You’ve seen the posters. Tommy Lee Jones staring intensely over a corncob pipe, looking every bit the "American Caesar." If you're scrolling through Netflix or Amazon looking for a history fix, the Emperor movie Tommy Lee Jones starred in back in 2012 (released 2013) probably caught your eye. It’s got that gritty, post-war aesthetic that screams "prestige drama."
But here’s the thing. Movies about the 1945 occupation of Japan are surprisingly rare.
Honestly, most Hollywood war flicks end with the big explosions. They don’t usually stick around for the messy, bureaucratic, and deeply tense aftermath of rebuilding a shattered nation. That’s where Emperor tries to live. It’s basically a historical detective story set amidst the ruins of Tokyo.
The plot centers on General Bonner Fellers (played by Matthew Fox), who is tasked by General Douglas MacArthur (Jones) to figure out one massive, world-altering question: Should Emperor Hirohito be hanged as a war criminal, or is he the key to peace?
Tommy Lee Jones as MacArthur: Casting Genius or Just "Salty"?
Let’s be real. Tommy Lee Jones was born to play powerful, slightly grumpy men who don't have time for your nonsense.
In Emperor, he doesn't actually have the most screen time. Matthew Fox does the heavy lifting with the investigation and a—somewhat controversial—fictionalized romance. But every time Jones stomps onto the screen, he owns it. He plays MacArthur as a man acutely aware of his own image. He’s theatrical. He’s arrogant. He’s also incredibly sharp.
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Critics at the time, like those at The Guardian, noted that Jones "waltzes off with a handful of juicy scenes." He captures that specific brand of MacArthur ego. The guy who arrives in Japan not just as a general, but as a surrogate monarch.
"I know," MacArthur puffs in the film when told the Japanese people avert their gaze from the Emperor.
That one line? It tells you everything about the character. He isn't just there to occupy; he's there to replace the sun.
The Reality vs. The Script: What the Emperor Movie Gets Wrong
If you’re a history buff, you’re gonna notice some gaps.
First off, the movie makes it seem like Bonner Fellers had about ten days to decide Hirohito’s fate. In reality, the decision-making process was a lot more complex and drawn out. Fellers was indeed a real person, and he was a "Japan expert" for the Army. But the movie’s portrayal of him as a lovelorn romantic searching for a lost girlfriend named Aya?
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Yeah, that’s mostly Hollywood fluff.
The real Bonner Fellers was actually quite a polarizing figure. He was a staunch conservative who later became a prominent member of the John Birch Society. He did have an affinity for Japanese culture, but the film's "star-crossed lovers" subplot was a device to make a dense political investigation feel more like a movie.
Historical Hits and Misses
- The Meeting: The film climaxes with the famous meeting between MacArthur and Hirohito. This actually happened on September 27, 1945. The iconic photo of the tall, casual MacArthur standing next to the small, formal Emperor is recreated perfectly in the film.
- The Locations: While much of the movie was filmed in New Zealand, the production was famously the first film crew allowed to shoot on the actual Imperial Palace grounds in Tokyo.
- The Demotion: At the end of the film, a title card mentions Fellers was demoted. This is a bit misleading. After WWII, the military had a massive "downsizing." Over 200 generals were reverted to their permanent ranks (usually Colonel) because the wartime "temporary" ranks were no longer needed. It wasn't a punishment for his work in Japan.
Why Does This Movie Still Matter?
We live in a world where "nation-building" has become a bit of a dirty word in foreign policy. Emperor takes us back to a time when it actually worked, albeit through a very messy and morally grey process.
The film digs into the "White Monkey" theory—the idea that if you kill the Emperor, the Japanese people will fight to the last man, woman, and child. MacArthur’s gamble was that by sparing Hirohito, he could use the Emperor’s influence to transition Japan into a democracy.
It was a cold, calculated move. It ignored a lot of the atrocities committed in the Emperor's name. But it also prevented a massive insurgency. Jones plays that ambiguity well. You never quite know if his MacArthur is being a humanitarian or just a very clever politician with an eye on the White House.
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The Production Detail Most People Miss
Did you know the production designers were basically legends? Grant Major (who won an Oscar for Lord of the Rings) did the production design. Ngila Dickson (another Oscar winner) did the costumes.
That’s why the movie looks so incredible. The contrast between the vibrant, pastel-colored flashbacks of pre-war Japan and the ash-grey, skeletal remains of 1945 Tokyo is haunting. It’s a visual representation of a world that literally ended and had to be reborn.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Watchlist
If you’re planning to watch or re-watch the Emperor movie Tommy Lee Jones made, keep these points in mind to get the most out of it:
- Watch the Backgrounds: The reconstruction of post-war Tokyo is one of the most accurate parts of the film. Look for the "Dai-Ichi Life" building—that was MacArthur's actual headquarters.
- Research the "Real" Fellers: If the romance feels a bit "TV-movie" to you, it's because it is. After the film, look up the real General Bonner Fellers. His actual influence on the psychological warfare of WWII is way more fascinating than the fictionalized romance.
- Check out the Book: The movie is based on Shiro Okamoto’s book His Majesty's Salvation. It offers way more nuance into the "Save the Emperor" campaign that happened behind the scenes.
Ultimately, Emperor is a solid B+ of a movie. It’s not a perfect historical document, but as a showcase for Tommy Lee Jones playing a larger-than-life icon, it’s pretty hard to beat. Just don't take the love story as gospel.
To get the full context of this era, you should compare the film's portrayal of the Occupation with the 2016 Japanese film The Emperor in August, which shows the same events from the perspective of the Japanese cabinet during the surrender.
Next Step: You should watch the final scene of the movie and then look up the actual "MacArthur-Hirohito" photograph from 1945. The attention to detail in the actors' posing and the lighting is arguably the best part of the entire production.