Opening of China to the West is one of the most important, but also misunderstood (and at the time ignored) events of late 20th Century. The process was long and gradual and Hollywood played its part in it. The most symbolic and memorable contribution of American cinema industry to that process was “Oscar” triumph of The Last Emperor, 1987 film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
The Last Emperor isn’t Chinese film, but for all practical purpose it is, because British and Italian producers couldn’t have made it without blessing and logistic support of Chinese Communist government, until that time usually wary of allowing Western film makers using their country for location shooting. Basis for the film is From Emperor to Citizen a.k.a. First Half of My Life, autobiography of Puyi, the last emperor of China. The plot begins in 1950 when Puyi (played by John Lone), together with former top officials and dignitaries of Manchukuo, gets extradited from Soviets to the authorities of newly proclaimed People’s Republic of China, where he would have to stand trial for treason and other crimes during Japanese rule over Manchuria. After failed suicide attempt, he is subjected to “re-education” procedure led by detention centre warden (played by Ying Ruocheng) to whom he retells his life. Flashbacks bring plot to 1908 when Puyi is toddler (played by Richard Vuu) living in Forbidden City, imperial palace complex in Beijing. He is summoned by Empress Dowager Cixi (played by Lisa Lu) and told that his father had died, thus making him an emperor of China. Overwhelmed by coronation and need to take part in complicated court ritual, Puyi is unhappy with new situation, especially since he can’t leave Forbidden City. Few years later, Puyi learns that he doesn’t rule the country, since monarchy was brought down in 1911 and replaced with republic, with emperor being merely symbolic title, albeit used as tool in struggles between feuding warlords. In 1919 Englishman Reginald Johnson (played by Peter O’Toole) is appointed as his tutor and learns him Western ways. Under his guidance, Puyi attempts to reform the corrupt court, but those efforts come to end in 1924, when he is exiled following coup in Beijing. Puyi and his wives Wanrong (played by Joan Chen) and Wenxiu (played by Vivian Wu) are forced to wander China, with Puyi living as playboy while courting various factions for support. He finally embraces Japanese whose top agent Masahiko Amakasu (played by Ryuchi Sakamoto) becomes his minder. In 1931 Japanese occupy Manchuria and few years later Puyi is crowned emperor of newly established puppet state of Manchukuo.
Grand epic chronicling the most eventful and turbulent decades in recent history of China might have looked like a strange choice for Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian film maker at the time known mostly for stylish and often controversial dramas. Bertolucci, however, also had keen interest in politics and like many Italian film makers of his generation, was enthusiastic supporter of Marxism. He was also fascinated by Communist China which for many leftist intellectuals on the West represented “pure” application of Marxist ideas into practice. When the opportunity for the film to show at least some glimpses of that experiment came, Bertolucci was quite enthusiastic and some of that enthusiasm can be seen on the screen. The choice of main character, however, looked quite odd . Puyi was man who was hostile to Communism for most of his life and actually began his life as anti-thesis of everything new, modern China represented – an absolute monarch at the head of ultra-reactionary regime in backward country which rejected not only Marxism, but almost all other Western ideas. In the last years of Puyi’s life, Bertolucci also saw what he believed to be the main advantage of Chinese over Soviet brand of Communism – regime’s tendency to reform, rather than eliminate class enemies which allowed country as a whole to be reformed in more efficient manner. The only part of the film that puts question mark under its thesis happens near the end when old Puyi, living a quiet and happy life as simple gardener, witnesses Cultural Revolution and sees his former Communist mentor being bullied and publicly humiliated by Red Guards as enemy of regime. Bertolucci’s pro-Chinese sentiments corresponded well with late Cold War politics, in a period during which China was seen as de facto ally of USA and its brand of Communism more digestible than the one practised in Soviet “Evil Empire”. They played large part in The Last Emperor being embraced by critics, and subsequently, the audience, making it one of the most talked about and most awarded films of the time.
Of course, this wouldn’t have happened with The Last Emperor being a bad film. Bertolucci, who had some experiences with epics, most notably his controversial saga 1900, employed many talents to create “larger-than-life” historical film, very much like those that dominated Hollywood in 1950s and 1960s and in some way similar to Attenborrough’s Gandhi which swept “Oscars” few years earlier. However, the protagonist is quite unusual for this kind of films. Puyi is actually quite passive figure, with his historical importance being result of accident rather than temperament of ability. The Last Emperor clearly shows that he was prisoner for most of his life – first held by corrupt court eunuchs, then by warlords, Japanese and, finally, Communists who used him for their own propaganda purposes. In a brief moment when he enjoyed some sort of freedom, he made the wrong choices, first by living as playboy, then by siding with Japanese against his countrymen. John Lone, nevertheless, plays Puyi as deeply tragic figure, who, despite living in opulence, is beset by endless humiliations, family tragedies until he finally reconciles with his true position in the new order and takes measure of happiness as simple citizen. Lone’s performance is great and it is quite shame that it wasn’t even nominated by Oscar. The rest of the cast, made mostly of Chinese or Hong Kong actors unfamiliar to 1980s Western audience, does admirable work. Peter O’Toole is good as Reginald Johnson, but his character appears too little in the film to have meaningful impact and looks more like a way to make this film more digestible for Western audiences.
Script by Bertolucci and Mark Peploe is good, but it could be somewhat confusing to the viewers unfamiliar with very complicated history of China in first half of 20th Century. Use of flashbacks and 1950s discussions between Puyi and his mentor help a bit by putting some of the events in the context. The Last Emperor is, however, most fascinating in strictly technical sense. Bertolucci has been given unprecedented opportunity to shoot the film at actual locations of Forbidden City and, together with thousands of PLA soldiers serving as extras, this creates memorable images that look more impressive even than what today’s CGI technology could do. Great deal of credit for that should go to cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, as well as great (and “Oscar” awarded) work on production and costume design. Another great asset of The Last Emperor is musical score, which was made by various composers – David Byrne, Ryuchi Sakamoto and Cong Su – but together represents one of the most formidable pieces of film music ever made.
Although it might be confusing and slightly overlong to modern viewers, The Last Emperor nevertheless is a very good film, which can also be recommended as good start for all those in the West who want to understand and learn about the origins of today’s China.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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