A bitter clown endeavors to rescue the young woman he loves from the lecherous count who once betrayed him.
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Title: He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
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2 wins.
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Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Lon Chaney | ... | Paul Beaumont / HE | |
| Norma Shearer | ... | Consuelo | |
| John Gilbert | ... | Bezano | |
 |
Ruth King | ... | Marie Beaumont |
| Marc McDermott | ... | Baron Regnard | |
| Ford Sterling | ... | Tricaud | |
| Tully Marshall | ... | Count Mancini | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Pierre Watkin | ... | spectator in audience at HE's final performance | |
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Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Story of an inventor who, suffering betrayal in life, makes a career of it by becoming a clown whose act consists of getting slapped by all the other clowns. He falls in love with another circus performer, and those who betrayed him enter his life yet again. Written by Robert Tonsing <rtonsing@ti.com>
Taglines:
Victor Seastrom's production of the famous stage play by Leonid Andreyev. (Poster). See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
22 December 1924 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Akit arcul csaptak See more »Filming Locations:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USAEdit
Box Office
Budget:
$172,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$185,000, 31 December 1925Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
(original) | (TCM print)Sound Mix:
SilentAspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1
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See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Robert Ward (music) and Bernard Stambler (libretto) transfered the film to an opera version that premiered at the New York City Opera 1959. See more »Goofs
During part of the scene where the lion is loose in the room, Beaumont is seen with no, or hardly any, black makeup around his right eye. Before and after this scene, both eyes are made up. See more »Quotes
Title Card: Paul Beaumont lived - to laugh at life. He laughed at his wife and the Baron - and left them to the doubtful joy of each other's society.See more »
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I think one could argue that "He Who Gets Slapped" is Lon Chaney's best film. Since Lon Chaney is the greatest character actor of all time, this makes it a must-see (a term I abhor) for everyone. The way to watch this movie is as a sort of twisted fairy tale. The Melodrama exists to satisfy audience demands but there is much more going on here, and what's beautiful is that it is happening in a way that affects the viewer even if he or she isn't aware of it. Lon Chaney's performance is heartbreaking, particularly when he carries the cloth heart that has been torn from his breast, but at other moments he is sadistic and vengeful, as when he lets the lions out to kill a scheming circus manager and a sotted aristocrat. When I watch this scene I admit that I am laughing with Lon -- you have to love it! Norma Shearer and John Gilbert..... nobody ever had a better supporting cast. The circus theme is a parable for the world of human relations, where we are often called upon to amuse others instead of showing our true feelings. Lon's performance is a classic of self-torture and humiliation, and this movie should be remembered for all time as establishing MGM on the track that made it Hollywood's all time greatest studio.