madamemoose1 if you're like me, you're thinking "why bother?" about this film. Give it a chance !! it drew me in, was never boring, was original, interesting and truly a very good movie -- yes, even though it's silent. At times, it's even pretty funny !! I feel so strongly about it that i wish it was on again so that i could catch the whole thing (watched 2/3).The acting and the atmosphere are top notch. It's definitely not one of those cliché ridden, predictable schlock movies. The man playing the "baby" is fascinating !! So innocent and convincing one second, then chomping his cigar and acting menacing the next. I give it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars -- i really liked this picture !! I can't think of one downside to it. High praise from me !! And the "baby face Finster" character (gangster midget !!) is a scream.

robertguttman It would be trite, but nonetheless true, to assert that this movie could not be produced today. Only the mind of filmmaker Tod Browning, who came to the world of film making from a background in carnivals and circuses, could have conceived of a story this bizarre. Only a great actor like Lon Chaney could do justice to the dual role of Echo the ventriloquist/Gramdma O'Grady. Above all, of course, today it would be considered unthinkable to utilize an actor like the inimitable Harry Earles, particularly cast in the role of a villain. But then this film was the product of the equally inimitable Tod Browning, the man who subsequently created the notorious movie "Freaks, which also featured the unique talents of Harry Earles. The story involves three side show performers; Echo the Ventriloquist (Lon Chaney), Hercules the Strong Man (future Academy Award Winner Victor Mclaglen) and Tweedledee the Midget (Harry Earles). Fed up with life on the midway, the "Unholy Three" team up to open up a pet shop which they intend to use as a front for a series of burglaries. Echo, disguised as a little old lady, poses as the proprietor, while Hercules is her shop assistant. Tweedledee passes himself off as the old lady's infant grandson (apparently nobody ever notices that the "baby" has a full set of teeth!). Also assisting them is "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" (Mae Busch), a pickpocket who had formerly been in business with Echo when they were both working in the carnival.Although Lon Chaney was known for his spectacular horror films, in his day he made a lot of crime films as well, and "The Unholy Three" falls under that heading. Apart from the scenes in which he is disguised as the "sweet Little old lady", in which he is very convincing, in this film Chaney appears as a regular person, which was a relatively rare thing in his career.Presented by a superior cast of actors, "The Unholy Three" is certainly among the most unique crime dramas ever filmed. It definitely deserves an 8 out of ten. Incidentally, it is worth mentioning that this movie made such an impression at the time of its release that it was subsequently remade as a sound movie, with Lon Chaney and Harry Earles reprising their roles. In fact, the remake of "The Unholy Three" was the only "Talkie" that the great Lon Chaney ever made before he died, much too soon, at the age of only 47.

Tad Pole Murderous anomalies from the circus sideshow were "old hat" by the time director Tod Browning Helmed the infamous FREAKS picture in 1932, which almost single-handedly brought on 81 years of film censorship in America (and counting). In 1925, Browning put out this silent--THE UNHOLY THREE--in which one thing leads to another, potentially posing a very sticky wicket for what an Intertitle card here labels "the grim machinery of the law." Sure, you can modify an American snuff chamber with his and her electric chairs (complete with a "cry room" for the young children, as in the Rosenberg Case). But how the dickens do you construct a triple-hanging scaffold for a strong man, a ventriloquist, and a 20-inch midget? The former's neck strength and the latter's lack of weight probably would leave both dangling and thrashing about indefinitely, while the man in the middle's dummy would be screaming bloody murder! Many spectators would die laughing--just the opposite of the desired outcome! Browning solves this conundrum by having a gorilla kill the strongman and the midget (off-screen, of course). Since the voice thrower sings for the court, he gets off with a song.

Scarecrow-88 Underrated Tod Browning production has Lon Chaney bringing his arsenal of facial expressions, putting his expressive talents on display yet again. When you often see the team of director Browning and actor Lon Chaney, fireworks happen on screen. Yes, the low budget for 1925 shows. There's a scene between Chaney's ventriloquist Echo and his pickpocket partner Rosie(Mae Busch, who I thought was quite good)supposedly on the outside discussing the fate of a someone set-up for which you can tell is a painted background on a sound stage, or the scenes with the supposed giant primate..but, if one gets into the dastardly story-line then this might drive them away from such trivial matters. Chaney stars as a ventriloquist working the carny scene whose "associate" Rosie picks the pockets of the wealthy supplying them with the extra refinements their true professions do not provide. He concocts a scheme, gaining the partnership of a strongman(John Ford veteran Victor McLaglen)and his pint-sized dwarf friend Tweedledee(Harry Earles, most know him from Browning's controversial film "Freaks"), to thieve the rich by pretending to be a family operating a store. They hire trustworthy, naive "boob" Hector(Matt Moore)as a fall guy if their schemes to swindle run across possible trouble. Rosie is to work Hector over, pretending to fancy him. Things get complicated as Rosie falls in love with her mark as a jealous Echo tries to nip their growing bond in the bud. Meanwhile, Hercules, the strongman, and Tweedledee decide to rob a client who recently purchased a parrot..in the film Echo is so good at voices, he can persuade possible shoppers to purchase parrots he provided the dialogue to..under the disguise of an elderly lady, Mrs. Granny O'Grady as Tweedledee pretends to be a little child..and kill the millionaire putting a damper on the future plans of The Unholy Three. The unholy union was anything but a solid foundation to begin with, but is certainly fractured when Hector is set up by the group for stealing jewels from the dead millionaire, framed for his murder, as Rosie threatens to expose them.There's just something marvelous about seeing Chaney disguised as a Granny and Earles smoking a fat cigar dressed in a child's clothes. There's a great scene where a detective is asking "Mrs. O'Grady" some questions as Tweedledee places the stolen jewels inside an elephant toy..you know exactly what the detective will eyeball when he sees it on the floor with Chaney's Echo on the verge of having a breakdown. The trial at the end is a bit far-fetched(particularly when Echo tries to put words in Hector's mouth while he's on the witness stand!