The Penalty

If anyone has any doubts as to who is the greatest actor of all times, CHECK OUT THIS FLICK!!! No CG here to make legs disappear. Just One mans creativity and iron will. There is nobody in Hollywood (or anywhere else for that matter) who has the kind of mettle this guy had. Those who believe Lon only did Phantom and Hunchback type fare really need to see this. I have been a fan of Lon's work since seeing The Phantom at an early age. His makeup job nearly scarred me for life. My father had to explain to me that it was only makeup, show me a picture of what he really looked like (a picture of a middle aged, jowly, smiling man,) and tell me the tale of "the Man of a Thousand Faces." This hooked me. Lon delivers in this role. His animated face goes through all gears with liquid rapidity. The new "industrial" flavored soundtrack definitely adds something, too. Kudos to Kino for that. If you like Lon Chaney, you will love this movie. If you have never seen any of his work, this is a great place to start.

This was the first starring role for Lon Chaney, and he's terrific playing a double amputee whose legs were both needlessly cut off as a boy by a young doctor who felt it was required to save the child's life after a serious accident. The boy eventually grows up to be an embittered underworld leader, looking to settle the score. Chaney gives a great performance and he is still amazing to watch today, even 86 years later, while painfully contorting his body to produce the needed effect, utilizing only his talent and ingenuity in place of today's CGI effects. Sure, Hollywood would have used CG back then if they had the luxury, but I still find it more mesmerizing this way. Lon had to pull his legs up behind his back and have them strapped tightly underneath a long overcoat, hobbling about on his knees. The direction is solid and the story is consistently interesting and multi-layered. It's very easy to sympathize with Chaney's character through his strong performance, but I felt that the way his criminal behavior was explained for the conclusion was a tad of a letdown. Still, quite a worthwhile film. *** out of ****

A master criminal pays THE PENALTY for a life full of evil.

Lon Chaney became a major movie star with his role in this shocker. Already regarded as a fine actor for his performances in lesser films, he now proved he was quite willing to go far beyond mere makeup for the enhancement of his screen persona. His dedication to his craft, coupled with an outsized talent, were to make Chaney one of the foremost film actors of the 1920's.

Here Chaney plays a legless mobster who plots terrible revenge upon the doctor who maimed him (his plan to sack San Francisco of its wealth is almost incidental.) In order to create the illusion of being a paraplegic, Chaney bound his legs back and encased them in stumps. He is able to hop about with great alacrity using crutches, but he suffered intense pain during the filming and could only abide the prosthetics for short periods of time.

As remarkable as what he's able to achieve on his knees might be, it is the face of Chaney which is equally memorable here. The fact that he's able to model for a bust of Satan as part of the plot is no accident. His features take on the visage of pure unadulterated evil. The blood chills to look at him. Chaney the Actor has wordlessly spoken.

The film itself is a pleasantly florid potboiler, with plenty of menace, mayhem and damsels in distress. But it is Chaney who lingers longest in memory's darkest recess...

A deformed criminal mastermind (Lon Chaney) plans to loot the city of San Francisco as well as revenge himself on the doctor who mistakenly amputated his legs.

"The Penalty" was one of Chaney's breakout roles, showcasing his taste for the macabre and talent for contortion and disguise. He had previously demonstrated similar qualities in the previous year's "The Miracle Man", but "The Penalty" and "Treasure Island" secured Chaney's place as one of the greatest character actors, before moving on to his more famous roles in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Phantom of the Opera".

This story is great, the acting is fine and the directing is good, too. But really, the draw of this film is Chaney -- a man who was willing to undergo extreme and permanent bodily pain in order to make his role as believable as possible. I am not entirely sure why an amputee was not hired, but if it launched Chaney to the big time, I am glad it worked out the way it did.

Lon Chaney gives yet another outstanding performance as a man living with his legs amputated at a young age by mistake. He overhears the doctors first saying it was a mistake and then forging a pact to lie and say the surgery was essential. Chaney grows up to be a bitter, malevolent leader of underground activities in San Francisco. The role gives Chaney several opportunities to show his undeniable skill as an actor and human contortionist. Doubling his legs up and walking on his knees, Chaney mesmerized me with his ability to change reality into fantasy. He looks like a crippled man. Chaney also again showed me his range as an actor that could create pathos through his facial expressions. Never playing a one-dimensional part, Chaney is often brutal and cruel throughout much of the film, yet he enjoys music and art and always possesses a certain charm and affability. A wonderful performance all around! The other actors are very good and the direction is nice and tight. The story is very strong with some melodramatic overtones to be sure. There are some great scenes in this film like Chaney carrying on like a madman demanding the legs of a young doctor and, in particular, the scenes where he poses as Satan after the fall. The film has a nice pace for a silent picture, and the title cards are extremely powerful and literate.