The Last Laugh

The Last Laugh (German: Der Letzte Mann) is a German 1924 silent film directed by German director F. W. Murnau from a screenplay written by Carl Mayer. It is the most famous example of the short-lived Kammerspiel or "chamber-drama" genre. This was one of the first films to incorporate a moving camera, although references to cameras following characters up stairs in Murnau's earlier (now lost) film, Der Januskopf, may point to an even earlier use.... more

The Last Laugh (German: Der Letzte Mann) is a German 1924 silent film directed by German director F. W. Murnau from a screenplay written by Carl Mayer. It is the most famous example of the short-lived Kammerspiel or "chamber-drama" genre. This was one of the first films to incorporate a moving camera, although references to cameras following characters up stairs in Murnau's earlier (now lost) film, Der Januskopf, may point to an even earlier use. The set was built entirely within a studio, unusual for Murnau who preferred to shoot on location. In 2000, it was added to Roger Ebert's list of Great Movies. 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... less