The Last Emperor The Last Emperor The Last Emperor () is a 1987 British-Italian epic biographical drama film about the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, whose autobiography was the basis for the screenplay written by Mark Peploe and Bernardo Bertolucci. Independently produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was directed by Bertolucci and released in 1987 by Columbia Pictures. Puyi's life is depicted from his ascent to the throne as a small boy to his imprisonment and political rehabilitation by the Communist Party of China. The film stars John Lone as Puyi, with Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong, Dennis
When the Emperor was Divine conclusion, the earlier pages testify to the author's lyric gifts and narrative poise". Sylvia Santiago of "Herizons" magazine described Otsuka's writing style as "scrupulously unsentimental", thus "creating a contrast to the sensitive subject matter". "" said the novel was "a meditation on what it means to be loyal to one's country and to one's self, and on the cost and the necessity of remaining brave and human". "When the Emperor was Divine" won the American Library Association's Alex Award in 2003 and also won an Asian American Literary Award. When the Emperor was Divine When the Emperor was Divine is