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John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ying Ruocheng, Victor Wong ... see more see more... , Dennis Dun , Ryuichi Sakamoto , Maggie Han , Ric Young , Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa , Jade Go , Fumihiko Ikeda , Tiger Tsou , Guang Fan , Henry Kyi , Alvin Riley III , Constantine Gregory , Lisa Lu , Richard Vuu , Vivian Wu , Kaige Chen , Yang Baozong , Biao Wang , Xu Chunqing , Daxing Zhang , Jing Dong Liang , Li Fusheng , Wu Hai , Yang Hongchang , Luo Hongnian , Cai Hongxiang , Soong Huaikuei , Pan Hung , Lucia Hwong , Akira Ikuta , Jiang Xi Ren , Dong Jiechen , Cui Jingping , Jun Wu , Gu Junguo , LiDien Lang , Liangbin Zhang , Zhang Lingmu , Basil Pao , Martin Reynolds , Zu Ruigang , Shao Ruzhen , Luo Shigang , Yu Shihong , Shu Chen , Cheng Shuyan , Matthew Spender , Hajime Tachibana , Hideo Takamatsu , Tao Wu , Zhang Tianmin , Xu Tongrui , Michael Vermaaten , Huang Wenjie , LiDien Xing , Jin Yuan , Dong Zhendong , Rio Ruocheng

The Last Emperor is the true story of Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi, the last ruler of the Chinese Ching Dynasty. Told in flashback, the film covers the years 1908 to 1967. We first see the three-year-old Pu Yi b... read more read more...eing installed in the Forbidden City by ruthless, dying dowager Empress Tzu-Hsui (Lisa Lu). Though he'd prefer to lark about like other boys, the infant emperor is cossetted and cajoled into accepting the responsibilities and privileges of his office. In 1912, the young emperor (Tijer Tsou) forced to abdicate when China is declared a republic, is a prisoner in his own palace, "protected" from the outside world. Fascinated by the worldliness of his Scottish tutor (Peter O'Toole), Pu Yi plots an escape from his cocoon by means of marriage. He selects Manchu descendant Wan Jung (Joan Chen), who likewise is anxious to experience the 20th century rather than be locked into the past by tradition. Played as an adult by John Lone, Pu Yi puts into effect several social reforms, and also clears the palace of the corrupt eunuchs who've been shielding him from life. In 1924, an invading warlord expels the denizens of the Forbidden City, allowing Pu Yi to "westernize" himself by embracing popular music and the latest dances as a guest of the Japanese Concession in Tientsin. Six years later, his power all but gone, Pu Yi escapes to Manchuria, where he unwittingly becomes a political pawn for the now-militant Japanese government. Humiliating his faithful wife, Pu Yi falls into bad romantic company, carrying on affairs with a variety of parasitic females. During World War II, the Japanese force Pu Yi to sign a series of documents which endorse their despotic military activities. At war's end, the emperor is taken prisoner by the Russians; while incarcerated, he is forced to fend for himself without servants at his beck and call for the first time. He is finally released in 1959 and displayed publicly as proof of the efficacy of Communist re-education. We last see him in 1967, the year of his death; now employed by the State as a gardener, Pu Yi makes one last visit to the Forbidden City...as a tourist. Bernardo Bertolucci's first film after a six-year self-imposed exile, The Last Emperor was released in two separate versions: the 160-minute theatrical release, and a 4-hour TV miniseries. Lensed on location, the film won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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86% liked it

37,411 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

45 critics

PG-13, 3 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci

Release Date: November 18, 1987

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DVD Release Date: March 20, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (1,503)

  • FiLmCrAzY
    May 16, 2012
    FiLmCrAzY
    Its an okay movie, i can see why it won best picture as it is visually stunning and the costume and makeup artists did a brilliant job! Its interesting to a point about the last emperor however it just failed to engage me, i think over 3.5hours is asking a lot of the audience but... read more to have a movie that is moving at a glacial pace and doesnt have any action and quite frankly isnt the most dramatic movie ive seen before it just left me thinking , 'well ill never get those three hours of my life back'
    I think a very overrated movie, and not engaging enough for me to rate this movie any higher!
  • cosmo313
    September 30, 2011
    cosmo313
    A sweeping historical epic like no other. I sometimes forget how amazing films like this are, especially when they are made in the pre-digital era when you couldn't fake stuff, so you had no choice but to hire 19,000 extras and that sort of thing.

