THE LAST LAUGH / Der letzte Mann

Germany – 1924 – B&W – Silent Film – 90’

Dir.: Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau | Scr.: Carl Mayer | Cin.: Karl Freund | Ed.: Elfi Böttrich | Mus.: Giuseppe Becce | Cast: Emil Jannings, Maly Delschaft, Max Hiller, Emilie Kurz, Hans Unterkircher, Olaf Storm, Georg John | Prod.: Erich Pommer

An elderly hotel doorman, proud of his position, is demoted -due to age- to a menial job in the restrooms. His emotional distress is amplified by the disrespect of those around him, who now treat him with contempt.


Profoundly political, Murnau’s masterful social drama uses a simple story to expose a ruthless system that crushes human dignity. Striking direction, pioneering cinematography -including handheld shots by the exceptional Karl Freund, who helped shape modern cinema-, and a powerful performance by Emil Jannings. A single intertitle appears at the very end - the story is told entirely through image and performance- offering an unexpected, heartwarming finale. Some perceived it as a compromise for commercial appeal; others saw it as cinema’s great gift to its audience: the right to dream and to escape grim reality.