Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* LetThemDieHappy: After Sergius collapses at the end of his scene, and Leo cradles him, Sergius, who's been hallucinating he's back at the front lines in Russia (see TheHeroDies above), asks if he won. Leo tells him yes, and Sergius dies.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Deleted line(s) 13 (click to see context) :
* AmbiguousDisorder: Serguis has a strange head tic that he says came from a "great shock". After it's shown that it was due to watching the Russia he knew disintegrate around him as the revolutionaries roughed him up and seeing Natalie die, it seems like a form of PTSD, known back then as "shell shock" for veterans of the war. It's also emphasized when he starts hallucinating, seeing the crowds of revolutionaries that wanted to kill him.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Famous Last Words is being dewicked
Deleted line(s) 27 (click to see context) :
* FamousLastWords: "Have we won?" Leo assures him they have, allowing the general to die in peace.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 13,14 (click to see context) from:
* AmbiguousDisorder: Serguis has a strange head tic that he says came from a "great shock". After it's shown that it was due to watching the Russia he knew disintegrate around him as the revolutionaries roughed him up and seeing Natalie die, it seems like a form of PTSD, known back then as "shell shock" for veterans of the war.
** It's also emphasized when he starts hallucinating, seeing the crowds of revolutionaries that wanted to kill him.
** It's also emphasized when he starts hallucinating, seeing the crowds of revolutionaries that wanted to kill him.
to:
* AmbiguousDisorder: Serguis has a strange head tic that he says came from a "great shock". After it's shown that it was due to watching the Russia he knew disintegrate around him as the revolutionaries roughed him up and seeing Natalie die, it seems like a form of PTSD, known back then as "shell shock" for veterans of the war.
**war. It's also emphasized when he starts hallucinating, seeing the crowds of revolutionaries that wanted to kill him.
**
Changed line(s) 43,45 (click to see context) from:
* MeaningfulEcho: See SecondFaceSmoke.
** Also, Leo's use of calling Sergius "Your Imperial Highness" is done with sarcasm to humiliate him. But the final time he says it, it's with respect as Sergius lies dying.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
** Also, Leo's use of calling Sergius "Your Imperial Highness" is done with sarcasm to humiliate him. But the final time he says it, it's with respect as Sergius lies dying.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
to:
* MeaningfulEcho: See SecondFaceSmoke.
**SecondFaceSmoke. Also, Leo's use of calling Sergius "Your Imperial Highness" is done with sarcasm to humiliate him. But the final time he says it, it's with respect as Sergius lies dying.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the momentof revolution.the revolution breaks out.
**
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment
Changed line(s) 51,52 (click to see context) from:
* RoyalBrat: The Tsar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlor game", as Sergius put it, taking a division from the front line for a parade.
** Sergius is then told he should make the troops to charge when the Tsar visits the front line, purely for drama's sake. The general finally has enough of this nonsense and refuses to allow hundreds of men to die purely to humor their ruler.
** Sergius is then told he should make the troops to charge when the Tsar visits the front line, purely for drama's sake. The general finally has enough of this nonsense and refuses to allow hundreds of men to die purely to humor their ruler.
to:
* RoyalBrat: The Tsar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlor game", as Sergius put it, taking a division from the front line for a parade.
**parade. Sergius is then told he should make the troops to charge when the Tsar visits the front line, purely for drama's sake. The general finally has enough of this nonsense and refuses to allow hundreds of men to die purely to humor their ruler.
**
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* AllPartOfTheShow: Everyone on set except for Leo thinks that Sergius is just really getting into character. Instead, it appears he's on the verge of a mental breakdown.
* AmbiguousDisorder: Serguis has a strange head tic that he says came from a "great shock". After it's shown that it was due to watching the Russia he knew disintegrate around him as the revolutionaries roughed him up and seeing Natalie die, it seems like a form of PTSD, known back then as "shell shock" for veterans of the war.
** It's also emphasized when he starts hallucinating, seeing the crowds of revolutionaries that wanted to kill him.
* AmbiguousDisorder: Serguis has a strange head tic that he says came from a "great shock". After it's shown that it was due to watching the Russia he knew disintegrate around him as the revolutionaries roughed him up and seeing Natalie die, it seems like a form of PTSD, known back then as "shell shock" for veterans of the war.
** It's also emphasized when he starts hallucinating, seeing the crowds of revolutionaries that wanted to kill him.
* BitingTheHandHumor: The director wanted to show just how bad the Hollywood system could treat people and some humor comes from seeing all the extras struggle and then wait around to be told what to do.
* ChekhovsGun: The engineer on the train joins in the debauchery and passes out from too much liquor. This causes the train to fall off the bridge and into the river below.
* FamousLastWords: "Have we won?" Leo assures him they have, allowing the general to die in peace.
* FatalFlaw: Sergius' is shown that he can't change with the times. The Russia he knew is almost dead and gone in a very literal sense, but he can't shake his loyalty to it, and this ends up being his undoing.
* FatalFlaw: Sergius' is shown that he can't change with the times. The Russia he knew is almost dead and gone in a very literal sense, but he can't shake his loyalty to it, and this ends up being his undoing.
* TheHeroDies: The general, hallucinating he's once again the general at the front lines in Russia, makes a heroic speech about how Russia must prevail, and collapses from a heart attack. Leo cradles him and tells him they won as he dies.
* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Leo's assistant on set claims he knows everything about Russia after making twenty pictures, but manages to get a major costume detail wrong that both Sergius tries to and Leo eventually corrects him on.
* LaserGuidedKarma: The revolutionaries are portrayed as very nasty people and every single one of them with no survivors (unfortunately including Natalie) end up at the bottom of the river when the train plunges off the tracks.
* LaserGuidedKarma: The revolutionaries are portrayed as very nasty people and every single one of them with no survivors (unfortunately including Natalie) end up at the bottom of the river when the train plunges off the tracks.
Deleted line(s) 33 (click to see context) :
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
Changed line(s) 35 (click to see context) from:
* PietaPlagiarism: Leo cradles Sergius after Sergius collapses.
to:
** Also, Leo's use of calling Sergius "Your Imperial Highness" is done with sarcasm to humiliate him. But the final time he says it, it's with respect as Sergius lies dying.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: At first it appears Serguis' loyalty lies with the Tsar, but eventually, it's revealed his truly loyalty is to the idea of Russia itself that he clings to.
* PietaPlagiarism: Leo cradles Sergius after Sergius collapses. A helpful cameraman even shines a light to highlight them.
* TheQuietOne: After the revolutionaries pull him off the train, Sergius doesn't speak until the very end of the film.
* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: One of Sergius' underlings, who he had threatened to shoot just for putting on his coat, yanks the coat off and joins the revolutionaries. When he protests over one of them taking Natalie, saying "The woman goes with the coat", the revolutionary takes out a gun and shoots him without blinking.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
* MyMasterRightOrWrong: At first it appears Serguis' loyalty lies with the Tsar, but eventually, it's revealed his truly loyalty is to the idea of Russia itself that he clings to.
* PietaPlagiarism: Leo cradles Sergius after Sergius collapses. A helpful cameraman even shines a light to highlight them.
* TheQuietOne: After the revolutionaries pull him off the train, Sergius doesn't speak until the very end of the film.
* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: One of Sergius' underlings, who he had threatened to shoot just for putting on his coat, yanks the coat off and joins the revolutionaries. When he protests over one of them taking Natalie, saying "The woman goes with the coat", the revolutionary takes out a gun and shoots him without blinking.
Added DiffLines:
** Sergius is then told he should make the troops to charge when the Tsar visits the front line, purely for drama's sake. The general finally has enough of this nonsense and refuses to allow hundreds of men to die purely to humor their ruler.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
The title card actually says ten, so Writer'sCanDoMath!
Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* BestServedCold: Leo tells Sergius that "I have waited six years for this moment, Your Imperial Highness."
to:
* BestServedCold: Leo tells Sergius that "I have waited six ten years for this moment, Your Imperial Highness."
Changed line(s) 41,43 (click to see context) from:
* SpitefulSpit: After Sergius' train is stopped and he's captured by the mob, one of the revolutionaries spits in his face.
* TitleDrop: "You've given your last command", says one of the soldiers in the FilmWithinAFilm.
* WritersCannotDoMath: Leo says it's been six years since he met Sergius, when it's actually been ten.
* TitleDrop: "You've given your last command", says one of the soldiers in the FilmWithinAFilm.
* WritersCannotDoMath: Leo says it's been six years since he met Sergius, when it's actually been ten.
to:
* SpitefulSpit: After Sergius' train is stopped and he's captured by the mob, one of the revolutionaries spits vodka in his face.
* TitleDrop: "You've given your last command", says one of the soldiers in theFilmWithinAFilm.
* WritersCannotDoMath: Leo says it's been six years since he met Sergius, when it's actually been ten.FilmWithinAFilm.
* TitleDrop: "You've given your last command", says one of the soldiers in the
* WritersCannotDoMath: Leo says it's been six years since he met Sergius, when it's actually been ten.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
As Sergius puts on his makeup the film flashes back to 1917, pre-revolution. It turns out Sergius really was a general, and not only that, but also a Romanov Grand Duke and cousin to the Tsar. Military police in Sergius's army identify two actors, Leo Andreyev and his companion Natalie (Brent), as known subversives. Sergius has them brought in for questioning. After Leo insults him, Sergius has him thrown in jail, but Sergius decides to keep Natalie with him as a companion and mistress. Leo rots in a cell while Natalie is drawn against her will to the dynamic Sergius--but RedOctober soon turns everything upside down.
to:
As Sergius puts on his makeup the film flashes back to 1917, pre-revolution. It turns out Sergius really was a general, and not only that, but also a Romanov Grand Duke and cousin to the Tsar. Military police in Sergius's army identify two actors, Leo Andreyev and his companion Natalie (Brent), as known subversives. Sergius has them brought in for questioning. After Leo insults him, Sergius has him thrown in jail, but Sergius decides to keep Natalie with him as a companion and mistress. Leo rots in a cell while Natalie is drawn against her will to the dynamic Sergius--but RedOctober UsefulNotes/RedOctober soon turns everything upside down.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 7,8 (click to see context) from:
This film, coming on the heels of the very successful gangster flick ''Underworld'', established von Sternberg as one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood, but he would soon go back to Germany to make ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' with Jannings and Creator/MarleneDietrich. Jannings won the first UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor for his work in this film and ''The Way of All Flesh'', but he soon had to go back to Germany as well due to his heavy accent. After ''The Blue Angel'', Jannings would spend the rest of his career making movies for the Nazis. ''The Last Command'' also [[StarMakingRole helped launch William Powell onto the Hollywood A-list]].
to:
This film, coming on the heels of the very successful gangster flick ''Underworld'', established von Sternberg as one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood, but he would soon go back to Germany to make ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' with Jannings and Creator/MarleneDietrich. Jannings won the first UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor for his work in this film and ''The Way of All Flesh'', but he soon had to go back to Germany as well due to his heavy accent. After ''The Blue Angel'', Jannings would spend the rest of his career making movies for the Nazis. ''The Last Command'' also [[StarMakingRole helped launch William Powell onto the Hollywood A-list]].
A-list]]. Of the six movies that Jannings made in Hollywood, this is the only one that has survived.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
* HumblePie: Revolutionaries do this to Sergius, making his stoke the train to Petrograd.
to:
* HumblePie: Revolutionaries do this to Sergius, making his him stoke the train to Petrograd.
