Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) is a sweeping historical epic that chronicles the extraordinary life of Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the final Emperor of China. Winner of nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, the film remains one of cinema’s most visually majestic and emotionally resonant explorations of power, identity, and the inevitable clash between tradition and modernity.
Set against the turbulent backdrop of early 20th-century China — a nation caught between imperial decline, revolution, and foreign occupation — The Last Emperor is both an intimate psychological portrait and a grand historical chronicle. Through the lens of Puyi’s life, the film examines the collapse of centuries-old institutions, the loneliness of absolute power, and the painful process of personal and political transformation.
Plot Summary
The film opens in 1950, with the elderly Puyi (played by John Lone) being transported to a re-education camp in Fushun, following his capture by the Soviet Union after World War II. As he sits in his cell, his memories unfold in flashback, revealing the astonishing trajectory of his life — from a divine ruler to a powerless prisoner.
Puyi’s story begins in 1908, when, at the age of two, he is chosen to ascend the Dragon Throne after the death of Emperor Guangxu. The young boy is carried into the Forbidden City, where he is treated as a living god by courtiers and eunuchs but kept isolated from the outside world. His mother, forbidden to visit freely, and the vast emptiness of palace life create a sense of deep loneliness that defines his existence.
As Puyi grows older, he becomes aware of the contradictions surrounding his position. Though he is the Emperor of China, the reality is that his authority extends no farther than the walls of the Forbidden City. When the Qing Dynasty falls in 1912 following the Republican Revolution led by Sun Yat-sen, the young emperor is forced to abdicate, effectively ending 2,000 years of imperial rule.
However, the new Republic allows Puyi to continue living within the Forbidden City as a symbolic figure, sustained by tradition but stripped of real power. In his teenage years, Puyi begins to question the rigid structures of his upbringing, influenced by his Scottish tutor, Reginald Johnston (played by Peter O’Toole). Johnston exposes him to Western education, ideas, and technology — even introducing him to bicycles and spectacles — and encourages him to see himself as more than a prisoner of custom.
Yet, as China moves through decades of upheaval — warlord conflicts, Japanese invasion, and civil unrest — Puyi becomes entangled in the political currents of the age. Expelled from the Forbidden City in 1924 by warlord forces, he seeks refuge in the Japanese-controlled territory of Tianjin. There, Puyi attempts to reassert his royal identity, living lavishly while remaining a pawn in foreign hands.
Eventually, in 1932, the Japanese install him as the puppet emperor of Manchukuo, their newly formed state in northeastern China. Though Puyi initially sees this as a chance to restore his dynasty, he quickly realizes he is nothing more than a figurehead, manipulated by Japanese militarists. His rule becomes an illusion of sovereignty — an empire of shadows presiding over exploitation and war.
As World War II ends and Japan collapses, Puyi is captured by the Soviets and later handed over to the Chinese Communists. The film then returns to the opening frame: Puyi’s imprisonment. Under the supervision of a stern but fair warden, he undergoes years of “re-education,” gradually acknowledging his role in supporting Japanese imperialism and his complicity in oppression.
Upon his release in 1959, Puyi emerges as an ordinary citizen in the People’s Republic of China. In the film’s poignant final scenes, the once-divine ruler works as a humble gardener in Beijing, tending plants and leading a quiet, anonymous life. When he visits the Forbidden City as a tourist years later, he kneels before his former throne and finds that his past has been completely transformed into a museum exhibit. The boy who was once worshipped as the Son of Heaven now exists only as a footnote in history.
Themes and Symbolism
The Illusion of Power
A dominant theme in The Last Emperor is the illusion of power. From childhood, Puyi is conditioned to believe he holds absolute authority — the center of the universe. Yet, the truth is that he is merely a puppet, controlled by advisors, politicians, and later, foreign occupiers. The Forbidden City itself symbolizes this illusion: a golden cage of divine privilege that is, in fact, a prison.
Throughout the film, Puyi’s attempts to reclaim power — whether by embracing Western reforms or collaborating with the Japanese — only deepen his entrapment. His journey becomes a tragic meditation on how systems of authority can imprison those they appear to elevate.
Tradition vs. Modernity
Bertolucci portrays China at a crossroads between ancient traditions and modern revolution. The film juxtaposes the ornate rituals of imperial life with the chaos of modernization — trains, telephones, and industrial warfare. Puyi’s tutor, Johnston, represents Western rationalism and reform, challenging centuries of Confucian hierarchy.
This tension is not merely political but deeply personal. Puyi’s struggle to define himself between two worlds — East and West, monarchy and democracy, the sacred and the human — mirrors China’s national identity crisis during the 20th century.
