The gossip of the members of his community about his demotion, rather than the demotion itself, is the direct cause of the doorman's downfall in The Last Laugh. Some of the most expressive images in the film demonstrate the spread of gossip and the resultant mockery of the neighbors: the camera moves to an outstretched ear, the camera follows the doorman along a walk of shame, grotesque and blurry heads superimposed on the neighborhood mock him with unabashed laughter. Much like social media in our day gossip can be a social influencer: it can be a source of ridicule, condemnation, and ostracism. What is the movie saying about gossip as a form of communication (and by analogy social media)? What is it saying about the community that listens to it? How does what other people think of us influence how we think of ourselves?
The Last Laugh is a warning against gossip at others’ expense, or, in a more modern context, cancel culture, on the basis that everyone could fall victim to the isolation and destruction of reputation it brings at any time. The film follows the downward spiral of the protagonist, an aging man who loses his job as a doorman at a high-end hotel. At the beginning of the film, the man is respected by his community because of his position at the hotel. He is graciously welcomed home by his neighbors every day, and the women who clean their rugs make sure to blow the dust out of his way when he walks past. However, once he loses his job, news travels from neighbor to neighbor until he has lost all respect from his peers, even his family. The film demonstrates how, although a large part of why the man falls apart is being fired, the main reason is the gossip that ostracizes him from his community. The filming styles in the movie themselves even emphasize the power of gossip. Once news of his firing reaches the man’s neighborhood, we can see this information spread in real-time. Using low-angle shots, women who have already heard of the man’s firing are seen shouting down from their balconies to women who have not. The use of the low-angle shows the women with information in positions of power and how they use the power of gossip to destroy the man’s life. In addition to the filming choices and the story of the man’s downfall itself, the film also establishes, in its opening epigraph, the universal dangers of gossip. It states, “One day, you are preeminent, respected by all, a minister, a general, maybe even a prince- but what will you be tomorrow?” This quote is used to show how gossip or cancel culture could destroy any person’s reputation at any time; therefore, we should all shy away from doing so because it may be someone else today, but it could be you next. The Last Laugh depicts the dangers of gossip (and cancel culture) and demonstrates to its viewers the damage it can do to anyone, even the most respected individuals.
ReplyDeleteThe Last Laugh, or Der letzte Mann, is a film by F. W. Murnau that shows the negative influence of gossip and its extensive and long lasting effects. It illustrates a community that makes fun of a a man who is spiraling downwards. The film implies that gossip can be destructive for people who lie for their own good. It also implies that through gossip, members of the community hurt the man's reputation and ultimately lead to his downfall. The film shows that people are strongly influenced by what other people think of them. This has a strong effect on how we develop our self-esteem. This is demonstrated through the doorman’s transformation throughout the film from the insults and mockery from his neighbors. The teasing leads him to question his pride and dignity and propels his loneliness. The film shows how damaging gossip can be especially if we believe it. The Last Laugh criticizes gossip by how quickly the neighborhood community spreads the rumors without thinking about the doorman. This highlights the negative effects of gossip and how powerful it can be when hearing about other people. People only realized that they were being cruel to the doorman after he inherited a large amount of money, and only then changed their attitude. The Last Laugh is a harsh criticism of gossip and its repercussions on both those who are subjected to it and those who gossip. It is a reminder of how gossip can be manipulated, so we should be skeptical of the gossip we hear in these days when social media provides unprecedented levels of interaction.
