The Penalty (1920 film)

Last updated

The Penalty
Thepenalty.jpg
Original release poster. The Penalty was originally a sole Goldwyn production in 1920 and was rereleased by MGM in the late 1920s.
Directed by Wallace Worsley
Written by Charles Kenyon
Philip Lonergan
Based onThe Penalty
by Gouverneur Morris
Produced by Samuel Goldwyn
Starring Lon Chaney
CinematographyDonovan Short
Edited by Frank E. Hull
J.G. Hawks
Distributed by Goldwyn Pictures
Release date
  • August 1920 (1920-08)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)

The Penalty is an American psychological thriller crime film starring Lon Chaney and originally released in 1920 by Goldwyn Pictures. The movie was directed by Wallace Worsley, and written by Philip Lonergan and Charles Kenyon, based upon the pulp novel by Gouverneur Morris. The supporting cast includes Charles Clary, Doris Pawn, Jim Mason, and Claire Adams. [1] The copyright for the film was owned by Gouverneur Morris, who wrote the novel on which the film was based. The budget for the film was $88,868.00. Portions of the film were shot in San Francisco.

Contents

The Penalty was re-released to theaters in 1926 by MGM. This was the first of five films Chaney would make with director Wallace Worsley, the others being Ace of Hearts, Voices of the City, A Blind Bargain and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The film exists in its complete form and is available on DVD. Chaney's leather stumps, crutches and costume from this film were donated to the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, along with his famous make-up case. [2]

Plot

The Penalty

As described in a film magazine, [3] Blizzard (Chaney), the legless crime boss of the Barbary Coast underworld, is possessed of two ambitions. One is to get revenge upon Dr. Ferris (Clary), whose blunder during a childhood operation resulted in Blizzard's legs being hastily and unnecessarily amputated; the other is to rally the Reds in his organization and loot the city of San Francisco.

To accomplish one, Blizzard poses for the bust of Satan created by Ferris' daughter Barbara (Adams), whom he romances to get close to the doctor. To effect the other, he organizes the city's dance hall girls to make hats in a factory room at this house, to be the symbol of the lawbreaking hordes when they are unleashed on the city. Rose (Terry), a detective, obtains entrance to his house as director of the factory. She falls in love with Blizzard for his passion for music.

Barbara, meanwhile, learns of Blizzard's master plan: to graft her father's legs onto his stumps. During the operation, however, Blizzard sees with a clear vision his fearful, terrible past, which falls away as if a dream. When happiness comes in his marriage to Rose, his former confederate Frisco Pete (Mason), a drug addict fearful that Blizzard will reveal the identity of his gang of followers, kills him. Barbara and her lover are restored to one another.

Cast

Production

Lon Chaney in The Penalty Ethel Grey Terry and Lon Chaney.jpg
Lon Chaney in The Penalty
Lon Chaney preparing for the scene. The Penalty, 1920 silent film Lon Chaney.jpg
Lon Chaney preparing for the scene.

To play the role of the legless cripple, Chaney wore an apparatus to simulate amputated legs, which consisted primarily of two wooden buckets and multiple leather straps, was complex and incredibly painful. Chaney's knees sat in the buckets, while his lower legs were tied back. [4] Studio doctors asked that Chaney not wear the device, but he insisted on doing so, so that his costume would be authentic.[ citation needed ]

To assure audiences that Chaney was not an amputee, the original release of the film reportedly included a short epilogue clip showing Chaney out of character. This clip does not survive in the existing prints but in the movie itself, in the scene where Blizzard (Chaney) imagines his gang of anarchists carrying the loot from the Mint Building, Chaney is seen directing the heist unamputated.[ citation needed ]

Reception

"Hats off to Lon Chaney! As "Blizzard" ... he gives one of the screen's greatest performances. However, up to almost the very conclusion the gripping melodramatic incidents hold securely and Chaney's work is so unusually fine, it will probably hold the production for all that is necessary."—The Wid's Film Daily [5]

