old fashion epic

Rating: 8/10 (11 April 2015)

Pu Yi (John Lone) is the last Emperor of China. The movie flashes back and forth from as a post-war prisoner to his life leading up to that moment. In 1908, he is taken from his home and transferred to the Hidden City. When the Dowager dies, he becomes the emperor. He's separated from his mother for years and his younger brother Pu Chieh comes to stay with him. He becomes obsolete as a child emperor when the country turns into a Republic. R.J. Johnston (Peter O'Toole) is his English tutor and mentor. Pu Yi is locked in even when his mother dies. He has an arranged marriage to Wan Jung (Joan Chen) and Wenxiu. In 1924, he is expelled from the Forbidden City. He lived in luxury with his entourage. Wenxiu gets her divorce. Japanese agent Eastern Jewel entices Wan Jung with opium while Pu Yi is pulled ever closer to Japan. He is eventually installed as the emperor of Manchukuo, a puppet state of Japan.
It's a grand epic historical drama. John Lone delivers a stone-faced performance. It has a certain appeal and makes the emperor more of a victim of history. It's a specific take on the character which some may object to. It's actually quite compelling. The picture looks beautiful. A lot of it has to do with the fact that the film goes inside the Forbidden City. I wouldn't say it deserves all of the Oscars but it definitely deserves to win a few of them.