The film begins in December of 1941, in Shanghai. Jim, who has lived in the British confines of that city all his life, simultaneously alien to the rest of China and the England from which his parents came from, becomes separated from his mother and father while the three of them are fleeing Shanghai, following the Japanese invasion. Frightened and alone, he first tries to hole up in his family's mansion, operating under the illusion that they"ll return for him. When that's no longer an option, he wonders out into the city, on the point of starvation, looking for food, trying to surrender to occupying Japanese troops. He finally ends up with con men Frank and Basie, and when the three make an abortive attempt to loot the abandoned British mansions, they are shipped off to an internment camp for British and American civilians, next to a captured airfield. Jim spends the next four years in the camp, and while it's not pleasant, he learns how to survive and I believe he grows as a human being from this experience. In this film there is some definite evidence of differences between East and West Cultures as well as an underlying theme poverty versus wealth. The main question though is what can we learn about intercultural communication by watching this film. .
Considering the fact that this film is based on a true story, there is a considerable amount of verifiable information that proves this notion. First of all, when the family is fleeing Shanghai there are scenes of Japanese marching troops into town and of army planes flying overhead. Also, after Jim had been separated from his parents and returns to the house, there is a painted insignia on one of the pillars stating that the house was property of the Emperor of Japan. The fact that World War II actually occurred and the Japanese invaded China is enough information to prove the validity of the story. These instances show characteristics of the film that made this movie factual as well as believable.
