The Last Laugh (1924)
Directed by F.W. Murnau
Starring Emil Jennings, Maly Delschaft, Max Hiller
Length: 77 min.
Genre: Drama
A very interesting film, not for its basic plot, but for the way it was filmed.
In the Last Laugh, an aging hotel doorman get demoted to working in the restroom when the manager sees he can no longer physically do the job of a doorman (carrying heavy suitcases), but he is so ashamed of it that he hides it from his family. He steals a uniform, wears it to and from work while changing before he gets to the hotel and after he leaves.
What's interesting about the film is that it's shot entirely without story cards. Murnau does such a great job of telling the story without the cards that I didn't even realize there weren't any until about 20 minutes into it. About the only part of the film I didn't like was the ending, which was forced on Murnau by the movie studio financing the film. Imagine that....
Entertainment Rating: 7/10
Historical Rating: 7/10