In this age of computer generated effects and latex rubber masks, it’s easy to forget the pioneers who gave actual blood, sweat and tears to make the unbelievable seem real. Lon Chaney was one of those ground-breaking individuals. In The Penalty, a 1920 silent film of revenge, Chaney played the role of Blizzard, a legless crime-lord plotting to instill fear on the citizens of San Francisco.
As a young boy, Blizzard was accidentally hobbled by a new doctor named Ferris (Charles Clary) following a car accident. By mistake, the doctor amputated both of his legs below the knee. Twenty-seven years later, Blizzard, now a master criminal in San Francisco’s infamous Barbary Coast, launches a plot that will not only give him revenge on Ferris for taking his legs, it will also give him his legs back.
What is amazing about this film — now over 80 years old — is that Chaney’s performance still packs a wallop. His crazed Blizzard is so hell-bent on getting what he wants that he’ll stop at nothing to get it. And, what’s even more astonishing is the pain that Chaney suffered to bring Blizzard to life on-screen. Using an elaborate set of pulleys, ropes, belts and harnesses, Chaney walked on his knees as his feet were tucked behind his back. This getup caused Chaney immense pain — he could only endure it for short periods at a time — but it allowed him to appear as an amputee without ever letting the viewer know it was all a ruse. Even with the painful harness, Chaney moves through his scenes with the agility of a gymnast. Truly remarkable stuff.
While The Penalty‘s plot may seem overly melodramatic — if not completely implausible — the sheer, undeniable evil that Chaney portrays makes it worthwhile to suspend one’s disbelief long enough to get the film’s twist ending. Even if one thinks that black and white — much less silent — films can’t be entertaining in today’s digital age, The Penalty proves that true star power doesn’t fade with time.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
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