ReplyDeleteThe Last Laugh shows how gossip can cause ostracization to the person affected and power to those who spread gossip, which demonstrates the destructive power of gossip. The film is about a man who loses his job as a doorman at a rich hotel due to his old age. Rather than just being upset with the fact that he lost his job, he worries more about getting his jacket back since the jacket earns respect in his neighborhood. His whole identity and idea of self-respect come from the job, and it gives the man a sense of power and belonging, especially when the people in his neighborhood go out of their way to welcome him. After he gets fired, the man knows that he will lose all respect and tries to hide the fact that he lost the job. However, the word eventually goes around, and the man is left with people laughing, ridiculing, and disrespecting him. The result of the gossip confirmed the man’s suspicions about what would happen if the neighborhood found out he lost his job, which causes the man to feel isolated and alone. Unfortunately, it was never truly clear whether the man actually loved the job itself, or the attention that came along with it, but it appears that the man liked the respect and admiration. Now that he no longer has desirable attention, the man is alone and directionless which comes to show how other people’s opinions can greatly affect a person’s opinion of themselves, and gossip increases this factor. To add on, the gossip not only isolated the man but lessened the man’s power. Gossip gives power to those who spread it since they have information that can cause the downfall of a person. In this situation, all of the neighbors are using the power of gossip to strip away the power that the man had with his job. Unfortunately, this example of gossip is used in social media every day. Gossip has the power to decrease self-esteem, destroy careers, and tear apart friends and family. All of these examples were what happened to the man as a result of gossip, which shows how the film was able to encompass such a destructive form of communication.
ReplyDelete"The Last Laugh" is a German silent film released in 1924, and it explores the themes of gossip, community, and self-image. The film's central character, an aging hotel doorman, is demoted to washroom attendant, and the film shows the devastating impact that this change has on him. The film uses powerful imagery to demonstrate the spread of gossip and the resultant ridicule and ostracism that the doorman experiences.
ReplyDeleteThe film is making a statement about the power of gossip as a form of communication. Gossip can be a powerful tool, spreading quickly and causing great harm to those it is directed at. In the film, gossip is portrayed as a source of ridicule and condemnation, and the camera moves to an outstretched ear, following the doorman along a walk of shame, to demonstrate the mocking and laughter of the neighbors. This imagery suggests that gossip is a dangerous form of communication, capable of spreading quickly and causing great harm.
The film is also making a statement about the community that listens to gossip. The film depicts a community that is quick to believe and spread rumors, and it suggests that this behavior is cruel and insensitive. The grotesque and blurry heads superimposed on the neighborhood demonstrate the mocking laughter of the neighbors, and this imagery suggests that the community is quick to judge and ridicule the doorman, without considering the impact that their words and actions may have on him.
Finally, the film explores the impact that the opinions of others can have on our self-image. The doorman's demotion and the resultant gossip and ridicule take a toll on his self-esteem and self-worth. The film suggests that our sense of self can be deeply influenced by the opinions of others, and that gossip and ridicule can have a profound impact on our self-image and our sense of worth.
In conclusion, "The Last Laugh" is a film that explores the themes of gossip, community, and self-image. The film is making a statement about the power of gossip as a form of communication and the harm that it can cause, as well as the cruelty and insensitivity of a community that listens to it. The film suggests that the opinions of others can have a profound impact on our self-image and self-worth, and that gossip and ridicule can be particularly damaging. The film is a powerful commentary on the dangers of gossip and the impact that the opinions of others can have on our lives.
The 1924 film The Last Laugh directed by F. W. Murnau demonstrates the lasting effects gossip can have on a person. At the beginning of the film, The Doorman is shown to be a well-respected individual in the community. Everyone greets him or salutes whenever he is seen. The Doorman also has a lot of respect for himself. He holds himself with great pride, walking with his head up and chest pumped out. This all changes when he loses his job as a doorman. He is stripped from his uniform and identity. Job losses are very common but the community the doorman is a part of still views it as a major event. Instead of the community gathering closely to help the doorman, they make fun of him and make him feel ashamed. At one particular point in the film, the doorman is walking home from his new job as a bathroom attendant. He walks through his community as the camera trails in front of him. Here the viewer can see members of the community peaking their heads out the window and laughing and saying nasty things to the doorman. The doorman was already ashamed enough when he had this cruel behavior happen to him. This sends the doorman into a deep depression. But, this says a lot about gossiping. Especially because the doorman is in a low-income community, so most of the people gossiping most likely have a job like the doorman's or none at all. Like most gossiping then and now, the people doing it had no place. The film shows how gossip causes toxic harmful environments when it is not necessary.
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