Shiro Okamoto's book 'His Majesty's Salvation' has been adapted for the screen by Vera Blasi and David Klass and renamed EMPEROR. Director Peter Webber (Hannibal Rising, Girl with a Pearl Earring) keeps what might have been a patchwork quilt story tightly woven and if the movie delivers nothing else, it gives insight into the relationship between Japan and the US after the devastation of the atomic bomb and the resultant surrender of Japan. For that alone the film is well worth watching.
The setting of the film is 1945 when General MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) steps onto the shores of Japan as the Supreme Commander of the occupying forces. Assigned to rebuild Japan after the war MacArthur selects General Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox), a man with a history with Japan before the war, including a love affair with a Japanese student Aya Shimada (Eriko Hatsune) in America before the war: Aya returned to Japan when relations with between Japan and the US began to dissolve and Fellers followed her for a futile attempt to overcome differences between cultures and impending historic changes, to investigate whether Emperor Hirohito (Takatarô Kataoka) should be tried and hanged as a war criminal. Memories of Aya and his quest to find her in the ravaged post-war landscape help Fellers to discover both his wisdom and his humanity and enable him to come to the momentous decision that changed the course of history and the future of two nations. He meets with the advisors to the Emperor, is rebuked by the Japanese citizenry, and is frustrated with the information he is basically unable to gather until he finally arranges through the aid of his translator chauffeur a meeting between the Emperor and MacArthur in which the Emperor's perception of human dignity is presented and MacArthur has found his answer Feller's sought.
Throughout the film we are reminded about the basic cultural differences between not only East and West, but particularly the culture of Japan - a culture deeply dependent on devotion to Emperor and country. It is an enlightening journey for us as audience, one of understanding and respect, and one that should be more widely shared. Matthew Fox does well with his bifurcated role and he is strongly supported by a very fine cast of Japanese actors. This is a film from which we all can learn important issues while being entertained with a fine period piece.
Grady Harp
