| ~Clarence Sinclair Bull Portrait of Joan Crawford~ |
| ~The Unknown~ 1927 |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
As a group, the silent-movie collaborations between director Tod Browning and star Lon Chaney hardly
represent the best work of either man, though each film definitely has its moments. One of the best, and
weirdest, of the batch is The Unknown. Chaney plays a carnival performer known as the "Armless
Wonder," who performs near-miraculous stunts with his bare feet. In fact, he is in possession of both his
arms, but keeps them strapped to his side to maintain the illusion of being limbless. Chaney's beautiful
assistant Joan Crawford has a pathological fear of being touched by any man. This leads Chaney to believe
that he is attractive to Crawford so long as his keeps his arms hidden. Halfway through the film, Chaney
murders the circus manager - a crime witnessed by Crawford, who was only able to glimpse Chaney's
distinctively mutated thumb. To cover up his crime, and to make himself the perfect mate for Crawford,
Chaney blackmails a doctor into amputating his arms. Upon returning to the carnival, the now-genuinely
armless Chaney learns to his horror that Crawford has overcome her aberration of being touched, thanks
to handsome circus strong man Norman Kerry. Enraged, Chaney plots to kill Kerry in a horrible
fashion...but guess who ends up seriously dead?
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
represent the best work of either man, though each film definitely has its moments. One of the best, and
weirdest, of the batch is The Unknown. Chaney plays a carnival performer known as the "Armless
Wonder," who performs near-miraculous stunts with his bare feet. In fact, he is in possession of both his
arms, but keeps them strapped to his side to maintain the illusion of being limbless. Chaney's beautiful
assistant Joan Crawford has a pathological fear of being touched by any man. This leads Chaney to believe
that he is attractive to Crawford so long as his keeps his arms hidden. Halfway through the film, Chaney
murders the circus manager - a crime witnessed by Crawford, who was only able to glimpse Chaney's
distinctively mutated thumb. To cover up his crime, and to make himself the perfect mate for Crawford,
Chaney blackmails a doctor into amputating his arms. Upon returning to the carnival, the now-genuinely
armless Chaney learns to his horror that Crawford has overcome her aberration of being touched, thanks
to handsome circus strong man Norman Kerry. Enraged, Chaney plots to kill Kerry in a horrible
fashion...but guess who ends up seriously dead?
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
| Directed by: Tod Browning Written by: Tod Browning - story Waldemar Young - scenario Joseph Farnham - titles |
| ~Cast~ Lon Chaney ... Alonzo the Armless Norman Kerry ... Malabar the Mighty, Circus Strongman Joan Crawford ... Nanon Zanzi Nick De Ruiz ... Antonio Zanzi, Nanon's Father John George ... Cojo, Alonzo's Assistant Frank Lanning ... Costra Polly Moran ... Landlady (scenes deleted) Bobbie Mack ... Gypsy (scenes deleted) Louise Emmons ... Gypsy Woman (uncredited) Julian Rivero ... Man in Audience (uncredited) Billy Seay ... The Little Wolf (uncredited) John St. Polis ... Surgeon (uncredited) |
| ~Clarence Sinclair Bull Portrait Photograph of Lon Chaney~ |
| ~Movie Still 305-11: Nick De Ruiz & Joan Crawford~ |
| ~Movie Still 305-28: Joan Crawford & Nick De Ruiz~ |
| ~Movie Still 305-53: Nick De Ruiz & Joan Crawford~ |
| ~Movie Still 305-57: Joan Crawford & Norman Kerry~ |
| ~Movie Still 305-107: Lon Chaney & Joan Crawford~ |
| ~Movie Still 305-108: Clarence Sinclair Bull Portrait of Lon Chaney & Joan Crawford~ |
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| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced & Released by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Cinematography by: Merritt B. Gerstad Film Editing: Harry Reynolds & Errol Taggart Settings: Richard Day & Cedric Gibbons Stunts: Paul Desmuke Still Photographer: Clarence Sinclair Bull Wardrobe: Lucia Coulter & Set Musicians: Jack Feinberg & Sam Feinberg Length: 7 Reels Runtime: 86 Minutes Released: August 16, 1925 Filmed on Location at: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA |