| ~The Penalty~ 1920 |
| ~Lobby Card Featuring Ethel Grey Terry & Lon Chaney~ |
Among Lon Chaney's early villainous roles was Blizzard, the criminal mastermind of this melodrama
set in San Francisco's Barbary Coast neighborhood. As a young man, Blizzard was the victim of an
auto accident, and a quack doctor had mistakenly ordered his legs amputated at the knees. He grows
up an embittered, violent man interested only in taking revenge on the rich and powerful, especially
the doctor who maimed him and is still practicing. Rose, a secret service agent (Ethel Grey Terry), is
dispatched to infiltrate Blizzard's gang, but she falls under his spell and becomes his mistress.
Blizzard is himself attracted to a lovely artist who wants to paint his portrait, but she resists his
advances. Ultimately, Blizzard's plan to have another man's legs grafted onto his own is thwarted
when it's discovered that the long-ago accident had caused a reversible brain injury which turned
him to the dark side. Rather than perform the operation on his legs, the doctor repairs Blizzard's
brain, and Blizzard awakens to find that he is no longer interested in a life of crime. He marries Rose,
but his criminal associates decide he must pay the ultimate penalty for his knowledge of their
activities.
Plot Synopsis by Tom Wiener, AllMovie.com
set in San Francisco's Barbary Coast neighborhood. As a young man, Blizzard was the victim of an
auto accident, and a quack doctor had mistakenly ordered his legs amputated at the knees. He grows
up an embittered, violent man interested only in taking revenge on the rich and powerful, especially
the doctor who maimed him and is still practicing. Rose, a secret service agent (Ethel Grey Terry), is
dispatched to infiltrate Blizzard's gang, but she falls under his spell and becomes his mistress.
Blizzard is himself attracted to a lovely artist who wants to paint his portrait, but she resists his
advances. Ultimately, Blizzard's plan to have another man's legs grafted onto his own is thwarted
when it's discovered that the long-ago accident had caused a reversible brain injury which turned
him to the dark side. Rather than perform the operation on his legs, the doctor repairs Blizzard's
brain, and Blizzard awakens to find that he is no longer interested in a life of crime. He marries Rose,
but his criminal associates decide he must pay the ultimate penalty for his knowledge of their
activities.
Plot Synopsis by Tom Wiener, AllMovie.com
| ~Cast~ Charles Clary ... Dr. Ferris Doris Pawn ... Barbary Nell Jim Mason ... Frisco Pete Lon Chaney ... Blizzard Milton Ross ... Lichtenstein Ethel Grey Terry ... Rose Kenneth Harlan ... Dr. Wilmot Allen Claire Adams ... Barbara Ferris Montgomery Carlyle ... A Crook (uncredited) Cesare Gravina ... Art Teacher (uncredited) Lee Phelps ... Policeman (uncredited) Madlaine Traverse ... Woman (uncredited) Edouard Trebaol ... Bubbles (uncredited) Clarence Wilson ... A Crook (uncredited) |
| Directed by: Wallace Worsley Written by: Charles Kenyon - scenario Philip Lonergan - scenario Based on the novel by Gouverneur Morris |
| ~98-29: Lon Chaney & Charles Clary~ |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
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| ~Lon Chaney~ |
| ~98-37: Lon Chaney & Ethel Grey Terry~ |
| ~Lon Chaney~ |
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| ~The Penalty Lobby Card, from the Debbie Reynolds collection was sold at auction for $1,700.00 by Profiles in History on June 18, 2011~ |
| Remaining Credits~ Produced by: Eminent Authors Pictures Inc. (uncredited) Goldwyn Pictures Corporation (produced by) Distributed by: Goldwyn Distributing Company Executive Producer: Rex Beach Produced by: Samuel Goldwyn Cinematography by: Don Short Film Editing by: J.G. Hawks and Frank E. Hull Casting by: Clifford Robertson Art Direction by: Gilbert White Presenters: Rex Beach and Samuel Goldwyn Length: 7 Reels Runtime: 90 Minutes Released: July 30, 1920 Filmed in Goldwyn Studios, Culver City, California, USA Filmed on location in San Francisco, California, USA |