"Blizzard," a double amputee intent on revenge, ranks among the "Man of a Thousand Faces's" finest performances. Lon Chaney dominates "The Penalty," a 1920 silent film directed by Wallace Worsley. Although nearly a century old, the film is no museum curiosity, but rather a remarkably contemporary movie and an engrossing drama. The print is in good condition, projected at the correct speed, beautifully tinted, and well scored.
While laying in his hospital bed, a young boy overhears his doctors admit that the amputation of his legs had been a mistake. Rather than admit their error, the doctors conceal their guilt, and, when the boy tells his parents what he heard, the doctors claim he is hallucinating from the effects of ether. The boy matures into Lon Chaney as "Blizzard," an underworld crime lord, who seeks to take revenge on the doctor, the doctor's daughter, and on the city of San Francisco. As part of his plan, Chaney manipulates his way into being the model for a statue of Satan, sculpted by the doctor's daughter. Meanwhile, the authorities have planted a mole among Blizzard's confidantes to uncover his plot. Although other members of the cast, such as Charles Clary, Doris Pawn, Claire Adams, and Kenneth Harlan are largely forgotten, their acting is naturalistic for the most part, and only a few overplayed flourishes of the "grand style" mar the film. Made well before the Production Code, the film has a flash of nudity and an implied sado-masochistic relationship between "Blizzard" and the woman who manually pushes the piano pedals, while he plays the keyboard.
Fine sharp cinematography, an engrossing story, good performances, and a legendary star in a memorable role, "The Penalty" is a must see for silent film aficionados and Lon Chaney fans. For those unfamiliar with either silents or Chaney, the film is an excellent work in which to discover both.
While laying in his hospital bed, a young boy overhears his doctors admit that the amputation of his legs had been a mistake. Rather than admit their error, the doctors conceal their guilt, and, when the boy tells his parents what he heard, the doctors claim he is hallucinating from the effects of ether. The boy matures into Lon Chaney as "Blizzard," an underworld crime lord, who seeks to take revenge on the doctor, the doctor's daughter, and on the city of San Francisco. As part of his plan, Chaney manipulates his way into being the model for a statue of Satan, sculpted by the doctor's daughter. Meanwhile, the authorities have planted a mole among Blizzard's confidantes to uncover his plot. Although other members of the cast, such as Charles Clary, Doris Pawn, Claire Adams, and Kenneth Harlan are largely forgotten, their acting is naturalistic for the most part, and only a few overplayed flourishes of the "grand style" mar the film. Made well before the Production Code, the film has a flash of nudity and an implied sado-masochistic relationship between "Blizzard" and the woman who manually pushes the piano pedals, while he plays the keyboard.
Fine sharp cinematography, an engrossing story, good performances, and a legendary star in a memorable role, "The Penalty" is a must see for silent film aficionados and Lon Chaney fans. For those unfamiliar with either silents or Chaney, the film is an excellent work in which to discover both.