# Can Anyone Name The Movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 20, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539 "2001-10-20T02:14:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/1 "2001-10-20T02:14:30Z")
I was watching a documentary called “Universal Horror” which had clips of (mostly) Universal horror films such as “Dracula” and “Frankenstein.” The show had a few clips of non-Universal horror pictures also. There was a clip from a movie where a man had a deformed face, (it was like he had a permanent smile on his face), was mocked by people and somehow fell in love… a lot like “Phantom of the Opera.” BUT, I didn’t catch the name of this movie, (no, it wasn’t Phantom, but the “monster” sort of looked like the monster in the clasic 1925 phantom… permanent smile and all). I looked up “Universal Horror” in Internet Movie Database, and clicked on “movie connections”, but it only lists a handful of the movies featured on the show. “Phantom of the Opera” was featured on the show but isn’t listed in IMDB. This movie isn’t listed either. I know it had sound and I’m pretty sure it had a famous leading lady. I’m not sure if it’s Universal. I also think there was a fair in it with old-time park rides. (oh, it wasn’t about a man who didn’t have any arms either) Anyone have any idea what the name of this movie is? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/2 "2001-10-20T02:38:39Z")
It sounds a lot like Edgar Allen Poe’s story “Sardonicus.” Columbia made a film called [Mr. Sardonicus](http://www.ccpusan.co.kr/pds/poster/poster/Mr_Sardonicus.jpg) in 1961 that might be it. Or not. [sub]BTW, this should probably be in Cafe Society.[/sub]🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/3 "2001-10-20T02:39:06Z")
The movie in question was _Mr. Sardonicus._ [http://us.imdb.com/Title?0055200](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0055200) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/4 "2001-10-20T02:40:24Z")
It’s wasn’t the Elephant Man, was it? According to IMDB it was done in 1980 by Paramount (in black and white). It’s the true story of John Merrick (it’s true, right?) who was a deformed fellow. As I recall, there was a lot of slobbering in the movie. I couldn’t sit through it. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/5 "2001-10-20T02:41:23Z")
I think he was a good guy though, misunderstood ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/6 "2001-10-20T02:42:25Z")
wasn’t Elephant Man ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/7 "2001-10-20T02:55:00Z")
I don’t think it’s Mr. Sardonicus, that movie had a “Punishment Poll”, but I think the theme of the story was this was a good guy but looked at like a monster ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/8 "2001-10-20T03:11:59Z")
maybe it’s Mr. Sardonicus, I saw a picture… I just thought it looked great, like Frankenstein/ misunderstood monster type dramatic movie. I’m sort of pissed it wasn’t that ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/9 "2001-10-20T07:30:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*[sub]BTW, this should probably be in Cafe Society.[/sub]🙂 \*\* Well, a movie question is still a question. It’s no “where do bad words come from”, but it’s a Q. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/10 "2001-10-20T08:04:30Z")
Ayuh, but I think that the Powers that Be created the Cafe Society forum because they felt there might have been too many A&E questions in GQ. The forum description is pretty clear: > [@](#): > > …if it’s about art or entertainment, it goes here. That being said, I’m glad you posted in GQ, 'cuz I probably would have missed it in Cafe Society. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/11 "2001-10-20T10:29:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > **It sounds a lot like Edgar Allen Poe’s story "Sardonicus."** Should mention that “Sardonicus” was written by Ray Russell, not E.A. Poe. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/12 "2001-10-20T11:53:34Z")
I sometimes let these things stay, but I really prefer they go in Cafe Society. I’ll move this one. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/13 "2001-10-20T14:17:38Z")
Could it be Lon Chaney Sr’s _The Man Who Laughed_ ? ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/14 "2001-10-20T19:27:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by detop \* > \*\*Could it be Lon Chaney Sr’s _The Man Who Laughed_ ? \*\* I looked “The Man Who Laughed” up in IMDB, there was nothing there. So I looked up Lon Chaney (Sr.) and it lists that he made a movie called “Laugh, Clown, Laugh”, which was a remake of “He Who Gets Slapped”, wich was a remake of “Tot, kto poluchayet poshchechini” So, I don’t know if that’s the movie or not. Larry Mudd, cool man! ---
**Author:** ![Exeter5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90ced4/32.png) [@Exeter5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exeter5)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/15 "2001-10-20T19:58:35Z")
It sounds like the Man Who Laughs, but it stars Conrad Veidt not Lon Chaney. This movie also inspired Bob Kane to create the Joker according to one account I have read. ---
**Author:** ![ScriptAnalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@ScriptAnalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScriptAnalyst)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/16 "2001-10-20T20:06:29Z")
Actually, it was Conrad Veidt in the 1929 Universal silent movie version of THE MAN WHO LAUGHS. The co-star was Mary Philbin, who unmasked the Chaney in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Steve Biodrowski [http://www.thescriptanalyst.com](http://www.thescriptanalyst.com) ---
**Author:** ![octothorpe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b77776/32.png) [@octothorpe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octothorpe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/17 "2001-10-20T20:07:33Z")
It sounds like the 1928 film _The Man Who Laughs_, an adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel which was produced by Universal and starred Conrad Veidt and Mary Philbin. [http://www.monsterzine.com/200010/manwholaughs.html](http://www.monsterzine.com/200010/manwholaughs.html) # ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/18 "2001-10-20T20:09:49Z")
I think that’s it… I thought it wasn’t silent though. It looked sad. ---
**Author:** ![octothorpe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b77776/32.png) [@octothorpe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octothorpe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/19 "2001-10-20T20:18:06Z")
Well, it looks like i was too late to the party, **Exeter5** and **ScriptAnalyst** beat me to the punch. Oh well, he who snoozes… I read the book on a recommendation of my English Lit teacher. It took me longer to find a copy than to actually read the book. Not as well written as _Notre Dame de Paris_ but similar in that the main character (Gwynplaine) was horribly disfigured. Unfortunately, the book is so damn depressing that i wouldn’t recommend it to any but die hard Hugo fans. # ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-name-the-movie/88539/20 "2001-10-20T21:32:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dijon Warlock \* > Should mention that “Sardonicus” was written by Ray Russell, not E.A. Poe. **!** Holy cow. Did I ever misremember that. And after having this conversation with my GF: > [@](#): > > -I don’t remember a Poe story called _Sardonicus_. -Well, I guess I’m that much more literate and enlightened then you, aren’t I? :o