The Man Who Laughs (1928)
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Horror Movies & Sci-Fi Movies Database
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01.26.09
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In 1690, in England, the nobleman Lord Clancharlie returns from his exile to see his young son. The peer is captured by the cruel King James II and before being killed, he is informed that his beloved son had been sold to the gypsies Comanchicos that carved a permanent grin on his face. The Cormanchicos abandon the boy in the cold snowing winter, and while looking for shelter, he finds a baby hold in the arms of her dead mother. He brings the baby with him and they are welcomed by the philosopher Ursus, who finds that the baby is blind and raises them. years later, Gwynplaine becomes a successful clown, and together with the blind Dea, they present plays for common people. Gwynplaine and Dea are in love for each other, but he refuses to marry her because of his ridiculous appearance. When the evil jester Barkilphedro discloses the origin of Gwynplaine, he plots a means to be rewarded by the Queen, jeopardizing the love of Gwynplaine and Dea.
Title: Man Who Laughs, The
Release Date: April 27, 1928
Runtime: 110 mins
Genre: Drama
All Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Colors: Black and White
Sound: Mono, Silent
IMDB Rating: 8.0
Brimstone Pit Rating: 9 - (Rate This Horror Movie)
Category: Horror Movies Starting With M
Director(s):
Paul Leni
Cast:
Mary Philbin ...Dea
Conrad Veidt ...Gwynplaine
Julius Molnar Jr. ...Gwynplaine as a child
Olga Baclanova ...Duchess Josiana
Brandon Hurst ...Barkilphedro
Cesare Gravina ...Ursus
Stuart Holmes ...Lord Dirry-Moir
Sam De Grasse ...King James II
George Siegmann ...Dr. Hardquanonne
Josephine Crowell ...Queen Anne
Charles Puffy ...Innkeeper
Zimbo the Dog ...Homo the Wolf (as Zimbo)
Henry A. Barrows ...
Richard Bartlett ...
Les Bates ...
Charles Brinley ...
Allan Cavan ...
D'Arcy Corrigan ...
Carmen Costello ...Dea's Mother
Carrie Daumery ...Lady-in-Waiting
Howard Davies ...
Nick De Ruiz ...Wapentake
Louise Emmons ...Gypsey Hag
J.C. Fowler ...
John George ...Dwarf
Jack A. Goodrich ...Clown
Charles Hancock ...
Lila LaPon ...Featured
Torben Meyer ...The Spy
Joe Murphy ...Hardquanones messenger
» [more cast members]
Producer(s):
Paul Kohner
Writer(s):
J. Grubb Alexander
J. Grubb Alexander
Walter Anthony
Victor Hugo
May McLean
Marion Ward
Charles E. Whittaker
Composer(s):
William Axt
Sam Perry
Erno Rapee
Movie Quote(s):
- Gwynplaine: [Via subtitles, to the House of Lords] A king made me a clown! A queen made me a Peer! But first, God made me a man!
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Movie Trivia:
- Lon Chaney was originally cast as Gwynplaine, but at the last minute, he withdrew.
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Gwynplaine's fixed grin and disturbing clown-like appearance was a key inspiration for comic book talents 'Bob Kane (I)' and Jerry Robinson in creating Batman's greatest enemy, The Joker.
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Gwynplaine's grotesque grin was achieved with prosthesis. Conrad Veidt was fitted with a set of dentures that had metal hooks to pull back the corners of his mouth. The only scene in which he did not wear the prosthesis is the scene where he is ravished by the Duchess Josiana.
IMDB Links:
» User Comments at imdb.com
» More information at imdb.com
Keywords:
Jester, Revenge, Nobleman, Clown, King James II ...[more]
Keywords All:
England, Gypsy, Love Triangle, Sexually Aggressive Woman, Acrobat, Blind Girl, Loss Of Mother, Haunted By Past, Countess, Sex, Disfigured Face, Male Female Relationship, Macabre, Carriage, Circus, Court Jester, Sword Swallower, Period Drama, Queen Anne, Betrayal, Mutilation, Bathing, Costume, Public Humiliation, 1700s, Sexual Attraction, Carnival, Deformity, Surrogate Father, Depression, Epic, Dog, Forced Betrothal, Heir, Loss Of Son, Blackmail, Obsession, Sideshow, Blindness, Father Son Relationship, Femme Fatale, Unrequited Love, Iron Maiden, Seduction, Handicap, Disfigurement, Social Injustice, Arranged Marriage, Concert, Skeleton, Scheme, Purity, Freak, Loss Of Father, Misery, Melodrama, Voyeurism, Gossip, Surrogate Parent, Irony, 17th Century, Expressionism, Based On Novel
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Rating: 9.0 out of 10.0 - 62 votes cast total
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