# ID this older film about Man with permanent smile **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968 "2003-05-04T03:18:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **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:** [May 4, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/1 "2003-05-04T03:18:11Z")
I was watching a TV show about old time horror flicks, and there were scenes from a picture about a man who had a permanent smile across his face, not unlike “The Joker” from “Batman“. I’m pretty sure the movie was a drama/romance, and in some of the shots, the man looked deeply troubled, despite the smile. I had asked about this film before on SDMB, but I searched for the thread, and it was lost. There were a few suggestions, and some of them were close, but not the movie I was looking for. I THINK I remember shots of a carnival being held, (I’m pretty sure I saw a Ferris wheel). The thread inquiring about the movie “Freaks” inspired me to ask again. Thanks for the help. If you’ve seen the movie you suggest might be the one I am thinking about, tell me what you thought of it. Even if it just sounds similar. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/2 "2003-05-04T03:30:38Z")
As soon as I saw the thread title I was almost certain it was about [Mr. Sardonicus](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0055200). I saw it on TV years ago, and I remember that there was a scene where the main character’s face was suddenly revealed which scared the s\*\*\* out of me. Don’t remember a Ferris wheel, but as I said this was years ago and I don’t remember much of the plot. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/3 "2003-05-04T03:40:01Z")
Was it one of the Dr Phibes movies?? Seems like Dr. Phibes froze some guys face into a smile. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/4 "2003-05-04T03:44:16Z")
Lurkmeister is onto it… ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/5 "2003-05-04T05:03:49Z")
Conrad Vidt in _The Man Who Laughs_. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/6 "2003-05-04T05:05:31Z")
VEIDT ---
**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:** [May 4, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/7 "2003-05-04T06:40:03Z")
I failed to say it was black and white. It may have even been silent. Mockingbird, you may be right… I’ll have to read more about it. Any other candidates? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/8 "2003-05-04T08:17:37Z")
Oh… I read in a book on Batman that Conrad Veidt in _The Man Who Laughs_ was Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s inspiration for the Joker. ---
**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:** [May 4, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/9 "2003-05-04T16:48:46Z")
I think you might be right Mockingbird. Have you seen the film? ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/10 "2003-05-05T14:13:24Z")
I found a picture from the film [here](http://www.bonnerkinemathek.de/filme/man_who_laughs/man_who_laughs_2.jpg) . That’s some seriously creepy stuff. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-older-film-about-man-with-permanent-smile/172968/11 "2003-05-06T00:09:39Z")
I know it just looked amazing to me when I saw some clips. Very sad. Thanks for the picture Short. It’s a great one.