{"id":28305,"date":"2012-11-07T16:49:24","date_gmt":"2012-11-07T23:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28305"},"modified":"2021-02-04T23:39:37","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T06:39:37","slug":"last-laugh-the-1924","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28305","title":{"rendered":"Last Laugh, The (1924)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;In consideration of your long service with us, we have found another position for you.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Poster-196x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"196\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-28309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Poster-196x300.jpg 196w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Poster.jpg 340w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen an aging doorman (Emil Jannings) at a fancy hotel is demoted to washroom attendant, he hides this shameful fact from his family and neighbors as long as possible &#8212; but could an unexpected change in fortune be around the corner for Jannings?\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Downward Spiral<\/li>\n<li>F.W. Murnau Films<\/li>\n<li>German Films<\/li>\n<li>Silent Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary argues that this &#8220;classic German silent film, directed without titles by F.W. Murnau&#8221;, &#8220;suffers today because of Jannings overdoing it with the self-pity and a happy ending that just doesn&#8217;t mesh with what went before.&#8221; However, he concedes that &#8220;Karl Freund&#8217;s cinematography is absolutely stunning&#8221;, noting that his &#8220;remarkable close-ups, Jannings&#8217;s dream sequence, and the opening street scene&#8230; shot through a revolving door&#8221; are &#8220;particularly impressive&#8221;. He argues that Freund&#8217;s &#8220;use of a mobile camera and his surreal effects were revolutionary&#8221;, and that &#8220;truly there are shots unlike those found in any other film&#8221;. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s2745last.html\">DVD Savant&#8217;s review<\/a> (of a newly restored version unavailable to Peary in 1986) provides additional insights into the movie, which he notes is often considered &#8220;the best example of German Expressionism&#8221;. He writes that &#8220;Murnau plans every shot to contrast the doorman&#8217;s proud position with his later, diminished status&#8221;, and argues that &#8220;the entire film is energized by a camera that adds its comment to each scene and each angle.&#8221; He notes that while Jannings&#8217; performance may be &#8220;stylized&#8221;, &#8220;nothing about [it] is overwrought&#8221;, and further points out the &#8220;remarkable&#8221; set designs by Edgar G. Ulmer. <\/p>\n<p><em>The Last Laugh<\/em> is ultimately more of a cinematographic fable than a traditional full-length feature, given several factors: its rather limited narrative scope; the lack of any names given to the characters (Jannings is simply &#8220;The Hotel Doorman&#8221;); the lack of inter-titles (though written notes are occasionally used to good effect); and the admittedly &#8220;tacked on&#8221;, unrealistically happy ending. To that end, I disagree with Peary&#8217;s complaint that the epilogue &#8220;just doesn&#8217;t mesh with what went before&#8221;; instead, I see it as simply further evidence that the entire narrative is meant to be viewed from the doorman&#8217;s perspective. After all, the extreme reactions of his neighbors and family members &#8212; both to the glory of his original position, and the shame of his debasement &#8212; defy logic; therefore, the happy ending seems to nicely represent simply an extension of Jannings&#8217; ongoing fantasies and delusions. Regardless, what&#8217;s most impressive about the film is &#8212; as both Peary and Savant point out &#8212; its visual inventiveness, making it an early classic film fanatics won&#8217;t want to miss seeing at least once. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Emil Jannings as the Hotel Doorman<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Jannings.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Jannings.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Jannings.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Jannings-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Jannings-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Innovative direction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Direction.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Direction.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Direction.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Direction-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Direction-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Karl Freund&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Cinematography.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Cinematography.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Cinematography.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Cinematography-128x96.jpg 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/Last-Laugh-Cinematography-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a visually evocative silent fable by a master director and his DP.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0015064\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.digitallyobsessed.com\/displaylegacy.php?ID=1184\">Digitally Obsessed Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/classic\/lastlaugh.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/great-movie-the-last-laugh-1924\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Great Movies Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s2745last.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;In consideration of your long service with us, we have found another position for you.&#8221; Synopsis: When an aging doorman (Emil Jannings) at a fancy hotel is demoted to washroom attendant, he hides this shameful fact from his family and neighbors as long as possible &#8212; but could an unexpected change in fortune be around the corner for Jannings? Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Downward Spiral F.W. Murnau Films German Films Silent Films Response to Peary\u2019s Review: Peary argues that&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28305\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28305"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68833,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28305\/revisions\/68833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}