Despite the flaws to be expected in a silent film that rushes the story forward by compressing time and events and bridging the gap with a few written words of dialog, WEST OF ZANZIBAR remains another interesting, weird and chilling entry in the cycle of LON CHANEY's horror films.
As to be expected, Chaney once again suffers for his art. He plays a man so damaged by a fall during a struggle with LIONEL BARRYMORE, that he must spend the rest of his life as a cripple, vowing to get revenge against the man who claimed he was going to take Chaney's sweetheart to Africa. Chaney then discovers the woman dead in church (a probable suicide) with her little girl crying near her body.
The scene shifts to Africa where Chaney is bent on revenge and the tale takes some really darker turns involving natives immersed in Voodoo practices, the death of ivory merchant Barrymore, and some revelations about the identity of the girl who is part of Chaney's plan to seek revenge against the man who wronged him.
It's typical Tod Browning/Lon Chaney melodrama and some of it looks pretty primitive by today's standards but silent film lovers will undoubtedly put this one near the top of their list as a film great.
Chaney reveals himself to be a great actor, capable of instilling fear and hatred in his expression and a number of other grimaces in between. As expected, LIONEL BARRYMORE proves that even as early as silent films he was given to much blustery overacting, as is WARNER BAXTER in his drunk scene. MARY NOLAN, as the blonde beauty, seems to be smirking most of the time rather than smiling, probably to suggest the hard life she's been living as a part of Chaney's scheme--but she's effective most of the time.
Well worth viewing for any Lon Chaney or Tod Browning fan.
As to be expected, Chaney once again suffers for his art. He plays a man so damaged by a fall during a struggle with LIONEL BARRYMORE, that he must spend the rest of his life as a cripple, vowing to get revenge against the man who claimed he was going to take Chaney's sweetheart to Africa. Chaney then discovers the woman dead in church (a probable suicide) with her little girl crying near her body.
The scene shifts to Africa where Chaney is bent on revenge and the tale takes some really darker turns involving natives immersed in Voodoo practices, the death of ivory merchant Barrymore, and some revelations about the identity of the girl who is part of Chaney's plan to seek revenge against the man who wronged him.
It's typical Tod Browning/Lon Chaney melodrama and some of it looks pretty primitive by today's standards but silent film lovers will undoubtedly put this one near the top of their list as a film great.
Chaney reveals himself to be a great actor, capable of instilling fear and hatred in his expression and a number of other grimaces in between. As expected, LIONEL BARRYMORE proves that even as early as silent films he was given to much blustery overacting, as is WARNER BAXTER in his drunk scene. MARY NOLAN, as the blonde beauty, seems to be smirking most of the time rather than smiling, probably to suggest the hard life she's been living as a part of Chaney's scheme--but she's effective most of the time.
Well worth viewing for any Lon Chaney or Tod Browning fan.