Isolation and Identity
Isolation defines Puyi’s existence. From his coronation at age two, he is surrounded by walls — literal and symbolic — that separate him from the outside world. Even when free, he remains psychologically imprisoned by his upbringing and the expectation of divine superiority.
His re-education in the Communist camp, while humiliating, paradoxically offers him his first taste of genuine human connection. For the first time, he experiences equality, responsibility, and humility. In this sense, his final transformation into a gardener symbolizes spiritual liberation — the rediscovery of identity through simplicity and acceptance.
The Cycle of History
The film subtly suggests that empires, ideologies, and identities are transient. The grandeur of imperial China fades into revolution, which itself gives way to new forms of control under Communism. Yet, amid these cycles, human endurance persists. Bertolucci’s narrative is not merely historical but philosophical — a reflection on impermanence and the futility of clinging to power.
Cinematic Style and Direction
Bernardo Bertolucci’s direction in The Last Emperor is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Working with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, he creates a film that is both intimate and monumental. Every frame is meticulously composed, using color, light, and architecture to convey psychological and thematic depth.
The color palette evolves alongside Puyi’s life: the warm golds and reds of the Forbidden City signify divine grandeur and confinement; the cold blues and grays of Manchukuo evoke political manipulation; and the soft, natural tones of the re-education camp reflect human humility and renewal. Storaro’s cinematography transforms history into visual poetry, with sweeping tracking shots, symmetrical compositions, and painterly lighting that enhance the film’s operatic scope.
The production design, supervised by Ferdinando Scarfiotti, achieves extraordinary authenticity. The Last Emperor was the first Western film ever granted permission to shoot inside Beijing’s Forbidden City — a privilege that lends the film unmatched historical realism. The grandeur of these sets reinforces the contrast between imperial splendor and personal emptiness.
Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su’s musical score adds another dimension of emotional resonance. The fusion of traditional Chinese instrumentation with Western orchestration mirrors the film’s cross-cultural themes, creating a haunting and ethereal atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll.
Performances
John Lone as Puyi
John Lone delivers a masterful performance as Puyi, portraying him from youth to old age with emotional precision and subtlety. Lone captures both the arrogance of a man raised to believe he is divine and the vulnerability of someone stripped of meaning. His performance humanizes history, transforming a distant monarch into a profoundly tragic and relatable figure.
Peter O’Toole as Reginald Johnston
Peter O’Toole’s portrayal of Johnston provides one of the film’s moral anchors. As the Emperor’s tutor, he embodies reason, education, and compassion, offering Puyi a glimpse of freedom beyond tradition. His scenes with the young emperor are some of the film’s most poignant, revealing a rare bond of respect across cultural boundaries.
Joan Chen as Wan Rong
Joan Chen plays Puyi’s empress, Wan Rong, whose descent into addiction and despair parallels the decline of the empire itself. Her performance evokes the human cost of historical change — individuals crushed beneath the weight of tradition and politics.
Historical and Cultural Context
While The Last Emperor takes creative liberties, it remains largely faithful to historical events. Puyi’s reign, abdication, and later collaboration with the Japanese are all drawn from real history. His eventual transformation into a common citizen reflects the Communist regime’s attempt to rewrite the legacy of the imperial past.
Bertolucci’s treatment of Chinese history is nuanced, neither glorifying the monarchy nor demonizing revolution. Instead, the film portrays both as phases in the continuous evolution of civilization. It suggests that human dignity and personal enlightenment are more meaningful than political power or ideology.
Reception and Legacy
Upon its release, The Last Emperor was met with universal acclaim. It won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score — sweeping every category for which it was nominated. Critics praised its visual grandeur, emotional depth, and historical scope, calling it one of the most ambitious films ever made.
Today, the film endures as a landmark of world cinema — a rare fusion of artistic vision, historical authenticity, and human insight. Its portrayal of Puyi as both a victim and a symbol of change continues to resonate in discussions about the nature of power, colonialism, and personal redemption.
Conclusion
The Last Emperor (1987) is more than a biographical epic; it is a meditation on history, identity, and transformation. Through Puyi’s tragic yet redemptive journey, the film captures the fall of an empire and the awakening of a man. Bertolucci’s vision, supported by John Lone’s remarkable performance and Vittorio Storaro’s breathtaking cinematography, elevates the story from historical recounting to timeless allegory.
In the end, Puyi’s transformation from emperor to gardener symbolizes the essential truth of human existence — that power, privilege, and prestige are fleeting, but self-knowledge and humility endure. The Last Emperor stands as a masterpiece of world cinema — an unforgettable reflection on the fragility of empire and the resilience of the human soul.
