Man of a Thousand Faces

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Man of a Thousand Faces

1957,

2h 2m,

Biography

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Watchlist

80%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Lon Chaney (James Cagney) is a charismatic young man breaking into vaudeville as a juggler and mime. He falls in love with his new assistant, Cleva (Dorothy Malone), but when he reveals that he grew up as the son of two deaf-mute parents, she reacts with horror and disgust. The psychologically unbalanced Cleva leaves Chaney shortly after their son is born, but when he moves to Hollywood, remarries and becomes a movie star, she returns in an attempt to get back into her son's life.

Jean Yothers

Orlando Sentinel

Oct 8, 2021

In Man of a Thousand Faces, the film biography' of Chaney... "the mystery man" comes to life again with all his greatness and strangeness.

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Rocco T. Thompson

Rue Morgue Magazine

Jul 3, 2024

For a film dedicated to one of the most subtle and emotionally evocative silent screen artists, Man of a Thousand Faces is conspicuously overstated, stiff, and unmoving.

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Chris Alexander

Alexander On Film

Dec 16, 2019

If you can suspend your disbelief, the lousy make-up doesn't detract from how beautiful, moving and loving a tribute to Chaney's legacy the film is.

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Nov 26, 2019

The picture is a bit too long and its sombre tone may irritate those customers who insist on ridiculing all old movies, but its rich sense of period and atmosphere and Cagney's superb performance make it an item worth seeing.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 2, 2019

3/4

This is the usual Hollywood biopic that contains almost as much fiction as fact, but that doesn't dim enjoyment of this celebration of one of the all-time great horror stars.

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Alberto Abuín

Espinof

Oct 5, 2016

'Man of a thousand faces' draws the figure of a myth, showing that you can get to the true essence of something, or someone, without being true to facts. [Full review in Spanish]

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Finn R

Aug 11, 2010

Surprisingly dramatic. Cagney really brings this one to life.

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Joseph Pevney

Director

James Cagney

Lon Chaney

Dorothy Malone

Cleva Creighton Chaney

Jane Greer

Hazel Bennet Chaney

Marjorie Rambeau

Gert

Jim Backus

Clarence Locan

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Synopsis

Lon Chaney (James Cagney) is a charismatic young man breaking into vaudeville as a juggler and mime. He falls in love with his new assistant, Cleva (Dorothy Malone), but when he reveals that he grew up as the son of two deaf-mute parents, she reacts with horror and disgust. The psychologically unbalanced Cleva leaves Chaney shortly after their son is born, but when he moves to Hollywood, remarries and becomes a movie star, she returns in an attempt to get back into her son's life.

Director: Joseph Pevney
Producer: Robert Arthur
Screenwriter: R. Wright Campbell, Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal/Universal Int
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 13, 1957, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2020
Runtime: 2h 2m

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