"Lon Chaney, whose work in The Miracle Man won so much praise, portrays a role that might have been written for him. He is wicked and cunning, but in the end he wins sympathy and applause. Chaney makes splendid use of every opportunity."—The Moving Picture World [5]

"It is needless to say that the picture is Chaney more than any one else...The continuity is not always smooth, the action not always sustained. Episodes are often too racy to suit the intelligence of the picture patron. But there is no denying that the feature is interesting."— Variety [6]

"Here is a picture that is about as cheerful as a hanging---and as interesting. You can't, being an average human and normal as to your emotional reactions, really like The Penalty, any more than you could enjoy a hanging. But for all its gruesome detail you are quite certain to be interested in it... It is a remarkably good performance this actor (Chaney) gives."— Photoplay

"One of the striking things about the picture is the remarkable characterization given by Lon Chaney, who has the leading character... Rarely has the screen seen a better piece of acting."—Exhibitors Trade Review [6]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 83% based on 6 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 7.3/10. [7]

Preservation

Prints of The Penalty are in the George Eastman House Motion Picture Collection, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Turner Film Library. It is available on dvd as well. [1]

Legacy

The Penalty was one of Chaney's breakout roles, showcasing his taste for the macabre and talent for contortion and disguise. He had previously demonstrated similar qualities in the previous year's The Miracle Man , but The Penalty and Treasure Island , both of 1920, secured Chaney's place as one of America's most famous character actors, before moving on to his more famous roles in 1923's The Hunchback of Notre Dame and 1925's The Phantom of the Opera . [8] In 2009, Empire named it #17 in a poll of the 20 Greatest Gangster Movies You've Never Seen *Probably. [9]

Modern score

The Penalty was shown at the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival in March 2018 accompanied by a newly commissioned score by Scottish composer Graeme Stephen for guitar (Stephen) and cello (Pete Harvey). [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lon Chaney</span> American actor (1883–1930)

Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney was an American actor and makeup artist. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted, characters and for his groundbreaking artistry with makeup. Chaney was known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques that he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces".

<i>The Hunchback of Notre Dame</i> (1923 film) 1923 film

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1923 American drama film starring Lon Chaney, directed by Wallace Worsley, and produced by Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg. The supporting cast includes Patsy Ruth Miller, Norman Kerry, Nigel de Brulier, and Brandon Hurst. Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film was the studio's "Super Jewel" of 1923 and was their most successful silent film, grossing $3.5 million. The film premiered on September 2, 1923 at the Astor Theatre in New York, New York, then went into release on September 6.

<i>The Miracle Man</i> (1919 film) 1919 film by George Loane Tucker

The Miracle Man is a 1919 American silent drama film starring Lon Chaney and based on a 1914 play by George M. Cohan, which in turn is based on the novel of the same title by Frank L. Packard. The film was released by Paramount Pictures, directed, produced, and written by George Loane Tucker, and also stars Thomas Meighan and Betty Compson. The film made overnight successes of the three stars, most notably putting Chaney on the map as a character actor.

<i>A Blind Bargain</i> 1922 film by Wallace Worsley

A Blind Bargain is a 1922 American silent horror film starring Lon Chaney and Raymond McKee, released through Goldwyn Pictures. The film was directed by Wallace Worsley and is based on Barry Pain's 1897 novel The Octave of Claudius. Lon Chaney played a dual role in the film, as both Dr. Lamb and "the Ape Man", one of Chaney's few "true horror films". The claim that Wallace Beery appeared as an ape-man uncredited has never been proven, but does persist in many sources.

