The Unknown

6/3/19271h 8m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ Don't miss this startling spectacle! ~

Overview:

On the lam, criminal Alonzo hides in the circus as The Armless Wonder – a performer who uses his feet to hurl knives. Alonzo keeps the arms he really has concealed to hide his identity. Meanwhile, ringmaster's daughter Nanon has a phobia of being touched by men, but is romantically pursued by not only Alonzo but the strongman Malabar. Alonzo's desperation to remain with Nanon will only end in tragedy.

Director:

Tod Browning

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$217,000.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

circus
love
knife throwing
silent film
carny
psychotronic
armless
circus performer
horror romance

Cast

Lon Chaney

~ as ~

Alonzo

Norman Kerry

~ as ~

Malabar

Joan Crawford

~ as ~

Nanon Zanzi

Nick De Ruiz

~ as ~

Antonio Zanzi

John George

~ as ~

Cojo

Frank Lanning

~ as ~

Costra

Tom Amandares

~ as ~

Gypsy Running to Zanzi's Death Scene (uncredited)

Margaret Bert

~ as ~

Fortune Teller (uncredited)

Louise Emmons

~ as ~

Gypsy Woman (uncredited)

Italia Frandi

~ as ~

Girl in Audience Flirting with Malabar (uncredited)

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 1 year(s) ago
7
Joan Crawford is the dazzling "Manon", daughter of a circus owner and keenly sought by strongman "Malabar" (Norman Kerry) and the newly arrived arm-less knife thrower "Alonzo" (Lon Chaney). It's the latter man who has a bit of a secret though, and as the story progresses we realise that he's a criminal using a clever (if not desperately plausible) disguise to stay one head ahead of the pursuing police. She, meantime, is fed up being pawed and ogled at by men in general and "Alonzo" - being unable to touch her, plays on that increasing phobia hoping she will choose him. Her father "Zanzi" (Nick De Ruiz) violently comes a cropper suddenly and his daughter sees the crime, not the criminal. Distraught, she turns to "Malabar" whilst "Alonzo" decides that he must now make a pretty significant sacrifice if he is to get the girl and avoid the noose. I did really quite enjoy this. The expressive Chaney is on super form as the menacing knifester and there is plenty of meat on the bones of a plot that creates a few characters about whom you could actually care. The denouement with the strongman and horses is maybe a little strung out, but it's still a fitting end to a love triangle that dwells little on slushy sentiment and more on the nastiness of the scheming antagonist and his sidekick "Cojo" (John George). Crawford certainly comes across as a woman they'd want to fight over, too!