Rating: NR
Genre:
Drama
Release Date: 06/24/2008
SubTitles: French
Dubbed: English
Sound: DDM2.0
Run Time: 122 Minutes
Flags: Suitable for Children
Distributor/Studio: Universal Studios
One screen legend tips his hat to another as
James Cagney portrays horror film icon
Lon Chaney in
Man of a Thousand Faces.
Joseph Pevney's bio-pic takes a somewhat whitewashed view of
Chaney's career, but
Cagney is nothing short of riveting in the lead. The film begins as
Chaney, the son of two deaf parents, is tasting success in vaudeville as a knockabout juggler, mime, and quick-change artist.
Chaney meets Cleva Creighton (
Dorothy Malone) and hires her as his assistant. They fall in love and marry, but when
Chaney reveals his parents are deaf mutes, she recoils in revulsion. When she gives birth to a son, she refuses to look at him, thinking their child will also be deaf.
Chaney proves her wrong, but Cleva reveals an underlying psychological affliction that grows in intensity as
Chaney's vaudeville success increases. When
Chaney becomes a vaudeville star, Cleva walks out on both
Chaney and her son.
Chaney's son is sent to a home, since after Cleva's departure, he hasn't the money to support him. To get his son back, he travels to Hollywood and takes every bit role available, using his gift for creative disguises to land several roles in one film.
Chaney becomes well respected for his talents and his popularity becomes greater, and he eventually becomes a superstar. Along the way, he meets Hazel Bennett (
Jane Greer) and they fall in love and marry. But his happiness is shattered when Cleva comes back into his life and demands the return of her son.
~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
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A reviewer
from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Man Behind the Thousand Faces.
James Cagney gives one of the best performancs of his career portraying silent star, Lon Chaney (1883-1930) in this semi-biographical drama about Chaney's personal life from being the son of deaf-mute parents to becoming an actor, whose professional make-up artistry helped make a star in the silent film genre with his unforgettable performances in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera. Also starring Dorothy Malone, Jane Greer, Jim Backus, Celia Lovsky, Robert Evans, Simon Scott, Jeanne Cagney, Marjorie Rambeau, Roger Smith, Jack Albertson, Harry Van Zandt, and Snub Pollard.
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