The Unknown (1927)
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- Unrated
- 1h 8min
- Drama, Horror
- 04 Jun 1927 (USA)
- Movie
- 1 win & 2 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Lon Chaney | ... |
Alonzo
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| Norman Kerry | ... |
Malabar
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| Joan Crawford | ... |
Nanon
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Nick De Ruiz | ... |
Zanzi
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| John George | ... |
Cojo
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| Frank Lanning | ... |
Costra
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Tom Amandares | ... |
Gypsy running to Zanzis Death Scene (uncredited)
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Margaret Bert | ... |
Fortune Teller (uncredited)
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| Louise Emmons | ... |
Gypsy Woman (uncredited)
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Italia Frandi | ... |
Girl in Audience Flirting with Malabar (uncredited)
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Venezia Frandi | ... |
Woman in Audience (uncredited)
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| Polly Moran | ... |
Landlady / Servant in audience (uncredited)
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| Julian Rivero | ... |
Man in Theatre Audience (uncredited)
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| Billy Seay | ... |
The Little Wolf (uncredited)
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Dorothy Seay | ... |
Spectator (uncredited)
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| John St. Polis | ... |
Surgeon (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Tod Browning | ||
Written by
| Tod Browning | ... | (story) |
| Waldemar Young | ... | (scenario) |
| Joseph Farnham | ... | (titles) (as Joe Farnham) |
| Mary Roberts Rinehart | ... | (novel "K") (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Irving Thalberg | ... | producer |
Cinematography by
| Merritt B. Gerstad | ... | (photography) (as M. Gerstad) |
Editing by
| Harry Reynolds | ... | film editor |
| Errol Taggart | ... | film editor |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Harry Sharrock | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Richard Day | ... | settings |
| Cedric Gibbons | ... | settings |
Stunts
| Paul Desmuke | ... | stunt double (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Clarence Sinclair Bull | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Lucia Coulter | ... | wardrobe |
Music Department
| Jack Feinberg | ... | set musician (uncredited) |
| Sam Feinberg | ... | set musician (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents) (Tod Browning's production)
Distributors
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1927) (United States) (theatrical)
- Jury Metro-Goldwyn (1927) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn Filmselskap (1927) (Norway) (theatrical)
- MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (United States) (video) (LaserDisc)
- Image Entertainment (1998) (United States) (video) (LaserDisc)
- Warner Home Video (2003) (United States) (DVD) (on 'The Lon Chaney Collection')
- Warner Home Video (2005) (United States) (DVD)
- Artistic Metropol (Spain) (theatrical) (re-release) (only in Madrid)
- BFI (Collections) (2002) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Gaumont-Metro-Goldwyn (1927) (France) (theatrical)
- The Criterion Channel (2019) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- The Criterion Collection (2023) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- The Criterion Collection (2023) (United States) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Alonzo is an armless knife thrower and gun shooter for a circus---or so he appears. He is actually a criminal with his arms intact. He and his accomplice, Cojo (a little person), are hiding from the police. Alonzo views his disguise as perfect, especially since it keeps from view an unusual deformity of his left hand that would immediately give him away as the criminal the police are searching for. Nanon, the daughter of Zanzi, the circus owner, is the target in his act. Although Alonzo is in love with her, Nanon's father despises him. Malabar, the circus strong man, is attracted to Nanon but she is repulsed by his uninhibited sexual advances and desire to touch and hold her. Her phobia extends to the touch of any man's hand. Alonzo feeds her fears in the hopes that Nanon will fall in love with him since he is "armless". Because Zanzi discovers Alonzo really has arms, Alonzo kills him, but Nanon witnesses the killing without seeing Alonzo's face; however, she does see the telltale deformity of his left hand. As Alonzo continues to plot to steal Nanon away from Malabar, Cojo makes him realize that she will hate him once she discovers he has arms---and the deformity showing that he is her father's murderer. Alonzo decides to have both his arms amputated, which he succeeds in doing through blackmailing a surgeon. While Alonzo is away recuperating from the surgery, Nanon gets over her fear of being touched and falls completely in love with Malabar. Discovering this upon his return, Alonzo hatches a scheme to kill Malabar as he attempts his latest, most dangerous stunt.
Written by Patrick Robbins |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | A superb mystery thriller, unusual and startling even for a Chaney film. Lon as "The Unknown" eats, drinks, shoots a rifle and dresses with his feet. Don't miss this startling spectacle. (Print Ad- The Cobbleskill Index,((Cobbleskill, NY)) 13 October 1927) See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | $217,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Joan Crawford always considered "The Unknown (1927)" a big turning point for her. She said it wasn't until working with Lon Chaney in this film that she learned the difference between standing in front of a camera and acting in front of a camera. She said that was all due to Chaney and his intense concentration, and after that experience she said she worked much harder to become a better actress. Chaney's performance certainly inspired co-star Crawford who wrote "Lon Chaney was my introduction to acting. The concentration, the complete absorption he gave to his characterization filled me with such awe I could scarcely speak to him...watching him have me the desire to be a real actress." See more » |
| Goofs | When Alonzo and Cojo are drinking wine, the glass fills between shots. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Universal Horror (1998). See more » |
| Quotes |
Malabar the Mighty, Circus Strongman:
There is a time for fear, Nanon... and a time for hate... and a time for love. See more » |