The Last Emperor (1987)

 The Last Emperor (1987)

The Last Emperor is one of the final epics of old. It is a tale about the final emperor of China, Pu-Yi, and his descent from emperor to ordinary man. Unlike older epics like Lawrence of Arabia, there are hardly any action scenes or moments of intrigue. Instead, it is a story that tells the life of a government puppet within some major historical events. To me, that is what makes this story worthy of telling. It’s not particularly about the life of an emperor, but about the transition of feudalism to the current state of communism of China’s society. The movie is very long and can be slow at times, but in the end, Bernardo Bertolucci created a worthy epic. Worthy of Best Picture? Who knows. I do know that this is a visually stunning film that takes advantage of the Forbidden Kingdom with dazzling shots. The story can be imperfect at times with its tonal shifts, but it is a good learning device. I learned more about Pu-Yi and his “worthiness” to the powers that may be.

Bertolucci’s epic is the first Western picture to ever be filmed in the Forbidden City. The director took advantage with this by creating such gorgeous visual shots. As an avid traveler, they really now make me want to visit the place which is home to so much history. As a film that needed to be approved by the Chinese government, apparently it was easier to work with the Chinese than the studio system. Outside of a few scribbles here or there, the authorities gave the production complete authority. The film was independently financed by producer Jeremy Thomas, as he was able to raise the necessary funds himself. He even had to use the phone pages to find potential financial backing. Regardless, he was able to produce the money. Columbia Pictures distributed the picture, but they did not feel comfortable doing so until very late in the game. It was not even a box office success, but it certainly wowed critics and award groups alike.

What I think the picture did successfully is portray the kind of person Hu-Yi (John Lone) was. From a very young age, he was denied access to the outside world as we see in the scene where he received a bicycle, but his own guards stopped him from leaving the grounds. For the man himself, his story is bittersweet. He abdicated the throne at the age of 7 and was handed to the Japanese and eventually handed to the Communists. He was certain that he was going to be killed at the hands of the Communists, but instead went through “re-education camp” where he would end his days as a farmer. It sounds so awful going from a somebody to a nobody, but it seems he was at his happiest working as a farmer. I personally felt the ending was really sad as he ended his life in an obscure fashion. Along the way, we see the man he would become. An independent thinker, someone who longs for the outside world and the European way (taught by his mentor R.J. Johnston, played by Peter O’Toole). This person was not really seen as a person, but as a means for people to use to help satisfy their personal goals.

The performances were fantastic. John Lone could have gotten an Oscar nomination and I would not have complained. He played Hu-Yi from the ages of twenty through sixty. Through the years, he really changed as a person and Lone was able to pull it off and make you sympathize towards the man who does not mean much as a person to others. An isolated loner who developed a skill for independent and philosophical thinking. Peter O’Toole also lent his charisma and does a great job in a supporting role.

The Last Emperor is the winner of nine Oscars. Bertolucci pulled off a difficult feat in putting this film together. His cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro gave us an impressive display of shots of a Chinese area that many Westerners have not seen. The score was an impressive blend of traditional music. The costumes felt genuine and were beautiful. The story itself is a little long and could have used better editing, but I liked how the several narratives were interwoven with one another. As someone who loves history, this was a learning lesson for me. I could not help but feel for this man who is treated as nothing. The ending is bittersweet for me. I liked how he was happy, but he was just a no one. I guess being happy it what matters in the end. I was very surprised this movie cleaned up at the Oscars. But for those who love long epics and can stand a little messy narrative, definitely give this a buzz.

My Grade: B+