The Last Emperor

1987 • 2h 43m •

Drama History

MOVIEVIBE Rating

★ 7.6/10

1,978 reviews

Your Rating

A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.

"1500 slaves. 353,260,000 royal subjects. Warlords. Concubines. And 2 wives. He was the loneliest boy in the world."

Top Billed Cast

John Lone

Pu Yi (Adult)

Joan Chen

Wan Jung

Peter O'Toole

Reginald Johnston (R.J.)

Ruocheng Ying

The Governor

Victor Wong

Chen Pao Shen

Dennis Dun

Big Li

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Amakasu

Maggie Han

Eastern Jewel

Detailed Critic & Audience Reviews

C CinemaSerf Verified TMDB Critic

2023-07-17

This is a glorious film to watch on a big screen. It depicts the end of empire and the birth of new ones - and it does it in a spectacularly colourful and stylish fashion. The death of the Empress Dowager sees the toddler Pu Yi ascend the Dragon Throne of China, and live amidst concubines and eunuchs in the Forbidden City. He grows up believing his is a divine right to rule, and it is only upon the arrival of his tutor RJ (Peter O'Toole) and his procurement of spectacles that his eyes begin to be opened to the reality that his kingdom is entirely enclosed within a wall of golden yellow tiles. ...