The Last Emperor

The Last Emperor  is a biopic about Puyi, the last emperor of China. The movie starts in a prison where the ex emperor now a prisoner, slashes his wrists with a blade to kill himself.He looks worn and lost. The prison is filled with men accused of treachery betraying china and working with the Japanese.These prisoners are made to confess their crimes and are forced to reform themselves and accept the Chinese Republic movement.The story of the last emperor is told as a monologue by the emperor during his imprisonment.

The narration starts with  him being 3 years and taken away from his mother to the forbidden city.The forbidden city is the imperial palace for the chinese emperors throughout centuries. He is bought up as an emperor.Fed,clothed,pampered, revered and bought up like an emperor from age 3.He is never allowed to leave the forbidden city.While the emperor grows and weds the girl chosen by the councel, the world outside is witnessing many a change caused by the world war and the anti landlord movements within China. He is exiled from his country and the Japanese support him.While he stays at Japan, the Japanese slowly make him comply with their attrocities and vilence against the people of China and his new reign of Manchukuo.

The story portrays the flamboyant lifestyle and aristocratic upbringing of the emperor and how he suffers in the transition to a gardener.In the last scenes, he is seen purchasing a ticket to see his own imperial palace of the forbidden city.The political unrest in China and the Japanese invasions are well depicted in the movie.

The movie won 9 oscars.My husband felt the movie was slow and lengthy.So he suggested i give a rating of 3.5!

Director : Bernardo Bertolucci

The following links give more information on the movie and the forbidden city:

Wikipedia Link
Forbidden City
Palace map of the Forbidden City
To know more about the emperor Puyi

Rating :3.5/5