The Last Command

US (1928): Drama/Silent

A decorated, aristocratic Czarist general is reduced to penury after the collapse of Imperial Russia. Directed by Josef von Sternberg. (IMDb)

There is a story that this film's producers, Jesse Lasky and Adolph Zukor -- two Jews who had fled Eastern Europe to escape the oppression of Czarist Russia -- wrote to the Czar after he was overthrown (though before his execution) and said that they were sorry to hear that he was out of a job, and if he was ever in the vicinity of Hollywood, to stop by, and they would give him a job as an extra in one of their movies. This story mirrors the movie's plot almost exactly.

 View a clip from this film on YouTube.com.

· Best Actor 1927-28: Emil Jannings co-nomination with The Way of All Flesh

· Writing (Original Story) 1927-28: Lajos Biro

2 nominations, 1 Award