Changed line(s) 32 (click to see context) from:
* {{Leitmotif}}: "God Save the Tsar", Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, and in-universe by Leo at the set.
to:
* {{Leitmotif}}: "God Save the Tsar", the Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, sound track, and in-universe by Leo at on the set.
Changed line(s) 37,38 (click to see context) from:
* RoyalBrat: Tsar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline for a parade.
* SecondFaceSmoke: First Sergius to arrested Leo, than Leo to Sergius, both times as a sign of humiliation.
* SecondFaceSmoke: First Sergius to arrested Leo, than Leo to Sergius, both times as a sign of humiliation.
to:
* RoyalBrat: The Tsar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , parlor game", as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline front line for a parade.
* SecondFaceSmoke: First Sergius to the arrested Leo, than Leo to Sergius, both times as a sign of humiliation.
* SecondFaceSmoke: First Sergius to the arrested Leo, than Leo to Sergius, both times as a sign of humiliation.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The film seems to be conflating the February revolution (which toppled the Romanovs) and the October revolution (in which the Bolsheviks seized power). In the movie Romanov government is apparently directly replaced by the Bolsheviks, which did not happen in RealLife.
to:
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The film seems to be conflating the February revolution (which toppled the Romanovs) and the October revolution (in which the Bolsheviks seized power). In the movie Romanov the Tsar's government is apparently directly replaced by the Bolsheviks, which did not happen in RealLife.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: see RedOctober.
to:
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: see RedOctober.The film seems to be conflating the February revolution (which toppled the Romanovs) and the October revolution (in which the Bolsheviks seized power). In the movie Romanov government is apparently directly replaced by the Bolsheviks, which did not happen in RealLife.
Deleted line(s) 36 (click to see context) :
* RedOctober: The film seems to be conflating the February revolution (which toppled the Romanovs) and the October revolution (in which the Bolsheviks seized power). In the movie Romanov government is apparently directly replaced by the Bolsheviks, which did not happen in RealLife.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 32 (click to see context) from:
* {{Leitmotif}}: "God Save the Tzar", Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, and in-universe by Leo at the set.
to:
* {{Leitmotif}}: "God Save the Tzar", Tsar", Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, and in-universe by Leo at the set.
Changed line(s) 37,38 (click to see context) from:
* RoyalBlood: Sergius and the Tzar.
* RoyalBrat: Tzar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline for a parade.
* RoyalBrat: Tzar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline for a parade.
to:
* RoyalBlood: Sergius and the Tzar.
Tsar.
* RoyalBrat:Tzar Tsar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline for a parade.
* RoyalBrat:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 7,8 (click to see context) from:
This film, coming on the heels of the very successful gangster flick ''Underworld'', established von Sternberg as one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood, but he would soon go back to Germany to make ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' with Jannings and Creator/MarleneDietrich. Jannings won the first AcademyAward for Best Actor for his work in this film and ''The Way of All Flesh'', but he soon had to go back to Germany as well due to his heavy accent. After ''The Blue Angel'', Jannings would spend the rest of his career making movies for the Nazis. ''The Last Command'' also [[StarMakingRole helped launch William Powell onto the Hollywood A-list]].
to:
This film, coming on the heels of the very successful gangster flick ''Underworld'', established von Sternberg as one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood, but he would soon go back to Germany to make ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' with Jannings and Creator/MarleneDietrich. Jannings won the first AcademyAward UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor for his work in this film and ''The Way of All Flesh'', but he soon had to go back to Germany as well due to his heavy accent. After ''The Blue Angel'', Jannings would spend the rest of his career making movies for the Nazis. ''The Last Command'' also [[StarMakingRole helped launch William Powell onto the Hollywood A-list]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: see RedOctober.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
* {{Leitmotif}} - "God Save the Tzar", Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, and in-universe by Leo at the set.
to:
* {{Leitmotif}} - {{Leitmotif}}: "God Save the Tzar", Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, and in-universe by Leo at the set.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ContrivedCoincidence: Sergius jumps off train moments before a bridge suddenly collapses under it.
