Day Sixteen: The Unknown (1927)
The Unknown is a frank, nasty bit of business by collaborators (and professional legends) Tod Browning and Lon Chaney. Browning directed and created the scenario, Chaney starred as Alonzo, an armless knife thrower who’s madly in love with the circus owner’s daughter, Nanon (a very young Joan Crawford). Alonzo’s disability looks to actually be an advantage with this young woman, as she’s terrified of men groping her (don’t ask, just go with it.) A strong man steps in the way though, spurring surprisingly brutal complications.
Chaney is, as usual, committed and superb as Alonzo, and two of his moments here are authentically scary and devastating. One of these scenes is justifiably famous: Alonzo, who turns out to be a criminal who really has arms, has them amputated so he can appeal to Nanon’s phobia. While he’s doing this, the strong man wins Nanon over, rendering Alonzo’s self-sabotage moot. Chaney’s realization of this, the slip from happiness to madness to madness dressed as happiness, is chilling, and in league with the unmasking scene of Phantom.
The second scene is toward the end, and again is centered on Chaney’s remarkable face. Alonzo watches as the strong man falls into his trap, and a devious, uncontrollable joy invades what’s left of the tortured Alonzo. I know the Joker from Batman is credited to The Man Who Laughs, but I have to wonder if Bob Kane saw The Unknown.
Browning would later go on to do the more famous Dracula and the (even better) Freaks, but, with The Unknown, we can see that the Browning sensibility had been in place long before those later pictures. The Unknown, like Freaks, sticks so well because Browning’s sympathies clearly lie with the deranged. The deck isn’t stacked here as it is Freaks either, Alonzo’s rage isn’t given any remotely rational excuse. It’s a testament to Browning and Chaney’s skill though, that we feel a pang of regret when Alonzo is trampled and the strong man and Nanon are allowed their happy ending. Alonzo was evil, selfish, insane, but he was the only character with any force to him. Everybody else is a pretty boy. Maybe the deck was stacked.
The Unknown is part of a two disc Lon Chaney Set from Turner Classic Movies. This also includes an engaging documentary on Chaney, as well as a still picture recreation of the “lost” Chaney/Browning film, London After Midnight. Chaney is essential, iconic, every bit as good as you’ve read from crusty film journals. I admit that I haven’t seen nearly as much as I should’ve myself. What better month to catch up with a neglected master?
