The Last Emperor (1987)
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The film follows the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, from his childhood in the Forbidden City to his life as a political prisoner.
The story
The film depicts the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, beginning with his ascent to the throne as an infant in the Forbidden City. Raised in isolation within the imperial palace, Puyi's life is defined by the confines of his royal status. As the political landscape of China shifts from an empire to a republic and eventually under the influence of various powers, Puyi navigates the complexities of his role. The narrative follows his transition from a secluded child to a man caught in the turbulent tides of 20th-century Chinese history, ultimately leading to his capture and imprisonment by the Red Army.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1950, Puyi is a political prisoner in Fushun Prison after being captured by the Red Army. The story flashes back to 1908, where he is crowned emperor as a toddler by Empress Dowager Cixi. He grows up isolated in the Forbidden City, his only friend being his wet nurse, Ar Mo. In 1919, he receives a Western education and marries Wanrong. Following the 1924 Beijing Coup, he is exiled to Tientsin, where he lives as a playboy and later becomes the puppet ruler of Manchukuo under Japanese influence. After Japan's defeat, he is captured by the Soviets and handed to the Chinese. He undergoes a re-education program, eventually renouncing his collaboration with Japan and being released in 1959. By 1967, he lives as a humble gardener. The film concludes with him visiting the Palace Museum, where he is seen as a man who once held the throne, followed by a 1987 tour guide's summary of his life.
- First release year
- 1987
- Runtime (minutes)
- 163
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English; Mandarin; Japanese
- Directors
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Writers
- Mark Peploe · screenplay; Bernardo Bertolucci · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- John Lone · Puyi; Peter O'Toole; Joan Chen; Ying Ruocheng; Victor Wong; Dennis Dun; Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Genres
- biographical drama; epic
- Themes
- loss of power; identity; political transition
- Tone and mood
- grand; somber
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; historical; imperial
- Source material / true-story basis
- Puyi's 1964 autobiography
- Reception
- The film received widespread positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 86% · scale: percentage · review count: 124; Metacritic · score: 76 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Awards and nominations
- Oscar · Best Picture · win; Oscar · Best Director · win; Oscar · Best Adapted Screenplay · win; Grammy Award · musical score · win
- Production trivia
- First Western feature film authorized by the PRC to film in the Forbidden City.; Required 19,000 extras, with the People's Liberation Army assisting.; The film was converted to 3D and shown at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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