Empire of the Sun (1987) Poster

John Malkovich: Basie

Photos 

Quotes 

  • Basie : Jim, didn't I teach you anything?

    Jim : Yes! You taught me that people will do anything... for a potato.

  • [after Basie's friend killed Jim's Japanese friend] 

    Jim : Bastard! He gave me a mango!

    Basie : I'll give you a whole goddamn fruit salad. There are Frigidaires falling from the sky. It's kingdom come!

    Jim : He was my friend!

    Basie : He was a Jap!

    Jim : The war's over!

  • Basie : Don't let me down kid you're an American now.

    Jim : [in a Brooklyn accent]  Hey how'ya doin' Frank?

  • [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.

  • Basie : Oh, buying and selling, Frank. You know. Life.

  • 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 : What did you say your name was boy?

    Jamie : 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.

  • Basie : Jesus, those Coney Island pilots!

  • Basie : The plan is we're going to get a sampan. Take it up the Yangtze estuary. Rendezvous with some Hakka friends.

    Jim : Are they proper pirates, do you mean?

    Basie : Well, let's just call them gentlemen of fortune, shall we?

  • Basie : It's at the beginning and end of war that we have to watch out. In between, it's like a country club.

  • [Tossing a pair of sunglasses to Jim as the Japanese army begin to beat him] 

    Basie : I want these back when they're done.

  • Dainty : What else you betting with Baise?

    Basie : My LIFE.

    [shows a copy of LIFE magazine] 

  • Frank : [Frank and Basie see Japanese men dancing in the house]  Damn it Basie, they're Japs

    Basie : I can see that Frank, back out of here.

    Frank : I can't back out, there's no reverse

    Basie : Just go foward

    Frank : Come on.

  • Jim : Basie, where do you live?

    Basie : Here.

    Jim : No, I mean after the war.

    Basie : Somewhere else.

  • Basie : This war is definitely winding down.

    Jim : And after that?

    Basie : After that - I retire in luxury, start a barber college.

See also

Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs


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