''The Grinning Face'' (German:''Das grinsende Gesicht''), aka ''The Man Who Laughs'', is a 1921

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...

-German silent

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

directed by Julius Herska and starring

Franz Höbling Franz Höbling (1886 – 1965) was an Austrian actor and film director. He played the lead in the 1921 silent horror film '' The Grinning Face'' (1921).Barker p. 88 He co-starred several times with Magda Sonja. Selected filmography Actor * ...

Nora Gregor Nora Gregor (3 February 1901 – 20 January 1949) was an Austrian stage and film actress. Biography She was born Eleonora Hermina Gregor in Görz, a town which then belonged to Austria-Hungary, but is now part of Italy, to Austrian-Jewish paren ...

and Lucienne Delacroix. It is an adaptation of the 1869 novel ''

The Man Who Laughs ''The Man Who Laughs'' (also published under the title ''By Order of the King'' from its subtitle in French) is a novel by Victor Hugo, originally published in April 1869 under the French title ''L'Homme qui rit''. It takes place in England beg ...

'' by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

. The film was later remade by

Paul Leni Paul Leni (born Paul Josef Levi; 8 July 1885 – 2 September 1929) was a German filmmaker and a key figure in German Expressionism, making ''Hintertreppe'' (1921) and '' Waxworks'' (1924) in Germany, and '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1927), ''Th ...

in 1928 as ''

'', which starred

Conrad Veidt Hans Walter Conrad Veidt (; 22 January 1893 – 3 April 1943) was a German film actor who attracted early attention for his roles in the films ''Different from the Others'' (1919), '' The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), and ''The Man Who Laugh ...

in the Gwynplaine role.Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 240..

Plot

In the late 17th century in France, the young son of a widowed lord is kidnapped by gypsies, who carve a permanent grin on the child's face. When the disfigured youth (Franz Hobling) grows up, he falls in love with a blind girl named Dea (Lucienne Delacroix), and joins a touring company as a performer. Calling himself Gwynplaine, he develops an act in which he reveals his hideous face to the crowds for money. A sexually perverse, seductive socialite named Josiane becomes attracted to him and seeks to possess him. He later learns he is heir to a fortune, but chooses instead to remain with his adopted family.

Cast

as Gwynplaine *

as Herzogin Josiane * Lucienne Delacroix as Dea *

Anna Kallina Anna Kallina (31 March 1874 – 4 January 1948) was an Austrian stage and film actress. She played the role of Anne, Queen of Great Britain, in the 1921 film ''The Grinning Face'' (1921).Gleizes p.244 Kallina first began acting on the state in th ...

as Queen Anne of England *

Eugen Jensen Eugen Jensen (1871–1957) was an Austrian stage and film actor. He worked frequently in the Austrian and German cinemas during the silent era in supporting roles in films such as ''The Love of Jeanne Ney'' (1927).Eisner p.351 Following the Anchl ...

as Barkilphedro *

Armin Seydelmann Armin (Armyn) is a given name or surname, and is: * An ancient Indo-European name: ** a German/Dutch given name, *** a modern form of the name Arminius (18/17 BC–AD 21), a German prince who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Fo ...

as Lord Bolinbroke * Franz Weißmüller as Ursus * Jimmy Court as Lord David Dirry-Moir * Josef Moser as King

James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Gloriou ...

Robert Balajthy The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

as Lord Linäus Claincharlie * Susanne Osten as Lady Dirry-Moir * Arped Kramer as Dr. Gerardus * Fritz Strassny as Dr. Hardqusnonne

References

Bibliography

* Prince, Stephen. ''The Horror Film''. Rutgers University Press, 2004.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grinning Face 1921 films 1920s historical horror films Austrian silent feature films Austrian historical horror films Films based on French novels Films based on works by Victor Hugo Films set in the 17th century Films set in London Cultural depictions of Anne, Queen of Great Britain Austrian black-and-white films Films directed by Julius Herska 1921 horror films Silent horror films 1920s German-language films