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.
Working with a moderate budget of $23.8M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $44.0M in global revenue (+85% profit margin).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Last Emperor (1987) reveals deliberately positioned narrative architecture, characteristic of Bernardo Bertolucci's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 43 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.5, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes 1950: Puyi arrives at a Chinese Communist prison as a war criminal, attempting suicide in the bathroom. Establishes his broken state before we see how he got here.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 20 minutes when Young Puyi learns his mother has died and he is forbidden to leave the Forbidden City to see her. The emperor realizes he is a prisoner, not a ruler.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
At 82 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat 1924: Republican forces expel Puyi from the Forbidden City. False defeat - he thinks he's lost everything, but this is actually his first taste of freedom. The stakes raise dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 123 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The Japanese lose WWII. Wan Jung dies, their baby is killed by the Japanese, and Puyi is captured by the Soviets. Everything and everyone he loved is dead. Complete devastation and the death of his imperial identity., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 132 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. 1959-1967: Puyi is released, works as a gardener, and becomes an ordinary citizen. He experiences true freedom for the first time, living authentically as himself rather than as a symbol., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Last Emperor's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping The Last Emperor against these established plot points, we can identify how Bernardo Bertolucci utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Last Emperor within the drama genre.
Bernardo Bertolucci's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Bernardo Bertolucci films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Last Emperor takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Bernardo Bertolucci filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Bernardo Bertolucci analyses, see Little Buddha, Last Tango in Paris and The Dreamers.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
1950: Puyi arrives at a Chinese Communist prison as a war criminal, attempting suicide in the bathroom. Establishes his broken state before we see how he got here.
Theme
The prison governor asks Puyi, "Why did you try to kill yourself?" establishing the central question: What does it mean to truly live when you've been a puppet your entire life?
Worldbuilding
Flashback to 1908: Three-year-old Puyi is torn from his mother and brought to the Forbidden City to become emperor. Establishes the gilded cage that will define his life, the rigid court rituals, and his complete isolation from reality.
Disruption
Young Puyi learns his mother has died and he is forbidden to leave the Forbidden City to see her. The emperor realizes he is a prisoner, not a ruler.
Resistance
Puyi grows up within the palace walls, his tutor Johnston arrives from Scotland to educate him in Western ways. Johnston debates whether he can help Puyi understand the real world while trapped in ancient tradition.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
Puyi and Wan Jung explore modern life within the Forbidden City: bicycles, telephones, Western fashion. They experience the "fun" of being a modern emperor and empress, but remain trapped within walls.
Midpoint
1924: Republican forces expel Puyi from the Forbidden City. False defeat - he thinks he's lost everything, but this is actually his first taste of freedom. The stakes raise dramatically.
Opposition
Puyi becomes a Japanese puppet ruler in Manchukuo. He believes he's finally a real emperor, but is increasingly manipulated. His marriage crumbles, Wan Jung descends into opium addiction, and he loses his remaining humanity.
Collapse
The Japanese lose WWII. Wan Jung dies, their baby is killed by the Japanese, and Puyi is captured by the Soviets. Everything and everyone he loved is dead. Complete devastation and the death of his imperial identity.
Crisis
Back in 1950 prison, Puyi processes his life of complicity and denial. He confronts his role in atrocities and his wasted life as a puppet. Dark night of reckoning with who he really was.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
1959-1967: Puyi is released, works as a gardener, and becomes an ordinary citizen. He experiences true freedom for the first time, living authentically as himself rather than as a symbol.