Der Letzte Mann (The Last Laugh) (1924)

100% of critics liked it
(25 reviews)
89% of users liked it
(3,665 ratings)

F.W. Murnau's German silent classic The Last Laugh (Der Letze Mann) stars Emil Jannings as the doorman of a posh Berlin hotel. Fiercely proud of his job, Jannings comports himself like a general in his resplendent costume, and is treated like royalty by his friends and neighbors. The hotel's… More F.W. Murnau's German silent classic The Last Laugh (Der Letze Mann) stars Emil Jannings as the doorman of a posh Berlin hotel. Fiercely proud of his job, Jannings comports himself like a general in his resplendent costume, and is treated like royalty by his friends and neighbors. The hotel's insensitive new manager, noting that Jannings seems winded after carrying several heavy pieces of luggage for a patron, decides that the old man is no longer up to his job. The manager demotes Jannings to men's washroom attendant, and the effect is disastrous on the man's prestige and self-esteem. Logically, the film should end on a note of tragedy, but Murnau (either because he was ordered to by the producers or because he just felt like it) adds a near-surrealistic coda, wherein Jannings, having suddenly inherited a fortune, returns to the hotel in triumph. The Last Laugh was a bold experiment for its time: a film told entirely visually, with no subtitles save for the semi-satirical explanation of the climax. In a sense, Karl Freund's camera is as much a "character" as anyone else, commenting upon Jannings' rise and fall via then-revolutionary camera angles, jarring movements and grotesque lens distortions. Many historians credit The Last Laugh as the vanguard of the "German invasion" of Hollywood during the mid- to late-1920s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 17 min.
Directed By: F.W. Murnau
Written By: Carl Mayer
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 5, 1925 Wide
On DVD: Nov 11, 2003

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
The 1924 film in which F.W. Murnau freed his camera from its stationary tripod and took it on a flight of imagination and expression that changed the way movies were made.
Mordaunt Hall, New York Times
There are no titles in this film -- merely a few inserts to guide the viewer. And yet one is never in doubt as to the action of this admirable picture, which is a remarkable piece of direction, with exquisite lighting effects.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The film would be famous just for its lack of titles, and for its lead performance by Emil Jannings, which is so effective that both Jannings and Murnau were offered Hollywood contracts and moved to America at the dawn of sound.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
One of Murnau's classic silent films features a great performance from Emil Jannings, who three years later became the first Best Actor Oscar winner.
Alan Morrison, Empire Magazine
Karl Freund's ground-breaking and historically important cinematography can still take the breath away.
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm
...can still pierce a hardened heart - especially these days, when demotions and layoffs have become a daily occurrence and the streets are full of forlorn former doormen.
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
A Murnau silent classic featuring strong Emil Jannings performance.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It ends with an unconvincing cop-out happy ending.
Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine
A striking vision of contemporary horror finally presented in its original version.
Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine
The Last Laugh can really best be understood as a horror story.
S. James Wegg, JWR
Walk a mile in my shoes
Jean-François Vandeuren, Panorama
Même après plus de 80 ans, The Last Laugh demeure un film qui ne vieillit tout simplement pas.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Widely regarded as an expressionist masterpiece.
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
One of the darkest commentaries (intra- and extratextually) on the cost of comfort and compromise in art and life.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
I'll make the radical claim that losing around ten minutes would have made the film flawless. But it's almost made up for by that ending...
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The film is notable for its smooth, moving, tracking camera and its complete lack of intertitles, making it a true universal experience.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stella D

a groundbreaking film in nearly every possible way and one of the finest achievements of the silent era. it's broadly played but flows beautifully and contains only one title card! magnificent!
Lafe F

Great lighting and high contrast German silent film. It's a nice slice of life in 1924 Berlin. The famous director F.W. Murnau evokes many emotions. It's a work of art to look at. It feels really long and is sad. I felt sorry for the old walrus-moustached hotel doorman who… More
Great lighting and high contrast German silent film. It's a nice slice of life in 1924 Berlin. The famous director F.W. Murnau evokes many emotions. It's a work of art to look at. It feels really long and is sad. I felt sorry for the old walrus-moustached hotel doorman who lost his proud position.
AJ V

A brilliant movie with great actors, director, and story. A classic.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]With exquisite production design to accentuate the vast differences between the worlds of the luxury hotel and working classes, "The Last Laugh," directed by F. W. Murnau, is a heartbreaking movie about a hotel porter(Emil Jannings) who has been working… More
[font=Century Gothic]With exquisite production design to accentuate the vast differences between the worlds of the luxury hotel and working classes, "The Last Laugh," directed by F. W. Murnau, is a heartbreaking movie about a hotel porter(Emil Jannings) who has been working for the same hotel for decades and takes great pride in doing his job. For him, his work is simply everything. On a day like any other, he takes a heavy trunk off an automobile unassisted in a driving rain storm. It is only understandable that after such an arduous task that he requires a little breather afterwards. But the hotel manager(Hans Unterkircher) does not see it the same way, replacing the porter with a younger man the next day and demoting the former porter out of sight downstairs to attend to the restroom. Like so many, he is simply pushed to the side at the end of his career.[/font]
Simeon D

Silent German character study with a masterfully tragic performance from Emil Jannings and innovative tracking camerawork by F W Murnau. Emotionally gripping and the story still resonates. The ending is very absurdly deus ex machina though. Probably one of the defining early works of… More
Silent German character study with a masterfully tragic performance from Emil Jannings and innovative tracking camerawork by F W Murnau. Emotionally gripping and the story still resonates. The ending is very absurdly deus ex machina though. Probably one of the defining early works of European cinema and, along with Nosferatu, Tabu, Sunrise, and Faust, validates F W Murnau as the sole creative genius behind German Expressionism. 98/100
Patrick D

The ending is such a punch in the face. One that lingers on your cheek for a while.