Le club des trois

Make no mistake, Lon Chaney Sr. was one of the most talented and versatile actors in the history of American Film. And in this, his only completed sound film, he is brilliant. As Professor Echo he uses his own pleasant voice (William Holden's voice is a good comparison), while he effectively and believably changes his voice during his old lady disguise. One wonders if he knew he was terminally ill when he made this film. Several sound vehicles were planned for him: "Dracula" (Bela Lugosi became a star inheriting the Chaney part), "The Sea Bat" (Charles Bickford), "The Phantom of Paris" (John Gilbert), and "The Big House" and "The Bugle Sounds" (Wallace Beery, the former establishing him in sound films.). One can only wonder how any of these films would have been if Chaney had lived to complete them.

But Chaney's is not the only good performance here. Lila Lee and future director-screenwriter Elliott Nugent are both good as the young lovers, the former's scenes with Chaney being some of the best in the picture. And, just as much as he did in the silent version, midget Harry Earles conveys pure menace as the depraved dwarf Tweedledee, although a combination of early sound equipment and his thick German accent make many of his lines all but incomprehensible. Reducing that accent by half, he would do impressive work in "Freaks" and, of course, "The Wizard of Oz" later in the decade. The only other roles of any size fall to veteran character men Clarence Burton and John Miljan, and they prove themselves more than up to the task.

Probably the only way anyone will get to see this film, until MGM decides to release it on video, is on Turner Classic Movies, which is where I saw it recently. If you do see it, you're in for a rare treat.

Definitely worth a look. There are some advantages/disadvantages to the original. Disadvantages: Well, there are a few. The tension isn't as great. Lila Lee is not as sympathetic a "Rosie" as Mae Busch from the original. I am a HUGE fan of Harry Earles, but he is all but incoherent here unfortunately. Ivan isn't as good as Victor in the role of Hercules, and Hector really bugs me in this version. Advantages: Of course, YOU GET TO HEAR LON CHANEY! His one and only "talkie"! That's worth the price of admission alone! My grandmother used to head a movie theater waaaay back in the late 20's and early 30's and said that people went crazy for their chance to hear Chaney talk! I believe it! Okay, besides that, the scene with the police detective and the toy elephant is great! The scene where Harry Earles tries to get an early bonus with the necklace is very good and the whole relationship between the midget and the strongman is better defined, IMHO, in this version. All in all, check it out if you have a chance!

Though not nearly as polished as its silent counterpart, in large part due to the absence of director Tod Browning, this version is still a well-made film with a lot to offer. If for no other reason than seeing Lon Chaney in his only sound film, this film is a must! Chaney is wonderful again in the role of Echo, a ventriliquist and criminal. Chaney shows that he understood the sound medium and would have done great things in pictures to come had he lived. Alas! he died shortly after this film from throat cancer. He shows that he was a very credible actor and really impressed me with his comic timing. The rest of the cast is good with Elliot Nugent as the patsy Hector contributing a nice turn and Harry Earles again reprising his role as the midget baby. I found some of his words a bit difficult to understand, but he nonetheless added immeasurably with his split persona of a hard, stogie-chomping small man and then becoming a little tyke with relative ease. Lila Lee does a credible at best job as Rosie O' Grady. Some scenes in this film are particularly well-crafted as when the policeman visits the home of Mrs. O'Grady and starts playing with Earles's toy elephant. Also, Earles is a delight to watch playing with a ruby necklace. Chaney does not get the opportunity to show the pathos he exuded in the silent version - more due to Browning's absence I think. Director Jack Conway does a workmanlike job but misses a bit with the atmosphere of the film. At any rate a fine film and a tribute to Chaney as man capable of just about anything!

This is a fine debut for a top & unique silent film star. Considering Chaney's vocal accomplishment in the early torturous sound on film system, one wonders how Chaney would have faired a few years down the road in films like The Invisible Man with only his voice and no face whatsoever. Lon barely was able to make this remake as he was suffering from advanced stages of throat cancer and it shows on his face throughout the film. His face is gaunt and withdrawn which only adds to the oddness of the story. Thalberg most likely gave the go ahead for Lon to remake his 1925 silent hit as it was popular with the public and after five years he would have been still familiar with the story. Thus learning lines would have come a lot easier to the suffering and ultimately dying Chaney. Sound actually improves the story somewhat and indicates the same circus environment that Chaney's director friend would make two years down the road in Freaks. Browning had actually made the silent Unholy Three and the script or scenario must have not gathered too much dust when director Jack Conway did this sound remake. But Conway & Chaney scored a 1930 triumph and it's a shame Chaney had to die on the cusp of it.

Why this wonderfully crazy film from 1930 isn't more readily available is a total sin. Of course, THE UNHOLY THREE (1930) is most famed for the only time we can hear the great silent horror star Lon Chaney speak. When he speaks, this rather gruff, but ordinary voice comes out. I sat there thinking "That's Quasimoto, Eric the Phantom, Dead Legs Flint, and that's what Dracula would of sounded like if Chaney lived to get the part? Wow!")

The film is really out of control. Three out of work circus performers (Chaney, midget Harry Earles and strongman Ivan Linow) decide to become a trio of jewel thieves. Midget Earles has the best dialog, delivered in a squeaky voice- "I like it" (meaning the plan) "It's unholy!" This motley trio decide to disquise themselves very outlandishly (Chaney as an old woman, Earles as a cooing baby) They couldn't just lay low, or take assumed names? They had to resort this sort of lunacy? Lila Lee is also a wonderful treat here. Why didn't she do more talkies?