Directed by Tod Browning
Written by Tod Browning, Waldemar Young, and Joseph Farnham
1927/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/Warner Home Video DVD
#36 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
IMDb users say 7.9/10; I say 8/10
[box] Nanon Zanzi: Hands! Men’s hands! How I hate them![/box]
Tod Browning gets in some practice for Freaks and directs another touching performance by Lon Chaney.
The story takes place in a Spanish gypsy circus. Alonzo the Armless does an amazing knife-throwing act with comely Nanon (Joan Crawford) acting as his human target. In their off hours, Nanon, who has a terror of men’s hands, spends a lot of time with Alonzo because he makes her feel safe Alonzo is madly (in every sense of the word) in love with her. She is also being courted by handsome strongman Malabar but she shrinks from his embrace. Then Nanon spots a man with two thumbs strangling her father and Alonzo decides to take drastic action to win his prize.
The actors pull out all the stops as per usual in silent movies. Still Chaney, in very little makeup, manages to make his character both sinister and sympathetic at the same time This is doubly impressive when one considers that he does this without the use of his voice or his hands. Tod Browning gets maximum chills out of the story.
Clip – Knife throwing act
This is one of those films I enjoy watching every time I see it becasue there is so much to behold. It it not such a big story, but it is truly bizarre and there are so many odd details. I have to admit that I am totally facinated with Chaney being so adept with his feet and I understand why Browning used him so much.
Not to take away from Chaney’s wonderful performance, but according to the commentary on the DVD I watched, most of the scenes showing him working with his feet were done by a double who was actually born with no arms. I think the man may also have appeared in Freaks.
I cannot say that I am not a bit disappointed. I really thought that was Chaney all the way. Well, the acting he did actually do was great as well, so I guess I can forgive him after all.