<i>Laugh, Clown, Laugh</i> 1928 film

Laugh, Clown, Laugh is a 1928 American silent drama film starring Lon Chaney and Loretta Young. The movie was directed by Herbert Brenon and produced by Irving G. Thalberg for MGM Pictures. A sound version of this film was released in the second half of 1928 and featured a synchronized musical score with sound effects. The film was written by Elizabeth Meehan, based on the 1923 Broadway stage production Laugh, Clown, Laugh by David Belasco and Tom Cushing, which in turn was based on the 1919 play Ridi, Pagliaccio by Fausto Maria Martini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallace Worsley</span> American actor and film director

Wallace Ashley Worsley was an American stage actor who became a film actor and film director during the silent era. Over the course of his career, Worsley directed 29 films and acted in 7. He directed several movies starring Lon Chaney Sr., and his professional relationship with the actor was the best Chaney had, second to his partnership with Tod Browning.

<i>The Trap</i> (1922 film) 1922 film

The Trap is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by Robert Thornby and starring Lon Chaney and Alan Hale. It was released by Universal Pictures. The film was released in the United Kingdom under the title Heart of a Wolf. One working title for the film was Wolfbreed. The film was re-released in the U.S. in 1926.

<i>Danger, Go Slow</i> 1918 film

Danger, Go Slow is a 1918 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard, and starring Mae Murray, Jack Mulhall and Lon Chaney. Robert Z. Leonard and Mae Murray co-wrote the screenplay together. The film is today considered lost.

<i>The Big City</i> (1928 film) 1928 film

The Big City is a 1928 American silent crime film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney. Waldemar Young wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Tod Browning. The film is now lost.

<i>Fires of Rebellion</i> 1917 film

Fires of Rebellion is a 1917 American silent drama film written and directed by Ida May Park, and starring Lon Chaney, William Stowell, and Dorothy Phillips. The film is today considered lost. A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of the lecherous photographer Russell Hanlon. The film's main musical theme was Serenade by R. Czerwonky.

Fast Company is a 1918 American silent comedy film directed by Lynn Reynolds and starring Juanita Hansen, Edward Cecil, Lon Chaney and Franklyn Farnum. The film is today considered lost.

<i>Riddle Gawne</i> 1918 film

Riddle Gawne is a 1918 American silent Western film directed by William S. Hart and Lambert Hillyer, and featuring William S. Hart, Katherine MacDonald and Lon Chaney. The film was co-produced by William S. Hart and Thomas H. Ince. The screenplay was written by Charles Alden Seltzer from his earlier novel The Vengeance of Jefferson Gawne. Chaney historian Jon C. Mirsalis claims that William S. Hart contributed greatly to the screenplay but all other sources credit the writing of the screenplay solely to Charles Alden Seltzer.

<i>Treasure Island</i> (1920 film) 1920 film by Maurice Tourneur

Treasure Island is a 1920 silent film adaptation of the 1883 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, directed by Maurice Tourneur, and released by Paramount Pictures. Lon Chaney played two different pirate roles in this production, "Blind Pew" and "Merry", and stills exist showing him in both makeups. Charles Ogle, who had played Frankenstein's Monster in the first filmed version of Frankenstein a decade earlier at Edison Studios, portrayed Long John Silver. Wallace Beery was supposed to play Israel Hands, but that role went to Joseph Singleton instead. The film was chosen as one of the Top Forty Pictures of the Year by the National Board of Review.

<i>Victory</i> (1919 film) 1919 film by Maurice Tourneur

Victory is a surviving 1919 American action film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Jack Holt, Seena Owen, Lon Chaney, Wallace Beery and Bull Montana. The film is an adaptation of the 1915 eponymous novel by Joseph Conrad. The screenplay was written by Jules Furthman and Ben Carré was the art director.

