Best Movies Guide: Why The Last Emperor Still Matters

The Last Emperor (1987) — an evergreen reference for this movie: the essentials, the cast, where to watch and what to watch next. 1500 slaves. 353,260,000 royal subjects. Warlords. Concubines. And 2 wives. He was the loneliest boy in the world.

Where to watch

TMDB's U.S. watch-provider data lists HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV Channel. Availability changes by country and date, so check your streaming app before watching.

Cast

John Lone as Pu Yi (Adult); Joan Chen as Wan Jung; Peter O'Toole as Reginald Johnston (R.J.); Ruocheng Ying as The Governor; Victor Wong as Chen Pao Shen; Dennis Dun as Big Li; Ryuichi Sakamoto as Amakasu; Maggie Han as Eastern Jewel

About The Last Emperor

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.

More like The Last Emperor

• Empire of the Sun
• The Way Back
• The Zone of Interest
• Richard Jewell
• Victoria & Abdul
• Munich - The Edge of War
• Origin
• Nixon

Figures and availability come from public TMDB data and are provided as a sourced reference.