The Last Command (1928)

The Worst Film Ever

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Emil Jannings delivers a powerful performance while Josef Von Sternberg sums up the Bolshie's past and present a decade after the Russian Revolution in The Last Command. Far fetched at times it is filled with the rich imagery that informed the work of Von Sternberg in his prime while at Paramount.Former Imperialist Russian general under the czar Dolgorucki (Jannings) finds himself living in Hollywood making some meager money as an extra. Former revolutionary, now pampered tinsel town director Lev Andreyev (William Powell) sees his head shot and finds him a perfect fit to play what he once was. At a rambunctious casting call for extras the former general pulls out a decoration and reminisces in flashback of social upheaval and lost love.Jannings is simply outstanding as he transitions from his powerful position in Russia to a man with severe PTSD barely scraping by in LA. Conveying a tower of strength and authority in uniform with a dash of sex appeal to his dissolution as a nameless extra his performance never wavers or goes over the top in other noted performances as he had in The Last Laugh and would again in The Blue Angel. Evelyn Brent as a Red and love interest holds her own with Jannings even if the script pushing her conversion from cause to love does ring a little hollow. Their parting however is one of the most stunning in silent film history.Von Sternberg does not mince words about communists, he portrays them for the most part as drunken rioters bent on revenge. He also predates Joe McCarthy's Reds in Hollywood expose by twenty years with the firmly entrenched Andreyev holding court. Additionally he does a fine job of comparing the chaos of revolution with that of a Hollywood cattle call enabling Jannings to react and stretch across a spectrum of emotions in two dehumanizing environments. While the hook-up of polar opposites pushes plausibility and the finale tends to mawkishness the artistry of actor and director carry the day.

It's 1928 Hollywood. Director Leo Andreyev (William Powell) picks the picture of an elderly Sergius Alexander (Emil Jannings) from a stack of nobodies to be an extra. He casts him as the Russian general facing a revolt in his own ranks. In 1917, Grand Duke Sergius Alexander is the Czar's cousin and commander of all his armies. In one incident, he viciously whips revolutionary Leo Andreyev in the face and puts him in prison. He keeps Leo's fellow revolutionary Natalie Dabrova (Evelyn Brent) at his headquarters. She is conflicted and falls in love with Sergius. When revolutionaries take over his train, she helps him escape and dies in the process.There is some great acting from the three leads. Emil Jannings does a great job and wins the acting Oscar for his work in this film and 'The Way of All Flesh'. I'm not totally convinced by the love story between the revolutionary and the general but the movie is still compelling to watch.

Monday February 6, 7pm The Paramount, Seattle "From now on you are my prisoner of war -" "- and my prisoner of love."As the Russian revolution runs wild, a General in the Czar's army, Sergius Alexander (Emil Jannings) escapes execution with the help of a beautiful spy. Years later, a former revolutionist turned Hollywood movie director (William Powell) recognizes a head shot of the general, now a decrepit old man working as an extra, and plans his revenge.Directed by Josef von Sternberg, The Last Command (1928) was the highlight of Jannings' brief Hollywood career. Combined with his performance in The Way of All Flesh (1927), The Last Command received the first Academy Award for best actor in a leading role. Screenwriter Lajos Biró was nominated for best original story. Evelyn Brent, previously featured in von Sternberg's Underworld (1927), stars as the lovely femme fatale Natalie in a complex, pivotal role.Inspired by the life of General Theodore Lodijensky, The Last Command features one extraordinary, unexpected shocker and a table-turning, earth-shaking finale.

The Last Command (1928) is a silent film directed by Josef von Sternberg.It shows us Czarist General, Grand Duke Sergius Alexander (Emil Jannings) in his days of glory.In 1917 he had all the power but after the revolution and the collapse of Imperial Russia he has nothing.He also had the love of a woman, Natalie Dabrova (Evelyn Brent).About ten years later he applies for a small part in a film about the revolution.His old enemy Lev Andreyev (William Powell) is the director who gets to choose whether to hire him as a film extra or not.The Last Command is very good silent drama.Emil Jannings does memorable role work in the lead.Evelyn Brent is wonderful playing the woman lead.William Powell is great as always.There are plenty of scenes to remember in this movie.Like many scenes with Jannings and Brent.And then there is the ending with Powell and Jannings.This is a movie that touches in many parts.