The Unknown (1927)

Director:

Tod Browning

Writers:

Tod Browning (story)
Waldemar Young (scenario)

Release Date:

4 June 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Romance

Plot:

Alonzo is an apparently armless knife thrower who uses his feet to encircle Estrellita with blades....

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Silent Film | Knife Thrower | Amputee | Circus

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Lon Chaney	...	Alonzo the Armless
Norman Kerry	...	Malabar the Mighty, Circus Strongman
Joan Crawford	...	Nanon Zanzi
Nick De Ruiz	...	Antonio Zanzi, Nanon's Father
John George	...	Cojo, Alonzo's Assistant
Frank Lanning	...	Costra
Polly Moran	...	Landlady (scenes deleted)
Bobbie Mack	...	Gypsy (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Alonzo the Armless (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

63 min (23 fps) | UK:49 min (BFI print) | USA:49 min (alternate version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG | USA:Unrated

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

For many years this film only existed in murky 9.5mm dupes on the black market. In March 1973, at a screening of this film at George Eastman House, archivist James Card said that Henri Langlois and his staff at the Cinematheque Francais discovered a copy of it in 1968 among other miscellaneous cans of film marked "l'inconnu" (films "unknown" due to missing titles, etc.).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Alonzo and Cojo are drinking wine, the glass suddenly fills between shots.

Quotes:

Malabar the Mighty, Circus Strongman: Why do you always draw away from me?
Nanon Zanzi: Why isn't he different from other men! Why doesn't he keep his hands off me?
Nanon Zanzi: Hands! Men's hands! How I hate them!
Nanon Zanzi: Men! The beasts! God would show wisdom if he took the hands from all of them!
Nanon Zanzi: Forgive me, Alonzo... I did not mean you.
Nanon Zanzi: You are the one man I can come to without fear.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Femme d'à côté, La (1981)

Thumbs Up!

I give this one 8/10 simply for uniqueness. It's not a horror film, but if you can follow and swallow it The Unknown certainly is an unsettling experience. I don't think anyone has spoiled it yet for the unwary so for an explanation of why, the best thing to do is watch it! Suffice to report it's a tale of twisted love and the lengths a man's passion goes to ... to get his hands on the woman. Alonzo didn't understand women however!

Tod Browning sailed close to the edge as usual, and Lon Chaney put in a fine performance as a murderer on the run - I presume he was, from extrapolation of events in the 47 minute TCM UK TV version. Joan Crawford looked very pretty, before Hollywood really got hold of her and uglified her.

There's obviously many bits missing from this print, but by paying attention it's fairly straightforward to understand. I think it's worth it too, especially if you like silent films as I do. The scenes photographed through gauze were striking, but what was that all about?! Overall, different and slightly depressing - is the moral we men are all so desperate when infatuated with a woman?