When "Son of Heaven" experienced personal and political twilight...

Rating: 8/10 (3 September 2006)

Bernardo Bertolucci... Wherever I ask anyone about this man, there is usually one answer that appears: the director of THE LAST EMPEROR (1987). This film, made almost twenty years ago, is still so popular that every day there is a place in the world where it is watched. One may ask "what is so special about it that a film about the last emperor of China became one of the undeniable cult movies?" The answer, I think, lies primarily in Bertolucci, the director and some of the movie's powerful aspects.
THE LAST EMPEROR which, on the one hand, deals with quite a difficult content being a sort of "vague movie" filled with flashbacks and flash-forwards, is, on the other hand, a real tribute to what Bertolucci tries to convey in cinema: colors and fascism. The overdose of colors may seem an exaggeration for some viewers while fascism appears to be a wonderful insight into characters' emotional states. The movie, particularly the sequence filmed in the Forbidden City, is full of breathtakingly stunning picture of the declining imperial power of China. This makes THE LAST EMPEROR an impressive epic proportion film and the cinematography by Vittorio Storaro one of the finest found in films. Pu Yi (John Lone), the last emperor, spends his youth years in the Forbidden City where he theoretically rules, but actually plays ruling since his country is no longer the empire it used to be but a communist People's Republic of China. These scenes (actually flashbacks since the film's action starts in 1950 when Pu Yi is already a prisoner) are splendid. Let me mention, for instance, the throne of the Empress widow, Pu Yi's wedding, a sensual love scene between Pu Yi and his two women - the Forbidden City sequence is pure Bertolucci with magnificent entertainment. The rest is a contrasted moody picture and a realistic image of the cruel reality that the main character experiences after the downfall of his power. Therefore, it is a different entertainment filled with director's political evaluations.
CAST: The performers consist primarily of Chinese cast, some not famous internationally. Nevertheless, they are all worth attention and the performances in this movie are unquestionably good. John Lone is very appealing as the Son of Heaven, the Lord of ten thousand years, Pu Yi. He perfectly expresses the emotional states of his character, gives a balanced performance of an aging man and of someone whose fate is exceptionally brute. By his developed performance, he leads a viewer to his character's psyche and creates a unique insight into his emotions. Joan Chen is marvelous as the empress Wan Jung - a beautiful woman and a very talented Chinese actress. I think that her most unforgettable moment is the wedding night and her first kissing the young emperor. But the performance that is outstanding in the movie is the one by Peter O'Toole. Since he is the only "British looking" actor in the film, he does a perfect job among so different cast. His role of Reginald Johnston, the emperor's tutor, a Scotsman, is entirely worth consideration. O'Toole is a great actor, one of the very best of all time and whenever I see his name in the credits, I am certain that he will not disappoint me with anything. And that is true, without any doubt, when applied to THE LAST EMPEROR as well.
CONTENT: The entire story may seem sad: the last emperor of China who was considered the Lord of ten thousand years, ends up as a peasant citizen of the People's Republic of China experiencing communist cruelty and even the Mao cult with its Cultural Revolution of the 1960s. Yet, the action is constructed in such a way that a viewer's interest is wonderfully kept. I loved the aforementioned flashbacks and flash-forwards since this created a feeling of timeless facts. Not chronology makes the utmost importance but life treated as an integral part of a human. When we live, we escape to our memories very often and that that is the thing which constitutes our dreams and evaluations. Moreover, by showing Pu Yi's life in this way, Bertolucci went deeper into his emotional states and filled the film with associations and inner struggles. I loved the moments of "Open the door!" - how beautifully symbolic and how accurately emotional!
CULTURAL REFERENCE: There is one more factor that makes this film interesting: the insight to the Chinese culture. I have never seen a movie that presents an exotic culture (exotic to me as a Pole) in such a balanced and interesting way. Among many moments that show the marvelous culture of the Far East, I loved the moment when three year-old Pu Yi appears at the imperial palace. A widowed empress is set on her throne under the black pearl and tells little boy about his future and the dead emperor who is riding dragons in heaven. Little Pu Yi's face is filled with wonderful curiosity of a child. This moment remained in my memory as particularly unforgettable.
THE LAST EMPEROR is a good film. I do not consider it a masterpiece as some other people do, but I find it a highly accurate movie that is absolutely worth a look. Perhaps, you will not agree with me that the performances are that great since you may have different expectations concerning this aspect; perhaps, you will not like the Chinese story since the history of this country does not constitute your primary interests. However, you will love the number of moments filmed in the Forbidden City...I promise you that!