Starring Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin and Olga Baclanova
Produced by Universal Pictures
Usually movie reviews focus on the mechanics of a film: acting, directing, pacing, effects and how those elements combine to produce an emotional reaction in the viewer. It's about figuring out whether a film works, then taking it apart to get at the why.
With The Man Who Laughs, I throw most of that out the window. Why? Because the concept of the movie has so enveloped my brain, I have to focus my attention there.
Putting the film aside for the moment, imagine being the son of a man on the wrong side of the law. Your father pays for his crimes, but, as part of the bargain, you are disfigured. Not just scarred, but you're face is turned into a perpetual smile.
What do you do? How do you express yourself to another person? How do you earn someone's trust when they can't see what you really think by looking at your face?
I just think about the way I use my face to convey feelings and imagine that being taken away. What would that do to a man? How could you face the world?
That's the powerful set up for The Man Who Laughs. Conrad Veidt plays a perpetually smiling sideshow performer Gwynplaine. His rebel leader of a father was captured and killed when Gwynplaine was a boy, but the king decrees the youth shall be disfigured and made to laugh at his father forever.
He grows up with a blind girl Dea (whom he rescued from death during a snowstorm) and his adoptive father Ursus. The three put on shows that take advantage of the public's fascination with Gwynplaine's face.
Queen Anne learns that Gwynplaine is the rightful inheritor of his father's lands, lands currently held by the Duchess Josiana. The queen loathes the duchess and decrees that she should marry Gwynplaine, primarily to embarrass her.
Gwynplaine loves Dea and can't bring himself to marry Josiana, setting our hero against the queen and all her power and propelling the film toward a finale I won't spoil here.
As overwhelming as the concept is, it's Conrad Veidt who really sells the situation. You read every emotion in his eyes despite his unmoving mandible. Throughout the film, he wears a device in his mouth that stretches it into a smile, making his acting feat doubly impressive: not only does he have to emote with only the upper half of his face, he acts despite wearing a prosthetic that looks painful.
I talked about mechanics earlier and there are issues here. Dea is a non-factor for most of the film. When they finally giver her something to do, it could not be more passive as she is literally dragged around by a dog and a couple other people.
However, every time Veidt lowers that scarf to show us that grotesque smile, all of the film's issues are relegated to the back of my mind. Ideas are powerful and the idea behind The Man Who Laughs is overwhelming.
**** out of *****
NOTE: It's completely obvious when watching the film, but Veidt's Gwynplaine was the inspiration for Bob Kane in creating the Joker, Batman's most famous villain.
Photo from Appiary and Dad's Big Plan
0 comments:
Post a Comment