FILM · 1927 · USA
The Unknown
- Directed by
- Tod Browning
- Runtime
- 68 min
- Studio
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
63 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
On the lam, criminal Alonzo hides in the circus as The Armless Wonder—a performer who uses his feet to hurl knives. Alonzo keeps the arms he really has concealed to hide his identity. Meanwhile, ringmaster's daughter Nanon has a phobia of being touched by men, but is romantically pursued by not only Alonzo but the strongman Malabar. Alonzo's desperation to remain with Nanon will only end in tragedy.
63 Interesting Facts About The Unknown
Interesting Facts (18)
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Joan Crawford always regarded The Unknown (1927) as a major turning point for her. She said that until she worked with Lon Chaney on this film, she learned the difference between standing in front of a camera and acting in front of a camera. She attributed this to Chaney and his intense concentration, and said that after this experience she worked much harder to become a better actress. Chaney's performance certainly inspired his co-star Crawford: "Lon Chaney was my introduction to acting. The concentration, the utter concentration he gave to his characterisation, filled me with such awe that I could barely speak to him… watching him awakened in me the desire to become a real actor."
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It was included in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, edited by Steven Schneider. The Unknown (1927) is listed in the film reference book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, where it is described as follows: "Drawing a remarkable and unforgettable performance from Chaney and filling the plot with surprises and memorable characters, (Tod) Browning here creates a chilling masterpiece of psychological (and psycho-sexual) drama."
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The Spanish rock and roll band La Orquesta Mondragon paid tribute to the film and to Lon Chaney in 1982 with a song titled Garras Humanas. The lyrics recount the film's plot, and during live performances the band's singer and mastermind, Javier Gurruchaga, concealed his arms as Chaney had done in 1927.
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Production Story (18)
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Because Paul Desmuke was born without arms, he served as a stunt double for Lon Chaney in some shots where Chaney used his feet to smoke a cigarette or play the violin. In wide shots Lon Chaney used his own feet, while for medium and close shots director Tod Browning used an armless stunt double named Dismuki (Paul Desmuke). Dismuki later appeared with the Al G. Barnes Circus and Sideshow as "The Man Who Doubled for Lon Chaney's Legs in The Unknown."
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Joan Crawford regarded "The Unknown (1927)" as the turning point of her career. She said that until she worked with Lon Chaney, she had not understood the difference between standing in front of a camera and acting. Chaney's intense concentration and performance deeply affected her and inspired her to work much harder to become a better actress. Crawford wrote, "Lon Chaney was my introduction to acting; watching him awakened in me the desire to become a real actress."
- #024
Burt Lancaster was an admirer of this silent film, most likely because it is set in a circus; he himself had spent much of his youth in one. Lancaster said that the scene in which Lon Chaney learns he is not loved by Joan Crawford was the most emotional moment he had ever seen in a film. He described that scene, in which Chaney realizes he cut off his arms for nothing, as "one of the most impressive and emotionally exhausting scenes I have ever seen an actor do."
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For years the film circulated only as blurry 9.5 mm copies on the black market. At a March 1973 screening at George Eastman House, archivist James Card announced that Henri Langlois and the Cinémathèque Française team had found a copy in 1968 among boxes labeled 'l'inconnu' ("unknown" films, because of missing titles). L'Inconnu is a literal translation of the film's French title.
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The 1927 film The Unknown is regarded as the peak of the Tod Browning and Lon Chaney collaboration and one of the late masterpieces of silent cinema. Included in the list '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die,' edited by Steven Schneider, it is described as a chilling drama that masterfully blends psychological and psycho-sexual tension. The film, which holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from nine critic reviews, was deemed worthy of 'cult status' by critic Scott Brogan.
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Behind the Scenes (15)
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In some wide shots Lon Chaney used his own feet, but for medium and close shots Tod Browning used a double named Dismuki (Paul Desmuke), who was born without arms. Dismuki later toured with the Al G. Barnes Circus and Show, where he was billed as "The Man Who Doubled for Lon Chaney's Legs in The Unknown."
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Because Paul Desmuke was born without arms, he served as a stunt double for Lon Chaney in some shots where Chaney used his feet to smoke a cigarette or play the violin. In wide shots Lon Chaney used his own feet, while for medium and close-up shots director Tod Browning relied on an armless stunt double named Dismuki (Paul Desmuke). Dismuki later appeared with the Al G. Barnes Circus and sideshow as "The Man Who Doubled for Lon Chaney's Legs in The Unknown."
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For years the film circulated only as blurry 9.5 mm copies on the black market. At a March 1973 screening at George Eastman House, archivist James Card announced that Henri Langlois and the Cinémathèque Française team had found a copy in 1968 among boxes labeled 'l'inconnu' (meaning 'unknown' films, due to missing titles). L'Inconnu is a literal translation of the film's French title.
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Characters & Cast (6)
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Joan Crawford regarded "The Unknown (1927)" as the turning point of her career. She said that until she worked with Lon Chaney, she had not understood the difference between standing in front of a camera and acting. Chaney's intense concentration and performance had a profound effect on her and inspired her to work much harder to become a better actor. Crawford wrote, "Lon Chaney was my introduction to acting; watching him awakened in me the desire to become a real actress."
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Burt Lancaster was an admirer of this silent film, most likely because it is set in a circus environment; he himself had spent much of his youth in the circus. Lancaster said that the scene in which Lon Chaney learns that he is not loved by Joan Crawford was the most emotional moment he had ever seen in a film. He described that scene, in which Chaney realizes he has had his arms cut off in vain, as "one of the most impressive and emotionally exhausting scenes I have ever seen an actor do."
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Easter Eggs & References (1)
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Burt Lancaster was a fan of this silent film, most likely because it is set in a circus and Lancaster had spent much of his life in one. He once said that no scene in any film had affected him as emotionally as the scene in this film in which Lon Chaney's character learns that Joan Crawford does not love him. Lancaster said Chaney's portrayal in The Unknown (1927) contains one of the most impressive and emotionally draining scenes he had ever seen an actor perform (referring to the scene in which Chaney realises he has cut off his arms in vain).
Deeper Meaning (5)
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Made in 1927, The Unknown is regarded as the peak of the collaboration between Tod Browning and Lon Chaney and one of the late masterpieces of silent cinema. Included in the list '1001 Films You Must See Before You Die', edited by Steven Schneider, the production is described as a chilling drama that masterfully blends psychological and psycho-sexual tension. Reaching a score of 100% from nine critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was deemed worthy of 'cult status' by critic Scott Brogan.
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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