Bernardo Bertolucci is the famed director of "The Last Emperor." (Photo : REUTERS)
If there is a Western movie done on China that needs to be watched, "The Last Emperor" would be high on that list. The movie explored the life of China's last ruler, gaining three and a half stars in 1987 from the Daily News.
With this movie, those raring to know more about the turbulent and yet colorful history of China could do it through the eyes of its last emperor, Pu Yi.
"The Last Emperor" is the first Western movie to showcase the dynasties that once ruled the vast and regal nation.
Directed by Italian Bernardo Bertolucci and filmed by Vittorio Storaro, the film captured what it feels like to live in the final glory days of imperial China, especially under the tutelage of the country's last ruler, Pu Yi.
Pu Yi became the emperor in 1908 and died a gardener during Maoist China. The Communists prosecuted the emperor in 1950 and his prison interrogation became so controversial that the film centered on it, offering viewers a significant snippet of what transpired during the turbulent period in China.
The story, however, started with Pu Yi as a mere naughty thee-year-old, growing up to become a fine lad studying under a British tutor.
The meaty part of the movie started when he got married to a 17-year-old beauty and then set forth to the real world, where he became a playboy. When he decided that it is time for him to rule, he became the perfect puppet for the Japanese, who established him as the puppet ruler of Manchuria.
His wife, obviously discarded like a used toy and not given an opinion on anything, became a listless opium addict without a clear role on the palace. She was shown sitting in a quiet corner at a reception for the Japanese High command, just eating orchids.
Viewers can certainly see how Pu Yi became a great victim of his luxurious childhood and ignorant adulthood. He was politically naive, playing into the hands of the Japanese. His wife, a mere trophy without experiencing clear intimacy from her husband.
