The Internet Movie Database Movie Reviews
A biopic about Lon Chaney, the silent film star.
It was the New Year’s Day Videofest. Our theme: James Cagney. We werw joined by Bassoon Boy, Craftygirl, Lobster Lady and Spider Jerusalem. SJ disappeared for this one, and more than one of us wished we could have joined him…because this one was really, really bad.
I really like Chaney’s movies; he was a fine and interesting actor, and made some seriously good films. I’m especially fond of the movies he made with Tod Browning, even though they can be very over-the-top (The Unknown certainly is.)
Now, Chaney had some problems in his life, for sure, but this weepy biopic just made you want to smack him one upside the head and tell him to put on his big boy panties and get on with it. We were all rolling our eyes and looking at our watches halfway through it. Plus Browning was nowhere in this movie; it was all Chaney and and Irving Thalberg…huh?
Skip this one, and go straight on to the actual Chaney/Browning movies, you’ll be much happier.
theotterlimits 