left because of a war, not a natural disaster.

That's really all I've got, except that the movie was on video in the mid to late eighties. It's been tickling my brain, on and off, ever since -- and I was maybe five when I saw this! Help?

posted by cmyk to media & arts (9 comments total)

That's from Empire of the Sun
posted by FreezBoy at 4:33 PM on September 14, 2007

To answer your question if the coin is important, I vaguely remember the father throwing the coin into the pool during a party (perhaps cinematically to illustrate their wealth), and then later when he returns home after getting separated from them, finds the coin in the bottom of the pool. Of course it doesn't help because at that point he's in need of food and the money is useless.
posted by FreezBoy at 4:39 PM on September 14, 2007

Fantastic! Thank you.

I have to go rent this, now.
posted by cmyk at 4:45 PM on September 14, 2007

I know this is answered already, but I have to say that this is one of my favorite films of all time. Christian Bale, playing Jamie (Jim), was amazing.
posted by snsranch at 5:03 PM on September 14, 2007

It's one of my favorite movies too.
posted by Poolio at 6:48 PM on September 14, 2007

That is an awesome and underrated movie. Rent it? Heck no, buy it! Stunning cinematography, great story.
posted by The Deej at 7:35 PM on September 14, 2007

Loosely based on author J.G. Ballard's experiences in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. Great movie. P51 Mustang! Cadillac of the sky!
posted by steef at 5:39 AM on September 15, 2007

The book is excellent, by the way.
posted by languagehat at 7:01 AM on September 15, 2007

2nding languagehat, book as good as film if not...
posted by londongeezer at 8:58 AM on September 15, 2007