The Last Emperor (1987)

Tao Wu: Pu Yi (15 years)

Photos 

Quotes 

• Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : Words are important.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Why are words important?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : If you cannot say what you mean, Your Majesty, you will never mean what you say and a gentleman should always mean what he says.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : Is it true, Mr. Johnston, that many people out there have had their heads cut off?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : It is true, Your Majesty. Many heads have been chopped off. It does stop them thinking.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : Who is this George Washington?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : A famous American, Your Majesty. A revolutionary general, the first American president.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Ah, like Mr. Lenin in Russia?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : Not quite.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Does he have a car?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : He lived a long time ago, Your Majesty.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : *I* want a car.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : [in heavily accented English]  I know that you know that I know that you know that that is a dialogue between Confucius and Chuang Tzu.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : Where are your ancestors buried?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : In Scotland, Your Majesty.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : But then, where's your skirt? In your country, men wear short skirts, do they not?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : No, Your Majesty, Scotmen do not wear skirts. They wear kilts.

• Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : I think your mouse is trying to escape, Your Majesty.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Please do not tell anyone about my mouse.

• Wan Jung : Is the Emperor against arranged marriages?

  Pu Yi, at 15 : It is humiliating not to choose whom you marry!

  Wan Jung : Even I was not allowed to choose. And yet westerners might be amazed how much happiness can come from arranged marriages.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : I want a modern wife, Johnston, who speaks English and French! And who can dance the quickstep!

• Wan Jung : I also had a tutor like Mr. Johnston. Miss Windsor. She's American. Miss Windsor taught me how to do the dance of the quickstep. Does the Emperor know how to do the quickstep?

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Will you teach me?

• Pu Yi, at 15 : Are you a gentleman?

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : I would like to be a gentle man, Your Majesty. I try to be.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : I'm not a gentleman. I'm not allowed to say what I mean. They are always telling me what to say.

• Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : Your Majesty, in my country, it would be usual to begin with some kind of an examination.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : The Emperor cannot be examined.

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : Well, that may have to change.

• Wan Jung : What is His Majesty thinking?

  Pu Yi, at 15 : I was thinking, if I was the real Emperor, I would become the ruler of China now.

  Wan Jung : And what would the Emperor do, if he could really rule?

  Pu Yi, at 15 : I would change everything.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : Our official taster's a brave man. Many of my ancestors have been poisoned, you know.

  Reginald Fleming 'R.J.' Johnston : Does Your Majesty have lunch like this every day?

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Oh, yes! Every day! Like theater! I do not know why. It has always been like that.

• Pu Yi, at 15 : I know that you know that I know that you know that - that is a dialog between Confucius and Chuang Tzu.

• Oculist : Well, it's perfectly simple, Johnston. The Emperor needs spectacles.

  Pu Yi, at 15 : Like Harold Lloyd!