Added DiffLines:
* FramingDevice: The ShowWithinAShow, beginning and ending the movie, with its main part being Sergius's flashback.
Added DiffLines:
* HumblePie: Revolutionaries do this to Sergius, making his stoke the train to Petrograd.
Added DiffLines:
* {{Leitmotif}} - "God Save the Tzar", Russian Empire's national anthem, used both as a part of the movie's soundtrak, and in-universe by Leo at the set.
Added DiffLines:
* RoyalBlood: Sergius and the Tzar.
* RoyalBrat: Tzar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline for a parade.
* SecondFaceSmoke: First Sergius to arrested Leo, than Leo to Sergius, both times as a sign of humiliation.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Sergius, as the result of his story revealed through the flashback.
* ShowWithinAShow: Leo, formerly a real revolutionary, is now shooting a film about the Russian Revolution.
* RoyalBrat: Tzar is depicted like this, "thinking the war is a parlour game" , as Sergius put it, taking a division from the frontline for a parade.
* SecondFaceSmoke: First Sergius to arrested Leo, than Leo to Sergius, both times as a sign of humiliation.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Sergius, as the result of his story revealed through the flashback.
* ShowWithinAShow: Leo, formerly a real revolutionary, is now shooting a film about the Russian Revolution.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
As Sergius puts on his makeup the film flashes back to 1917, pre-revolution. In fact Sergius was a general, and not only that, but a Romanov Grand Duke and cousin to the Tsar. Military police in Sergius's army identify two actors, Leo Andreyev and his companion Natalie (Brent), as known subversives. Sergius has them brought in for questioning. After Leo insults him, Sergius has him thrown in jail, but Sergius decides to keep Natalie with him as a companion and mistress. Leo rots in a cell while Natalie is drawn against her will to the dynamic Sergius--but RedOctober soon turns everything upside down.
to:
As Sergius puts on his makeup the film flashes back to 1917, pre-revolution. In fact It turns out Sergius really was a general, and not only that, but also a Romanov Grand Duke and cousin to the Tsar. Military police in Sergius's army identify two actors, Leo Andreyev and his companion Natalie (Brent), as known subversives. Sergius has them brought in for questioning. After Leo insults him, Sergius has him thrown in jail, but Sergius decides to keep Natalie with him as a companion and mistress. Leo rots in a cell while Natalie is drawn against her will to the dynamic Sergius--but RedOctober soon turns everything upside down.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lastcommand1-10241_2043.jpg]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
''The Last Command'' is a 1928 film directed by Creator/JosefVonSternberg, starring Emil Jannings, Creator/WilliamPowell, and Evelyn Brent. A Hollywood film director, Leo Andreyev (Powell) is looking for suitable extras to put in his film about the Russian Revolution. He spots the headshot for one Sergius Alexander (Jannings), a man who claims to have been a Russian general, and decides to hire him. Sergius is a broken man, living in a tiny room and eking out a living by working as a film extra for $7.50 a day. And if that weren't bad enough, he has a persistent head twitch which he explains by saying "I had a great shock once!".
As Sergius puts on his makeup the film flashes back to 1917, pre-revolution. In fact Sergius was a general, and not only that, but a Romanov Grand Duke and cousin to the Tsar. Military police in Sergius's army identify two actors, Leo Andreyev and his companion Natalie (Brent), as known subversives. Sergius has them brought in for questioning. After Leo insults him, Sergius has him thrown in jail, but Sergius decides to keep Natalie with him as a companion and mistress. Leo rots in a cell while Natalie is drawn against her will to the dynamic Sergius--but RedOctober soon turns everything upside down.
