He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Circus Pique

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Lon Chaney could seemingly play any part, in any kind of makeup, but He Who Gets Slapped — in which he dresses merely as a clown — may contain his most potent performance. It's a movie full of cruelty and pain, and it's not exactly an easy watch, but it is a most rewarding one, and in the end, its true beauties are revealed. Chaney is, at first, Paul Beaumont, a bearded, balding scientist who has seemingly solved the mysteries of the origins of mankind. His benefactor, the crooked Baron Regnard (Marc McDermott), steals his work and claims it as his own. He also steals Paul's wife (Ruth King). They both rub it in his face, as the Baron slaps him and they laugh at him as he slinks out in disgrace.

Years later, Paul is working at a circus, going by the name "HE." His entire shtick involves getting slapped a lot. His entire being, everything he ever is or was, is reduced to this. Things change when he falls in love with the beautiful Consuelo (Norma Shearer), who joins the circus and becomes part of a trick riding act, along with Bezano (John Gilbert). Consuelo and Bezano fall in love, but meanwhile, Consuelo's unscrupulous father, Baron Regnard (Marc McDermott) makes a deal so that she will marry the Count instead. Everything comes down to a heart-rending finale involving a lion, and some of Chaney's most naked, wrenching performing, as he maniacally struggles to become the one who "laughs last."

The film was directed by Swedish-born Victor Sjöström, credited as "Victor Seastrom" for dumb Americans. He had already made the amazing The Phantom Carriage (1921) and would go on to make The Wind (1928), with Lillian Gish, as well as starring in Ingmar Bergman's great Wild Strawberries (1957). Adapting a 1914 Russian play, Sjöström beautifully turns it into a visual, physical, lyrical experience, raw emotions released via pantomime acting. His compositions are detailed and poetic, including all of the beautiful circus footage, and the configurations of clowns. There are also little poetic interludes involving images of spinning globes, possibly suggesting Paul's shrunken and tempestuous world. In a final bit of interesting trivia, this was the first official MGM movie featuring the Leo the Lion's opening logo.

A freshly restored Blu-ray by Flicker Alley was released in 2025. The transfer was created using a first generation 35mm safety print and a 16mm dupe negative. Not everything comes together seamlessly, but the movie is still amazingly clear for its age, and quite striking. There are two musical scores to choose from, a piano score by Antonio Coppola, and an orchestral score by the Alloy Orchestra. (I choose Alloy every time!) Bonuses include a commentary track by makeup artist and Chaney expert Michael F. Blake, a two reel Mack Sennett comedy, He Who Gets Smacked, a brilliantly funny animated Max Fleischer short, Koko at the Circus, a featurette about MGM's Leo the Lion (with optional subtitles), plus an impressive array of production stills and various promotional materials. The liner notes booklet includes an essay by the one and only Thomas Gladysz, an expert in many things including the legacy of Louise Brooks, as well as an archival magazine interview with director Sjöström. This is Highly Recommended.