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Conrad Veidt and Mary Philbin.
Frame enlargement: Silent Era image collection.
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The Man Who Laughs
(1928) United States of America
B&W : Ten reels / 10,195 feet
Directed by Paul Leni
Cast: Conrad Veidt [Gwynplaine], Mary Philbin [Dea], Olga Baclanova [Duchess Josiana], Josephine Crowell [Queen Anne], George Siegmann [Doctor Hardquanonne], Brandon Hurst [Barkilphedro, the jester], Sam de Grasse [King James], Stuart Holmes [Lord Dirry-Noir], Cesare Gravina [Ursus], Nick De Ruiz [Wapentake], Edgar Norton [the Lord High Chancellor], Torben Meyer [the spy], Julius Molnar Jr. [Gwynplaine, as a boy], Charles Puffy [the innkeeper], Frank Puglia [a clown], Jack Goodrich [a clown], Carmen Costello [Dea’s mother], Albert Ballin [extra], Zimbo the wolf [Homo]
Universal Pictures Corporation production; distributed by Universal Pictures Corporation. / Scenario by J. Grubb Alexander and Walter Anthony, from the adaptation by Charles E. Whittaker, Marion Ward and May McLean of the novel L’homme qui rit by Victor Hugo. Story supervision by Doctor Bela Sekely. Technical research by Professor R.H. Newlands. Production supervision by Paul Kohner. Production staff, John M. Voshell, Jay Merchant and Louis Friedlander. Art direction by Charles D. Hall, Joseph Wright and Thomas F. O’Neill. Costume design by David Cox and Vera West. Makeup design by Jack Pierce. Cinematography by Gilbert Warrenton. Intertitles written by Walter Anthony. Song “When Love Comes Stealing” by Walter Hirsch, Lew Pollack and Erno Rapee (music and lyrics). Edited by Maurice Pivar and Edward Cahn. Presented by Carl Laemmle. / © 7 May 1928 by Universal Pictures Corporation [LP25227]. Premiered 27 April 1928 in New York, New York. General release, 4 November 1928. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film was completed in April 1927 but held until its 1928 release in a Movietone sound edition, with synchronized music and sound effects. The novel was previously filmed as Das grinsende Gesicht (1921). The film has been restored by La Cinémathèque française, Cineteca del Comune do Bologna and Fondazione Cineteca Italian di Milan. / Silent film.
Drama: Historical.
Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive [35mm positive].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Animals: Dogs, Wolves - Blind persons - Charlatans - Circuses - Clowns - Gypsies - Royalty: King James II of England (1633-1701), Queen Anne of Great Britain (1665-1714) - Synchronized sound film
Listing updated: 5 February 2024.
References: Everson-American pp. 333, 363; Hirschhorn-Universal p. 58; Limbacher-Feature p. 153; Marrero-Vintage pp. 4, 24-25, 26, 30, 58, 158; Schuchman-Hollywood p. 27 : Website-AFI.
Home video: Blu-ray Disc, DVD.
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