There's no denying the importance of silent cinema, but I should probably come clean early and own up to the fact that my attention span isn't always super compatible with these early movies. I'm hoping to eventually improve on that front, though, so I figured it might be a good idea to get my feet wet as quickly as possible.
I started with The Man Who Laughs because I was expecting a horror movie in the vein of Dr. Caligari or Nosferatu, both of which I quite enjoyed. But while those Expressionist textures are definitely present, this is really more of a Hunchback of Notre Dame-style tragedy. I tend to be most drawn to silent dramas when the emotions are at their heaviest, though, so that was fine with me.
What I didn't care for so much was the long-winded and unfocused narrative. As heartfelt and tender as the romance was, and as compelling as Mary Philbin and Conrad Veidt are, it too often felt as though the two supposed leads were reduced to supporting players in their own story. Large swaths of the runtime are dedicated to the intrigue and corruption of the Royal Court, and that stuff just didn't grab me at all.
Fortunately, we end with a pretty strong third act, which features more melodrama, more theatrics, and even some swashbuckling action. This is no doubt a seminal movie; I just wish the whole thing was a little tighter and more consistent.
Grade: B
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