He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

A bitter clown endeavors to rescue the young woman he loves from the lecherous count who once betrayed him.

Director:

Victor Sjöström (as Victor Seastrom)

Writers:

Leonid Andreyev (adapted from the play by), Carey Wilson (adapted for the screen by)

Stars:

Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert

2 wins.

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

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.

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | clown | sad clown | circus | benefactor | 

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Taglines:

THE famous stage success now comes to take its place among the immortal heart dramas of the screen. It is unquestionably one of the most gripping stories ever filmed. (Print Ad- Beacon Daily Herald,((Beacon, NY)) 15 January 1925)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

As uncovered on video that surfaced in August 2018, Bela Lugosi appears twice as an extra: once as a clown---and once as "Professor Beardo".

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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.

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Quotes

HE: You forget, gentlemen - this is a circus - love must wait - - the performance must go on!

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Connections

Featured in Mark Kermode's Secrets of Cinema: Horror (2018)

User Reviews

Lon Chaney's best film?

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1924 (USA)

Also Known As:

Akit arcul csaptak

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$172,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min (original) 71 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White Color (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1