He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

Fine showcase for the talents of Lon Chaney, who should really be more famous than he is. He has one of his best roles here (as a humiliated scientist who, in his defeat, becomes a masochistic clown) and he makes the absolute best of it. His act, a strange metaphorical recreation of his fall from grace, is pretty wild and unforgettable; also, the ending is a wicked slice of over-the-top vengeance. The film threatens to come to a halt whenever we leave Chaney in favor of the dull horse-rider lovers, but I suppose it's necessary to keep the plot going so whatever.

Grade: B