This film, coming on the heels of the very successful gangster flick ''Underworld'', established von Sternberg as one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood, but he would soon go back to Germany to make ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' with Jannings and Creator/MarleneDietrich. Jannings won the first AcademyAward for Best Actor for his work in this film and ''The Way of All Flesh'', but he soon had to go back to Germany as well due to his heavy accent. After ''The Blue Angel'', Jannings would spend the rest of his career making movies for the Nazis. ''The Last Command'' also [[StarMakingRole helped launch William Powell onto the Hollywood A-list]].
----
!!Tropes:
* AntagonistInMourning: Leo, who wanted to humiliate Sergius, feels regretful after Sergius collapses and dies.
--> "He was more than a great actor--he was a great man."
* BestServedCold: Leo tells Sergius that "I have waited six years for this moment, Your Imperial Highness."
* BreakTheHaughty: Sergius isn't a bad person per se, but he's definitely haughty, taking Natalie with him just because he can, and threatening to shoot his adjutant for stealing his cigarettes. He gets thoroughly broken.
* CallBack: Leo Andreyev inspects his army of film extras much like Nicholas II inspected real soldiers.
* CannotTellFictionFromReality: After getting dressed up in his general's uniform again, put in a trench warfare set, and told to harangue his mutinous soldiers, Sergius snaps. Thinking he's back in 1917 and fighting the revolutionaries, he grabs the Imperial Russian flag and tells his men to charge forward to "victory". Then he collapses and dies.
* CharacterTics: Sergius constantly shakes his head in a "no" gesture. The movie eventually reveals that this happened after he watched Natalie's train plunge into a river.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Natalie, who has a hidden gun, can't bring herself to shoot Sergius. Sergius, who sees her gun without her noticing, sees how twitchy she is and gets her a cigarette.
* FallenOnHardTimesJob / ImpoverishedPatrician: Going from Russian Grand Duke and army general, to poverty-stricken movie extra, is a pretty long fall.
* HeroicBSOD: Sergius starts to slip into one as soon as the revolution happens and he is taken prisoner by the mob. Natalie's death makes it permanent.
* HighHeelFaceTurn: Natalie, the flag-waving revolutionary, falls in love with Sergius and apparently makes peace with becoming TheMistress. After he's about to be hanged by a mob, she manages to manipulate the situation to get him put back on the train, and then later helps him escape.
* HorribleHollywood: Von Sternberg later explained that he "saw an opportunity to deal with the machinery of Hollywood and its callous treatment of the film extra." The scrum of extras lining up to get their costumes at the studio is called "the bread line of Hollywood". All in all, it seems a pretty bleak existence.
* HowWeGotHere: After establishing that Sergius is a broken shell of a man living in poverty, the film jumps back ten years to show how things came to this point.
* InspiredBy: The life of Theodore Lodijensky, a real Tsarist Russian general who escaped to Hollywood and worked as an extra for a while, as well as opening a restaurant.
* InstantDeathBullet: Sergius's adjutant collapses and dies instantly after getting shot.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
* PietaPlagiarism: Leo cradles Sergius after Sergius collapses.
* RedOctober: The film seems to be conflating the February revolution (which toppled the Romanovs) and the October revolution (in which the Bolsheviks seized power). In the movie Romanov government is apparently directly replaced by the Bolsheviks, which did not happen in RealLife.
* SpitefulSpit: After Sergius' train is stopped and he's captured by the mob, one of the revolutionaries spits in his face.
* TitleDrop: "You've given your last command", says one of the soldiers in the FilmWithinAFilm.
* WritersCannotDoMath: Leo says it's been six years since he met Sergius, when it's actually been ten.
As Sergius puts on his makeup the film flashes back to 1917, pre-revolution. In fact Sergius was a general, and not only that, but a Romanov Grand Duke and cousin to the Tsar. Military police in Sergius's army identify two actors, Leo Andreyev and his companion Natalie (Brent), as known subversives. Sergius has them brought in for questioning. After Leo insults him, Sergius has him thrown in jail, but Sergius decides to keep Natalie with him as a companion and mistress. Leo rots in a cell while Natalie is drawn against her will to the dynamic Sergius--but RedOctober soon turns everything upside down.
