This beautiful silent film, "The Last Laugh", made at Union Film-UFA Germany,, directed by F.W. Murnau and produced by Eric Pommer, really is one of a kind. Jannings was a great, great actor; a mime of the calibre of Lon Chaney but with more complex dramatic roles, eg. as the Professor in "The Blue Angel". Jannings died in 1950 and at the time of his death was poorly regarded internationally because he featured in German propaganda films for Hitler.
Mel Brooks, who wrote "The German General" sketch I posted here, modelled his skit on "Der Letzte Mann" with its absurdly comic but poignant themes. The "general" is a doorman, as is the central character in "Der Letzte Mann". Murnau, of course, went to the USA where he was highly regarded but sadly died in an auto accident just 7 years after making "Der Letzte Man". A huge loss to cinema.
Watch here to enter again the glorious world of silent cinema:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7yiZM-SlwI
Mel Brooks, who wrote "The German General" sketch I posted here, modelled his skit on "Der Letzte Mann" with its absurdly comic but poignant themes. The "general" is a doorman, as is the central character in "Der Letzte Mann". Murnau, of course, went to the USA where he was highly regarded but sadly died in an auto accident just 7 years after making "Der Letzte Man". A huge loss to cinema.
Watch here to enter again the glorious world of silent cinema:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7yiZM-SlwI
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