A silent symphony of fallen pride and lost identity in Weimar Berlin. Through a revolutionary moving camera, the film captures the tragic descent of a man stripped of his uniform, blending Expressionist shadows with the harsh light of social reality.
The Last Laugh
Der letzte Mann
Director:
F. W. Murnau
Cast:
Emil Jannings, Maly Delschaft, Max Hiller, Hans Unterkircher, Hermann Vallentin
Drama
The Last Laugh - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Here our story should really end, for in actual life, the forlorn old man would have little to look forward to but death. The author took pity on him, however, and provided quite an improbable epilogue.
— Intertitle (The Narrator)
Context:
Appears after the Doorman is shown slumped in despair in the washroom, just before the film cuts to the scene of him inheriting a fortune.
Meaning:
This is the film's famous 'apology' for its happy ending. It breaks the fourth wall to admit that the realistic outcome is tragedy, thereby preserving the film's social critique even while delivering a crowd-pleasing finale.
(No spoken dialogue)
— N/A
Context:
Throughout the entire film.
Meaning:
The film is famous for having almost no intertitles (dialogue cards), relying entirely on visual storytelling.