This film, coming on the heels of the very successful gangster flick ''Underworld'', established von Sternberg as one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood, but he would soon go back to Germany to make ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' with Jannings and Creator/MarleneDietrich. Jannings won the first AcademyAward for Best Actor for his work in this film and ''The Way of All Flesh'', but he soon had to go back to Germany as well due to his heavy accent. After ''The Blue Angel'', Jannings would spend the rest of his career making movies for the Nazis. ''The Last Command'' also [[StarMakingRole helped launch William Powell onto the Hollywood A-list]].
----
!!Tropes:
* AntagonistInMourning: Leo, who wanted to humiliate Sergius, feels regretful after Sergius collapses and dies.
--> "He was more than a great actor--he was a great man."
* BestServedCold: Leo tells Sergius that "I have waited six years for this moment, Your Imperial Highness."
* BreakTheHaughty: Sergius isn't a bad person per se, but he's definitely haughty, taking Natalie with him just because he can, and threatening to shoot his adjutant for stealing his cigarettes. He gets thoroughly broken.
* CallBack: Leo Andreyev inspects his army of film extras much like Nicholas II inspected real soldiers.
* CannotTellFictionFromReality: After getting dressed up in his general's uniform again, put in a trench warfare set, and told to harangue his mutinous soldiers, Sergius snaps. Thinking he's back in 1917 and fighting the revolutionaries, he grabs the Imperial Russian flag and tells his men to charge forward to "victory". Then he collapses and dies.
* CharacterTics: Sergius constantly shakes his head in a "no" gesture. The movie eventually reveals that this happened after he watched Natalie's train plunge into a river.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Natalie, who has a hidden gun, can't bring herself to shoot Sergius. Sergius, who sees her gun without her noticing, sees how twitchy she is and gets her a cigarette.
* FallenOnHardTimesJob / ImpoverishedPatrician: Going from Russian Grand Duke and army general, to poverty-stricken movie extra, is a pretty long fall.
* HeroicBSOD: Sergius starts to slip into one as soon as the revolution happens and he is taken prisoner by the mob. Natalie's death makes it permanent.
* HighHeelFaceTurn: Natalie, the flag-waving revolutionary, falls in love with Sergius and apparently makes peace with becoming TheMistress. After he's about to be hanged by a mob, she manages to manipulate the situation to get him put back on the train, and then later helps him escape.
* HorribleHollywood: Von Sternberg later explained that he "saw an opportunity to deal with the machinery of Hollywood and its callous treatment of the film extra." The scrum of extras lining up to get their costumes at the studio is called "the bread line of Hollywood". All in all, it seems a pretty bleak existence.
* HowWeGotHere: After establishing that Sergius is a broken shell of a man living in poverty, the film jumps back ten years to show how things came to this point.
* InspiredBy: The life of Theodore Lodijensky, a real Tsarist Russian general who escaped to Hollywood and worked as an extra for a while, as well as opening a restaurant.
* InstantDeathBullet: Sergius's adjutant collapses and dies instantly after getting shot.
* TheMutiny: Leo is freed when his jailers revolt. Also, Sergius's adjutant turns on him with a vengeance at the moment of revolution.
* PietaPlagiarism: Leo cradles Sergius after Sergius collapses.
* RedOctober: The film seems to be conflating the February revolution (which toppled the Romanovs) and the October revolution (in which the Bolsheviks seized power). In the movie Romanov government is apparently directly replaced by the Bolsheviks, which did not happen in RealLife.
* SpitefulSpit: After Sergius' train is stopped and he's captured by the mob, one of the revolutionaries spits in his face.
* TitleDrop: "You've given your last command", says one of the soldiers in the FilmWithinAFilm.
* WritersCannotDoMath: Leo says it's been six years since he met Sergius, when it's actually been ten.
