He Who Gets Slapped

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He Who Gets Slapped ★★★ 1924

Chaney portrays a brilliant scientist whose personal and professional humiliations cause him to join a travelling French circus as a masochistic clown (hence the title). There he falls in love with a beautiful circus performer and plans a spectacular revenge. Brilliant use of lighting and Expressionist devices by director Sjostrom (who used the Americanized version of his name-Seastrom-in the credits). Adapted from the Russian play “He, The One Who Gets Slapped” by Leonid Andreyev. 85m/B VHS . Lon Chaney Sr., Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, Tully Marshall, Ford Sterling, Marc McDermott; D: Victor Sjostrom; W: Carey Wilson, Victor Sjostrom.