Widescreen Online Review Plus: The Man Who Laughs, the 1928 Silent Classic Film with Far Reaching Influence

Sunday, October 11, 2020

The Man Who Laughs, the 1928 Silent Classic Film with Far Reaching Influence

It’s been nearly a hundred years since the American film version
of Victor Hugo horror classic The
Man Who Laughs premiere on April 27, 1928 at the Central Theatre in New
York City. While the early reception of the film was termed “mediocre” and a “travesty
of cinematic methods”, the influence of the main character, Gwynplaine is undeniable
in even in many of today’s art forms.

When we look at The
Man Who Laughs, we immediately understand its magic on creators of comic books,
cartoons and anime series, as well as live action films.

In the film, Comprachicos are illegal surgeons who carved
unnatural smiles onto the faces of kidnapped children making them into grotesque
clowns and jesters. Gwynplaine was one
such child, the stolen son of the rebel, Lord Chancharlie, who himself was put
to death in an ‘Iron Lady’ for taking up arms against King James II in 17^th century England.

The Man Who Laughs is a sad tale, a silent tale of love hard
won.

Years later, Gwynplaine
pursue of happiness is again betrayed by his childhood, creator Dr Hardquanonne,
the Comprachico that changed his destiny,
the former but still evil and cruel court
jester, Barkilphedro, and the spiteful Queen
Anne.

With all these nemeses plotting against him, will poor Gwynplaine survive these newest cruelties and
become heir of the Chancharlie estate and happily marry his childhood love, the
blind Dea?

As for clown like
faces, Lord Dirry Moir, the Duchess Josiana betrothed looks just as much like a
jester when he prostrates before Queen Anne.

Stuart
Holmes as Lord Dirry Moir

Dea quote sums up Gwynplaine
emotional existence.

Mary
Philbin as Dea

It’s wonderful how my

Gwynplaine makes the

people laugh ^___even

when he is sad.”

What makes Gwynplaine so endearing, in spite of his nefarious smile, is that everything he
feels is reflected in his eyes and body posture. This is a man that has known
great emotional pain and only wants to be loved for who he is regardless of how
he looks but must stand up and overcome those wanting to use him for their own
good. There is no misunderstanding of the expressions of love, sorrow, bewilderment
and happiness on Gwynplaine face.

Conrad
Veidt as Gwynplaine

From many, including me, Gwynplaine, The Man Who Laughs, is
the real inspiration for the creation of the DC Comics’ Joker. We have to admit that there is a resemblance in their
facial features that is wickedly similar. However that is where the resemblance
ends.

Where Gwynplaine is
a kind and tormented man who wishes only to be loved for himself. The three
characters below lack his humaneness.

The Joker is and always will be Batman’s greatest nemesis. The
evil of the Joker is one that began long before he fell into a vast of toxic waste.
He began as a small time crime punk who wanted to be more. He only realized his
goal after waking up as a grotesque man with an evil grin and an equally evil
mind.

Bleach animated
character, Mayuri Kurotsuchi the
Captain of the 12th Division in the Gotei 13 and 2nd president of the Shinigami
Research Institute. Although a
soul reaper, he often shows signs of the
mad scientist beneath his fixed grin.

Then there is the unforgettable
Ryuk, a Shinigami God of death from Death Note. His only mission is to bring about chaos and death, as
much death as possible and then devour the human that he needs to finish his
goal with the use of a supernatural notebook.