- The Last Laugh
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For other uses, see The Last Laugh (disambiguation).
The Last Laugh 
Theatrical PosterDirected by F. W. Murnau Produced by Erich Pommer Written by Carl Mayer Starring Emil Jannings
Maly DelschaftCinematography Karl Freund Distributed by UFA Release date(s) December 23, 1924 Running time 101 minutes Country Germany Language Silent film The Last Laugh (German: Der letzte Mann (The Last Man)) is a German 1924 silent film directed by German director F. W. Murnau from a screenplay written by Carl Mayer. The film stars Emil Jannings and Maly Delschaft. It is the most famous example of the short-lived Kammerspielfilm or "chamber-drama" genre. It is noted for its near-absence of intertitles, none of which represent spoken dialogue.
In 2000, Roger Ebert included it among his list of Great Movies.[1]
The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra premiered its new score for the film in 2008.
Contents
Plot
Jannings' character, the doorman for a famous hotel, is demoted to washroom (bathroom) attendant, as he is considered too old and infirm to be the image of the hotel. He tries to conceal his demotion from his friends and family, but to his shame, he is discovered. His friends, thinking he has lied to them all along about his prestigious job, taunt him mercilessly while his family rejects him out of shame. The man, shocked and in incredible grief, returns to the hotel to sleep in the bathroom where he works. The only person to be kind towards him is the night watchman, who covers him with his coat as he falls asleep.
Following this comes the film's only title card, which says: "Here the story should really end, for, in real life, the forlorn old man would have little to look forward to but death. The author took pity on him and has provided a quite improbable epilogue."[1]
At the end, the doorman inherits a fortune and is able to dine happily at the same hotel he used to work for.
Murnau noted that the story was absurd on the grounds that "everyone knows that a washroom attendant makes more than a doorman."[2]
Cast
- Emil Jannings as 'Hotelportier' (hotel doorman)
- Maly Delschaft as 'seine Nichte' (his niece)
- Max Hiller as 'ihr Bräutigam' (her bridegroom)
- Emilie Kurz as Bridegroom's aunt
- Hans Unterkircher as 'Geschäftsführer' (hotel manager)
- Olaf Storm as 'junger Gast' (young guest)
- Hermann Vallentin as 'spitzbäuchiger Gast' (guest with pot belly)
- Georg John as 'Nachtwächter' (night watchman)
- Emmy Wydaa as 'dünne Nachbarin' (thin neighbor)
See also
- German film history
- F. W. Murnau
- List of German films 1919-1933
- Kammerspielfilm
- Unchained camera technique
References
- ^ a b Roger Ebert (March 5, 2000). "The Last Laugh (1924)". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000305/REVIEWS08/3050301/1023.
- ^ Kino DVD commentary
External links
- The Last Laugh at the Internet Movie Database
- The Last Laugh at AllRovi
- Literature on The Last Laugh
Films directed by F. W. Murnau German films Der Knabe in Blau · Satanas · Der Bucklige und die Tänzerin · Der Januskopf · Abend - Nacht - Morgen · Der Gang in die Nacht · Sehnsucht · Schloß Vogelöd · Marizza · Der Brennende Acker · Nosferatu · Phantom · Die Austreibung · Die Finanzen des Großherzogs · Der letzte Mann · Herr Tartüff · Faust - Eine deutsche VolkssageAmerican films Categories:- 1924 films
- Black-and-white films
- 1920s drama films
- German Expressionist films
- German silent films
- Films of Weimar Germany
- German films
- Films set in Germany
- Films set in Berlin
- Silent films
- Films directed by F. W. Murnau
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