The Last Command

Sternberg is a true master.

Plenty of direction and as much photography. There doesn't appear to be a miss or skip either.

The sheer sophistication of Sternberg's visuals makes nearly all current releases look old-fashioned.

If there are moments when Mr. Jannings holds the same expression and pose too long, you are rewarded for the most part with a brilliant performance in which there is a wealth of imagination.

Sternberg's direction makes this second only to The Docks of New York as the most accomplished of his silent films.

Though the action moves in a predictable direction, Jannings' anguished breakdown makes for a compelling pay off.

Brilliant silent.

One of acclaimed German actor Emil Jannings' first American pictures, directed by Austrian expatriate Josef von Sternberg and tailor-made to suit Jannings' skills and screen persona.

The breadth of Josef von Sternberg's satire is laid out in the passage at William Powell's office, where the elegant axis is complemented by sang-froid gagwork.

Sternberg uses the [acting] contrast to differentiate the sides of the battle, emphasize the class difference and create a dynamic of old Europe and new.

Jannings is a forceful screen presence and his characterization of the general is impressive in its oscillation between power and loss

German Emil Jannings became the first Oscar winner, when he won Best Actor for this as well as The Way of All Flesh; here he plays a former Russian General turned extra who goes mad when asked to recreate the Revolution in a movie