The Last Emperor (film)

The Last Emperor (film)
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Name	The Last Emperor
Director	Bernardo Bertolucci
Producer	Jeremy Thomas
Writer	Bernardo Bertolucci, Mark Peploe
Based on	Autobiography of Puyi (The Enchanted Summer) by Puyi
Starring	John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ying Ruocheng
Music	Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, Cong Su
Cinematography	Vittorio Storaro
Editing	Gabriella Cristiani
Studio	Film Workshop, Recorded Picture Company
Distributor	Columbia Pictures
Released	1987
Runtime	163 minutes
Country	China, Italy, United Kingdom
Language	Mandarin, English, Italian
Budget	$23.8 million
Gross	$79.0 million

The Last Emperor (film) is a 1987 biographical drama directed by Bernardo Bertolucci depicting the life of Puyi from his enthronement as the final emperor of the Qing dynasty to his later years under Communist China. The production involved collaboration between China Film Corporation, Italian producers, and British partners, and was notable for being the first feature film authorized to shoot inside the Forbidden City. The film achieved critical acclaim for its direction, cinematography, and score, and won multiple major awards.

Plot

Set against the backdrop of the late 19th and 20th centuries, the narrative follows a child, Puyi, crowned as ruler of the Qing dynasty with regents and court officials managing affairs during his minority, including figures associated with the Xuantong Emperor era. The plot moves through episodes involving the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, the abdication of the imperial house, interactions with Regent Zaifeng and eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department, and Puyi's exile and return under influence of warlords like Zheng Xiaoxu and the rise of Manchukuo backed by Empire of Japan. The film chronicles Puyi's relationship with figures such as Empress Wanrong and Weng Wenhao-era officials, his installation as puppet ruler in Hsinking (modern Changchun), manipulation by operatives linked to the Japanese Kwantung Army and statesmen including Zhang Xueliang-era actors, the collapse of World War II alliances, and subsequent capture by Soviet Union forces. Later sections depict Puyi's repatriation to People's Republic of China, trial by the People's Courts during the revolutionary period, reform through the re-education process, and his final years working as a gardener and member of society under Mao Zedong-era institutions, concluding with reflections on identity, exile, and historical change across the eras of the Republic of China, Second Sino-Japanese War, and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Cast

The film features John Lone as Puyi, with supporting performances by Joan Chen portraying significant companions, Peter O'Toole as a Western consular figure, and Richard Vinen-era actors in ensemble roles. Other credited actors include Victor Wong, Dennis Christopher, and Chinese stage artists such as Ying Ruocheng in roles depicting high-ranking courtiers and officials from the late Qing court and early Republican administrations. The cast blended international performers from Hong Kong cinema, Italian film actors, and veterans of Chinese theatre and Beijing opera, reflecting the multinational production and the film's coverage of characters from the Aisin-Gioro lineage, Japanese occupiers, Soviet soldiers, and Communist cadres.

Production

Development originated with producer Jeremy Thomas and screenwriters Bernardo Bertolucci and Mark Peploe, adapting the autobiographical material of Puyi and historical sources on the Qing dynasty's fall. The production negotiated permissions with the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Ministry of Culture to film on location within the Forbidden City and at sites in Beijing, Shenyang, and Changchun. Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro employed color palettes and lenses to evoke imperial iconography, while composers Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su combined traditional Chinese music elements with modern orchestration. Sets and costume departments researched garments from the Tongzhi Emperor through the early Republican period, consulting archives of the Palace Museum (Beijing) and collectors of Qing dynasty regalia. The multinational crew worked amid negotiations involving Sino-Italian film relations and the broader context of late-1980s international co-productions in cinema.

Release and Reception

Distributed by Columbia Pictures, the film premiered at festivals including the Venice Film Festival and saw wide release in North America, Europe, and Asia in 1987. Critics praised Bertolucci's direction and Storaro's cinematography, and reviewers in publications connected to the Cannes Film Festival circuit and New York Film Critics Circle highlighted the film's epic scope. Box office returns were strong for an art-house historical drama, and audience reception varied between praise for visual authenticity and debate among historians regarding representation of figures like Puyi, Empress Wanrong, and Japanese military leaders. The film stimulated scholarly discussion in journals covering East Asian history, film studies programs at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley and Oxford University, and exhibitions at museums including the British Museum and Palace Museum (Beijing).

Awards and Accolades

The film won nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Bernardo Bertolucci, Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography for Vittorio Storaro. It also received awards from the Golden Globe Awards, the BAFTA Awards, and honors at the Venice Film Festival and National Board of Review. The soundtrack and original score by Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Byrne received nominations and contributed to the film's legacy in awards circuits tied to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and international critics' associations.

Category:1987 films Category:Films directed by Bernardo Bertolucci Category:Biographical films about emperors