The Last Laugh
Encyclopedia
The Last Laugh 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.
The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra
premiered its new score for the film in 2008.
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."
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."
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
1924
1924 in film
-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
directed by German director F. W. Murnau from a screenplay written by Carl Mayer
Carl Mayer
Carl Mayer was an Austrian screenplay writer who wrote or co-wrote the screenplays to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari , The Haunted Castle , Der Letzte Mann , Tartuffe , Sunrise and 4 Devils , the last five being films directed by F. W...
. The film stars Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
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
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
included it among his list of Great Movies.
The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra
The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra
The Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra is an ensemble of composers and musicians based in St. Louis, Missouri. The ensemble composes and performs original scores to accompany films of the Silent Era, and composes and records soundtrack music for contemporary films.- Origins and History:The...
premiered its new score for the film in 2008.
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."
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."
Cast
- Emil JanningsEmil JanningsEmil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
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 UnterkircherHans UnterkircherHans Unterkircher was an Austrian film actor. He appeared in 63 films between 1916 and 1971.He was born in Graz, Austria and died in Vienna, Austria.-Selected filmography:* The Tiger Woman...
as 'Geschäftsführer' (hotel manager) - Olaf Storm as 'junger Gast' (young guest)
- Hermann Vallentin as 'spitzbäuchiger Gast' (guest with pot belly)
- Georg JohnGeorg JohnGeorg John was a German stage and film actor.-Early life:Georg John was born in Schmiegel, Province of Posen, Imperial Germany.- Career :John began his career around 1900 in smaller stages and traveling theatres...
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 techniqueUnchained camera techniqueThe "unchained camera technique" was an innovation by filmmaker F.W. Murnau that allowed for filmmakers to get shots from cameras in motion enabling them to use pan shots, tracking shots, tilts, crane shots etc....