Coventry Practically ALL horror movies from the silent era are brilliant masterpieces, but obviously you have to be in a certain type of mood in order to truly appreciate them. You can't just pop a silent horror into the DVD-player after a busy and stressful day, as these are films that you literally have to absorb with all your senses. Whether it's a German expressionist classic ("Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens", "Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari"…) or one of the earliest Universal classics ("The Phantom of the Opera", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"…), silent horror movies are sophisticated and emotionally exhausting, but oh so worthwhile! "The Man Who Laughs" is a Universal production, albeit with the collaboration of German expressionist talent. The famous production company hired the visionary director Paul Leni ("Waxworks") and charismatic protagonist Conrad Veidt ("The Hands of Orlac") in order to peer with the previous success films, but unfortunately the invention of sound in films and the very first movies with audible dialogs were in 1928 the main reasons why "The Man who Laughs" sadly never received the fame and recognition it fully deserved. Almost 90 years later now, the film luckily does get considered as an immortal classic. "The Man who Laughs" is a brilliant movie, but not exactly from start to finish. I have to say, the first 15-20 minutes are downright mesmerizing and most definitely belong in my personal list of greatest movie-moments in history. I could probably write five full pages about the magical first quarter, so unbelievably fantastic it is! The opening sequences are simultaneously endearing, shocking, horrifying and tragic. James II, King of England in the year 1690, and his diabolical jester Barkilphedro capture nemesis Lord Clancharlie and condemn him to death in the iron maiden. Right before dying, Lord Clancharlie also finds out that his young son Gwynplaine got sold to the cruel Comprachico gypsies. They surgically carve a permanent grin in the faces of their victims to sell them as clowns or jesters. Later, when the Comprachicos are exiled from England, they abandon the poor and reluctantly smiling boy in the cold England. He rescues a baby girl from the arms of her dead mother and finds shelter under the wings of the wise philosopher Ursus. This description only covers the first fifteen minutes of the film, but – as stated clear already – they are stupendous! The visually striking first scene inside the flamboyant bedroom of King James, Gwynplaine's heartbreaking journey through the snow and underneath dangling corpses on the gallows and, most of all, the perplexing moment when the young boy saves the blind baby Dea that would later become his muse. The footage where the Gwynplaine's savior Ursus screams: "Stop laughing! Stop laughing, I said!" and the poor lad replies with "I'm not laughing" truly brought tears to my eyes. Most unfortunately, however, the remaining hour and a half aren't nearly as brilliant, captivating and emotional as the first fifteen. Gwynplaine and Dea grow up but remain with Urses and they make a living as traveling circus artists. Gwynplaine becomes famous across the nation as "the laughing man". He gets recognized as the lost son of Lord Clancharlie and becomes noticed by the eccentric Duchess Josiana. Far too much time is spent on the forced romance/game of seduction between Gwynplaine and Josiana, illustrated through a couple of scenes that were very erotic and ahead of their time, even though it's abundantly clear that his craving to be with his beloved Dea will overrule everything. The film too often gets a little bit tedious and repetitive, but plenty of things remain worth seeing, like the continuously stellar acting performances from the ensemble cast, too many to mention visual highlights captured by Paul Leni's gifted art-director's eye and a genuinely uncanny atmosphere every time that diabolical jester Barkilphedro in on screen. All footage with the sensual actress Olga Baclanova (later the anti-heroine in "Freaks") literally burst with eroticism, whereas actress Mary Philbin embodies the pure and wide-eyed innocence. Conrad Veidt

preppy-3 This takes place in 17th century England. A young noble mans son Gwynplaine (played as an adult by Conrad Veidt) is kidnapped by a political enemy. He then has a surgeon carve a monstrous grin on the boys face. Years later he's part of a freak show and in love with a beautiful blind girl (Mary Philbin). However his political personage becomes known and causes trouble.This is usually advertised as a horror film due to Veidt's hideous grin but it's not. It's a slow-moving and frankly boring historical drama. Universal spend a lot of money on this and it shows. The sets and costumes are very elaborate and it IS well-directed by Paul Leni. Also Veidt is great in his role. He had to convey all his emotions through his eyes and pulls it off. However I was bored silly and had my finger of the fast forward button more than once. Also Mary Philbin was terrible as the blind girl. Boring and uninvolving.

DarthVoorhees The Man Who Laughs is one of the best love stories of the silent era and it is in essence the best Lon Chaney movie not starring Lon Chaney. Conrad Veidt gives the performance of his career as Gwynplaine, a man of royal blood who is punished for the sins of his father. He has a horrible grin carved into his face so he is forever smiling on the outside or "Laughing at his fool of a father" Gwynplaine is given this horrible scar by the infamous gypsies the Comprachios, he is abandoned by them and is taken in by a carnival traveler called Ursus along with a poor blind baby who is named Dea. Gwynplaine grows up a shattered man with no sense of pride in his life other than his deep love for Dea. He feels as if he doesn't deserve Dea and has to become something more than the "clown" the world has cruelly dubbed him as.Geez those who think Gwynplaine is the inspiration for the Joker couldn't be farther from the truth. Visually yes but Gwynplaine is the only truly decent character in this film. The film is also miscorrectly labeled as a horror film, it is actually a tragedy in my opinion. However the classification of a horror film isn't far off, Paul Leni deeply roots the set and make-up design in his natural German Expressionism. The shadows and set designs are beautiful and is really the last example of this masterful method of film-making. No star knows how to better match this than Conrad Veidt, the star of the masterpiece The Cabinet of Dr Calagari. This performance is breathtaking, every scene he is in he dominates. His on screen presence is huge and overwhelming in a great way. It's a genuinely touching story and we feel deeply for Gwynplaine when we might not feel as much for other characters.

rdjeffers Saturday July 12, 7:45pm, The Castro Theater, San FranciscoAt the moment of his execution, a rebellious nobleman learns that his child has been mutilated by gypsies. Taken in by a travelling, self-appointed philosopher, the boy becomes a popular carnival attraction. The grotesque Man Who Laughs, Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt) worships Dea (Mary Philbin), a beautiful blind girl he rescued as an infant, until he is used by the Queen to usurp a Duchess who is undeserving of her title.Producer Carl Laemmle sought to exploit the Gothic horror craze Universal Pictures established with The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of The Opera (1925), once again adapting a romantic and darkly sinister Victor Hugo novel. Sensational production values and art direction, the result of an immense budget, are quite apparent. The use of principals drawn from Weimar Cinema, on both sides of the camera, gave The Man Who Laughs an unmistakable quality that significantly influenced the genre.