    Okay, that little diversion asi... read morede, this is a tremendous and wonderful film chronicling the life of Pu Yi, the last emporor of China before the tumultuous events that led to experiments with being a republic then a communist state. Covering the years of 1908-1967, this film, despite being a bio pic, is really a great glimpse at the history of a country during some very turbulent but fascinating times. In a way it's like a serious Forrest Gump sort of thing, though I don't mean to trivialize this by making that comparison.

    I've watched both the original and extended "director's cut" (though Bertolucci maintains that the theatrical cut is his prefered version and that the extended cut was just something he assembled for Italian TV) and I think they are both brilliant films. I think I might like the original more though. The extended cut is an hour longer, making the film clock in at 3 hours, 38 minutes, but some of the added material, like extended backstory are pretty good. The bulk of the additions though, are more political machinations and stuff involving Pu Yi in pre-WWII Manchuria. If you are into socio-political issues during this time and place, then the extended cut will probably please you. If not, then you might just want to stick with the original cut.

    Regardless of the version, this is a gorgeous film filled with excellent cinematography, beautiful costumes wonderful music (the main title theme will forever be stick in my head), and just great artistry. This is an art film that is both mindblowing because of the technique and storytelling, and the story itself. Pu Yi's life was rather tragic, and not just because of the Shakespearean way his empire crumbled around him. At no time did he ever truly have any real power, and it wasn't until most of his life was over that he was finally living without being told what to do. The scenes of his "re-education" are more painful because for him, it wasn't "re" but just regular education. Yet, from a symbolic standpoint, and for the first few years of his life (before the Chinese Revolution), yeah, he was something special.

    I know that the Chinese government has a certain reputation about them when it comes to portrayals of the country and its history, so it made me happy to know that when Bertolucci approached them with two projects he wanted to shoot in China, this was the one they chose. It's like they knew that telling this story was important, especially because all parts of a country's history deserve to be known to the masses. Plus, this film made history by getting unprecedented access to film all over the Forbidden City, and the results are just great.

    Well, I've gushed a lot, but I don't thnk this film is perfect. It is long, and sometimes boring, but I found myself so intrigued and moved that I can't really hold any ill will towards it. It was nominated for like 9 Oscars and won them all, and they were definitely deserved. You should definitely give this one a watch. It's quite something.
  • jamers2011
    March 23, 2011
    jamers2011
    Wow! Beautful, beautiful film to watch. With perfect cinematography, an epic story, and a magnificent musical score, The Last Emperor takes the audience where few films have. An epic, elegant, must-see, film.

    My absolute favorite thing about the movie is the cinematography. Th... read moreis film literally transports you into historic China. The settings, costumes, scenery, appearance....it's simply unreal.

    It's also interesting that this film is the first film to be given permission to shoot in the Forbidden City. This emphasizes my second favorite thing about the film, the grand scale of the story itself. The story covers over 60 yrs. of Puyi's life. It's important to try to make the film realistic and to include as much history and experiences as possible. Wow, this film delivers.

    The pacing of this film is absolutely fantastic. Every scene is just the right length and every scene transitions nicely with the rest, especially the transitions between the past and the present. However, there are times the film drags. It's never boring, but there are definitely moments where I sort of wanted the scene to change or move on.

    The acting was not the greatest, but it was mostly do to the child actors needed for the first 90 minutes of the film. However, the second half of the film delivers much better performances. I thoroughly enjoyed John Lone's performance as the adult Puyi. Peter O'Toole also gives a good supporting performance.

    The Last Emperor is a film everyone should see! Winner of 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography, this film delivers. Yes, it drags here and there, and the acting is not as finely tuned as I had expected, but I was completely taken in nonetheless. Check out this incredible classic film!
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    March 5, 2011
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Review to come.
  • paulkoh110
    January 21, 2011
    paulkoh110
    Overall, it was an ok movie. The strong points such as the music, costumes, and cinematography make up for some decent acting with sometimes flimsy plot lines. It was entertaining but not a best picture winner.
  • hunterjt13
    December 8, 2010
    hunterjt13
    At the age of three, Pu Yi was crowned emperor of China, and this film tells his story and, by extension, the story of China in the early twentieth century. There can be nothing negative said about the technical aspect of filmmaking here; Bertolucci's shots are exquisitely frame... read mored, the art direction is superb, and the film makes Joan Chen more beautiful than she could possibly be in real life. What is more, most of the story is subtly advanced using images rather than dialogue and voice over. I think my favorite is a party scene in which Japanese dignitaries and the emperor hobnob while the empress silently eats the decorations; empiric rule is heading to the shtter, and she's the only one who sees it coming.
    I guess it's nit-picking to lament that the history of China is portrayed in broken English, but oddly enough, I thought that subtitles would add to the verisimilitude of the film. Also, there are moments when The Last Emperor degrades into mere costume drama, and as a result, by the end of the film, which itself was quite anti-climactic, we don't feel like we got to know any person, even the eponymous emperor, but we did learn a bit about China.
    Overall, I have to recommend the film based on technicalities, but you should probably read up on Chinese history or you'll get lost.
  • fb619846742
    November 10, 2009
    fb619846742
    A fabulous movie. A very long, sometimes demanding movie about one of the last Emperors of China, but a sure classic. John Lone is outstanding as the grown-up version of the Emperor, who ruled from a very, very early age and eventually declined due to his ego. Don't watch this if... read more you hate long movies, it clocks in at almost 4 hours, but if you're interested in the history of China and love shots of beautiful settings, go for it.
  • hobster1
    June 27, 2008
    hobster1
    It certainly looks good, but I defy you to stay awake during this 218 minute snoozefest. Perhaps the editor fell asleep too.
  • binky013
    April 27, 2008
    binky013
    A visually stunning piece. Probably best suited for history buffs who might like to debate the accuracy of the story. If you're looking for pure entertainment value, however, this one might not be for you. I'm bothered, as usual, by English being the primary language of commun... read moreication among non-English-speaking people. I'm never too lazy to read subtitles, and I'd have appreciated that kind of historical accuracy myself.
  • RCCLBC
    February 25, 2008
    RCCLBC
    Another Epic film, beautifully shot and impressivly acted. A treat for the eyes that is not an insult to the mind.

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum
September 7, 2011
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

The expanse of time is saturated with an expanse of visual beauty that feels absolutely right for the story. Full Review

Richard Schickel
February 20, 2009
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

It works astonishingly well. Full Review

Todd McCarthy
February 20, 2008
Todd McCarthy, Variety

Constantly absorbing and tremendously interesting. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
August 20, 2004
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

It's a tribute to the film's intelligence and its feeling for dialectics that it views both the Forbidden City and the detention center as prisons, and that when Pu Yi winds up as a gardener there's a... Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

The Last Emperor is like an elegant travel brochure. It piques the curiosity. One wants to go. Ultimately it's a let-down. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Everything involving the life of Pu Yi was a waste. Everything except one thing: the notion that a single human life could have infinite value. Full Review

Joe Baltake
January 1, 2000
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

One of those irresistible movie entertainments that works on so many different levels and offers so much for the senses to savor that it is likely to intimidate some people even more than it did 11 ye... Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

A remarkable achievement. Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

We need more than elegant parallels and lavish production values. We need tension, characterization, drama. Full Review

Christopher Long
July 26, 2009
Christopher Long, Movie Metropolis

That rare breed of film that is both pure Oscar bait and a thoroughly compelling work. Full Review

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    • Pu Yi (3 years): Cricket!
    • Reginald Johnston "R.J.": Words are important.
    • Pu Yi (15 years): Why are words important?
    • Reginald Johnston "R.J.": If you cannot say what you mean, your majesty, you will never mean what you say and a gentleman should always mean what he says.
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  • Which movie won the 1987 Academy Award for best picture?  Answer »
  • Which of the following films did not receive more than 10 Oscar Nominations?  Answer »
  • How many different actors portrayed the Emperor of China in the film "The Last Emperor"?  Answer »
  • "The Last Emperor" won how many Academy Awards?  Answer »
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