Cheap The Last Laugh (DVD) (F.W. Murnau) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of The Last Laugh

Life and Tragedy
1924's "The Last Laugh" is a short, simple, direct tale of an elderly hotel doorman. Becoming complacent, he is smugly replaced by a younger man, and assigned to work in the washroom. Shocked and ashamed, he steals his old uniform to hide his fate from family and friends. A whirlwind of symbolism, the opening scene dances down a moving, mechanical elevator. Director F.W. Murnau tosses in multiple-image montages(all composed in the camera), hallucinatory lighting effects, scenes filmed through glass, and what is probably the first portable, hand-held camera shots. "The Last Laugh" was written by Carl Mayer. Paul Rotha's "Film Till Now" relates that Mayer "was a careful, patient worker. He would take days over a few shots. He would rather return the money than be forced to finish a script the wrong way. Film mattered most. His little money he gave away to make others happy". "The Last Laugh" was an unequaled example of universal co-operation: Director F.W. Murnau, cameraman Karl Freund(who filmed "Dracula" 7 years later), Carl Mayer, and the great German actor Emil Jannings. "The Last Laugh" DVD contains the unusual "happy", alternate ending, chapter stops, and several photo stills. After "Faust" in 1926, Murnau was whisked away to America, where he bought extravagant autos and a racing yacht. Talking movies emerged in 1927, but Murnau's final effort, "Tabu", contained no dialogue. F.W. Murnau's sound-film talents will never be known. A car crash took his life near Santa Barbara in 1931. Greatness suddenly became memory. But oh, what a memory.

---

Murnau's "Little" Masterpiece
What struck this viewer: No title cards, except for the one announcing the "happy" ending; the camera told the story. The amazing city scenes. The choreography of camera movements and extras. (Murnau must be another who chose his extras for appearance.) The way in which Murnau and Freund managed to create a world both familiar, yet menacing and off-kilter at the same time; a dream-like quality infused the entire film. The masterful use of light and shadow. Light and shadow are utilized in this film almost in the manner of an additional "character". Emil Jannings' almost-over-the-top acting never quite disintegrated into overbearing pathos. (One hallmark of a fine actor.) The story itself, touchingly human.

Some reviews criticize the seemingly insignificant event which triggered Jannings' character's dive into massive despair, but to them I would say, upon lesser things have tragedies been built. Truly, doesn't one's occupation help to define them and who they are? Whenever Jannings marched through his tenement dressed in his fine coat he brought a touch of class to his poor surroundings, he brightened everyone's day. His neighbors were proud of him, they respected him, and all of that (a tremendous amount, honestly ) was lost through his demotion.

One quibble. The "happy" ending, in the manner it which it was presented, appeared almost apologetic. As if to leave Jannings' character to languish and die, although realistic, was entirely inappropriate. In my opinion, although charming and delightful, the ending felt rather jarring after such an intense study in decline and depression and despair. Jannings' character inherits a fortune in a most unorthodox manner. Everything is good again. So money cures everything? Does it really? Decide for yourself. I decided, because of this ending, to bestow four stars on what otherwise might have been a five-star-plus production.

---

A True Classic
Sometime in the early '70s, I watched a weekly UHF series, which showcased cinematic masterpieces. It was hosted by Charles Champlain. After he introduced the particular film for that week, he proceeded to play the film itself. Afterward, there was some discussipon about the film that was just shown.

Some were titles I was familiar with; others were unknown to me. But every one of them were cinematic works of art. I remember seeing "The Cabinet Of Doctor Caliagri", Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin" and "Ivan The Terrible, Part I", Cocteau's "Beauty And The Beast", as well as Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai". I remember the level of film-making quality, and thinking I never saw anything prior to what I saw in these films, to compare to what these films offered. They were not just thought-provoking, but they, very often, had a human or a dramatic, aspect to them which most commercial films never captured. I was enjoying the beginning of an education in the history of cinema.

Another treat in that film series was Murnau's "The Last Laugh". It wasn't just the story of a working man, and what happened to him when the source of his pride and satisfation was gone, which gripped me. It was also about how the film depicted the "neighbors" and "friends", who took delight in the doorman'ss humiliation, and how other employees, except for one, were more concerned about their own loyalty to the hotel, rather than expressing personal sympathy. It's a very human story, told in a very simple, but occasionally expressionistic, way.

Other reviewers have remarked about the fluid camera work, and the fact of Murnau's using just one title card. I agree that both of those elements contribute to making "The Last Laugh" a memorable film. I'd also add that Emil Jannings should get credit for his stunning, tragic performance. Don't miss this film!