Tod Browning is probably best known today for the 1931 version of Dracula (6) and for the cult film Freaks (5), but The Unknown is probably his best film. Like Freaks and The Show, Unknown is set in the strange world of the carnival circus, full of sideshow characters with various odd deformities.
Lon Chaney gives an astonishing performance as a murderer in disguise as a no-armed circus performer. Browning got a real circus performer to manipulate objects with his feet, in place of Chaney's, but they work together so convincingly that even when you know the trick you still find it believable. Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar in 1989 for My Left Foot (5), with a shadow of Chaney's performance here, but Chaney was too far ahead of his time to receive accolades, as this film was not considered one of his best until years after his death.
Joan Crawford plays the ingenue love interest, and gives us a taste of the great star she would become. Sure, there is some over-acting here, but that is the style for the silent era. The supporting cast is very solid as well.
The bizarre plot is what both ruined this film in its day and makes it all the more intriguing today. Chaney murders Crawford's father and is aware that she has witnessed his hands, which somewhat conspicuously have three thumbs. Crawford has some bizarre phobia about being touched by men, so she is drawn to the faux-armless Chaney and rejects the amorous advances of strongman Malabar The Mighty. Chaney maliciously fuels this phobia by encouraging Malabar to embrace her.
Chaney loves Crawford with an insane passion but is stymied because she can never discover that he is not really armless. So, with the help of his dwarf sidekick, he blackmails a doctor into removing his arms, so that he can declare his love for her! While he is recovering from this horrific operation, Crawford gets over her phobia for men's arms, and for Malabar's in particular, and becomes engaged to him. Chaney's expressions when he learns of this are unforgettable. Ironies abound because of Chaney's earlier encouragement of Malabar and the fact that Malabar once saved his life at the hand of Crawford's father.
Browning is not yet done with the ironies though. Chaney sees a chance to rid Malabar of both of his arms during his circus act and tries to seize his opportunity. He underestimates what Joan Crawford can do with a whip though, and love conquers all in the end.
This is one of Chaney's last performances. A child of two deaf-mute parents, you could almost say that Chaney was born for silent film, and his career would basically end with the silent era and throat cancer. Browning planned to have him play the lead in Dracula, but he died before it was shot. His son went on to have a long, famous career in talkies.
A 7 rating.
Monday, December 7, 2009
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