<i>Shadows</i> (1922 film) 1922 film

Shadows is a dramatic 1922 silent film starring Lon Chaney, Marguerite De La Motte, Harrison Ford and John Sainpolis. Shadows is a tale of a gentle Chinese immigrant trying to make a life for himself in a small New England town who comes across a vile plot to blackmail two good townspeople. It was directed by Tom Forman. The screenplay was written by Eve Unsell and Hope Loring, based on Ching, Ching, Chinaman, a short story by Wilbur Daniel Steele. The photography was by Harry Perry, and Louis Gottschalk supplied the music score, for which Eve Unsell also wrote the lyrics. The following year, as Chaney was preparing to star in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, he suggested Marguerite De La Motte for the role of Esmeralda, but the part went to Patsy Ruth Miller instead.

<i>The Ace of Hearts</i> (1921 film) 1921 film by Wallace Worsley

The Ace of Hearts is a 1921 American crime drama film produced and directed by Wallace Worsley. The screenplay by Ruth Wightman is based on Gouverneur Morris's story The Purple Flask, which was serialized in two parts in Cosmopolitan magazine in 1917. The film stars Leatrice Joy, John Bowers, Raymond Hatton and Lon Chaney. One unique feature of this film is that the main title of the movie isn't written on the screen; rather an Ace of Hearts card is shown in its place instead.

<i>Voices of the City</i> 1921 film

Voices of the City is a 1921 American silent crime drama film starring Leatrice Joy and Lon Chaney that was directed by Wallace Worsley, based on the Leroy Scott novel The Night Rose. The film took more than 9 months to be released due to a controversy over the proposed title and the film's abundance of gunplay. The film was retitled Voices of the City and was only released in December 1921, although it had been completed in early March. The film is still listed under The Night Rose in some reference sources.

<i>All the Brothers Were Valiant</i> (1923 film) 1923 film by Irvin Willat

All the Brothers Were Valiant is a 1923 American silent sea adventure and romantic drama film starring Lon Chaney. The film was produced and distributed by Metro Pictures corporation and directed by Irvin Willat. The cast also features Malcolm McGregor, Billie Dove and Robert McKim. The screenplay was written by Julien Josephson, based on the eponymous novel by Ben Ames Williams. The film was also known as Cold Courage.

<i>For Those We Love</i> 1921 film by Arthur Rosson

For Those We Love is a 1921 American silent romantic drama film produced by and starring Betty Compson, and featuring Lon Chaney and Richard Rosson. Written and directed by Arthur Rosson, the film was based on a story by Perley Poore Sheehan (who later co-wrote the script for Chaney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The film was distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. Some sources list the release date as being in March 1921. This is unlikely since the film was only copyrighted in July, but the exact release date has not been confirmed. It is now considered a lost film. A still exists showing Chaney holding the heroine.

<i>A Mans Country</i> (1919 film) 1919 film

A Man's Country is a 1919 silent Western drama film directed by Henry Kolker, and starring Alma Rubens, Alan Roscoe, and Lon Chaney. It was written by Richard Schayer based on a screen story by John Lynch. The poster's tagline was "A forceful and spectacular drama of the primitive West in the days of the Gold Rush, when men fought hard, women lived fast and human life was cheap."

References

  1. 1 2 Progressive Silent Film List: The Penalty at silentera.com
  2. ↑ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 106. ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
  3. ↑ "Reviews: The Penalty". Exhibitors Herald. 11 (14). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 89. October 2, 1920 – via Archive.org.
  4. ↑ F. Blake, Michael (2001). Chaney's Secrets Revealed. The Penalty (DVD). Kino Lorber.
  5. 1 2 Blake, Michael F. (1998). The Films of Lon Chaney. Costa Mesa, California: Vestal Press Inc. p. 106. ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
  6. 1 2 Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Penalty". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ "The Penalty (1920) - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  8. ↑ Pavy, Aimee. "The Penalty". silentfilm.org. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  9. ↑ Newman, Kim (July 2009). "The 20 Greatest Gangster Movies You've Never Seen *Probably". Empire . pp. 80–82 – via Letterboxd.
  10. ↑ "Hippodrome Silent Film Festival 2018" . Retrieved December 5, 2018.
Bibliography
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.