The ace of hearts 1921 forrest john bowers and farralone lon chaney, members of a sinister anarchist society, are competing for the affections of lilith leatrice joy, another member of the. First, he doesnt conceal himself beneath layers of makeup. These are in their most complete surviving versions. Each subsequent screening found the same tribute repeated. Things dont go as planned in this morality tale of intrigue, love and the sacrifice of one man. Lon chaney, leatrice joy, john bowers, hardee kirkland, raymond hatton, roy laidlaw, edwin wallock. Added a link to my library of congress talk on survival of lon chaneys teens universal silents 823. The ace of hearts is a 1921 american crime drama film produced and directed by wallace worsley. While it has its moments of cardturning suspense, the film nets out to be a slightly aboveaverage love story programmer. Read the the ace of hearts movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on movies. When its time to kill the man who has lived too long, as the group refers to its targets, they draw cards to decide who will carry out the deed. The first pages depicts a large image of lon chaney in character as farallone and shows him holding an ace of hearts as he looks at the viewer. Laugh, clown laugh is another masterpiece from lon chaney. The ace of hearts 1921 please subscribe a romantic rivalry among members of a secret society becomes even tenser when one of the men is assigned to carry out an assassination.
Lon chaney gives a heartfelt performance as the stoic mr. With lon chaney, leatrice joy, john bowers, hardee kirkland. Here is a filmography of lon chaneys existing films. But she is focussed on the cause of the group and soon her marriage to one of her. This 2disc chaney celebration includes three of his major works. The ace of hearts, a tale of murderous intrigue, laugh, clown, laugh chaney as a lovesmitten circus clown, and the unknown where chaney is a armless knife thrower. The following list represents all films known to feature lon chaney. Films with speech did not start until 1927, with the jazz singer, which was a great success. The suits apparently wanted to have their cake and eat it to. Chaney gives a tough, yet endearing performance as the toughbutloveable marine sergeant. The ace of hearts 1921 the ace of hearts 1921 user. London after midnight easy halloween costumes kids ace of hearts lon chaney turner classic movies silent film the man documentaries movie tv.
Ace of hearts is a 2008 englishlanguage canadian family drama film directed by david mackay and starring dean cain, britt mckillip, anne marie loder, and mike dopud. Lon chaney and leatrice joy in the ace of hearts 1921. The two films on disc one are ace of hearts and laugh clown laugh. Tcm archives the lon chaney collection the ace of hearts laugh, clown, laugh london after midnight the unknown. Lon chaney, virginia valli, jack mower and ralph forbes classic silent movie. Although i didnt like it as much as some of his other work, it is nevertheless considered as one of his best films. Leonidas frank lon chaney april 1, 1883 august 26, 1930 was an american stage and film actor, makeup artist, director and screenwriter. Lon chaneys the ace of hearts is, as far as i can recall, the darkest silent film ive ever seen. The first movie to watch is laugh clown laugh reportedly chaneys. Films are divided into billed and unbilled appearances.
Ace of hearts starring the one and only, lon chaney. Ace of hearts, the 1921 movie clip he has lived too. For a movie made in 1921, an era best known for charlie chaplin slapstick, this is some heavy stuff. There is a rift in this society due to a love triangle. The ace of hearts the ace of hearts is a 1921 american crime drama film produced and directed by wallace worsley. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup. The ace of hearts 1921 starring lon chaney and leatrice joy on dvd and bluray.
But lilith accepts neither of them, preferring to devote herself to the groups cause. Second, the action is appallingly dreary without a hint of humor. The ace of hearts 1921 lon chaney silent film partial. When the group meets again and deals cards to all the members, forrest draws the ace of hearts, meaning that he will be the one to carry out the. From 1910 to 19, the chaneys performed with several musical comedy troupes in california, with chaney not only performing but also serving as stage manager, choreographer and wardrobe supervisor. Uhuh, these are the characters in ace of hearts, the 1921 melodrama starring lon chaney, himself the ace of aces character actor, and based upon the novel by the peculiarlynamed gouverneur morris. Tito chaney and simon bernard siegel are traveling clowns moving from town to town in italy. The acting in the ace of hearts is melodramatic on chaneys part but befitting.
Tcm archives the lon chaney collection the ace of hearts laugh. The penalty is an american crime film starring lon chaney and originally released in 1920 by goldwyn pictures. While neither film is scary they are both sufficiently wacked just enough to hold our. Lon chaney plays farallone, a member of a secret society that identifies a target called the man who has lived too long and then assassinates the unfortunate person.
The ace of hearts 1921 when a secret group decides to murder a citizen, the assassin chosen will be the member of the group who draws the ace of hearts. A meeting of a powerful secret society decide on the fate of a dangerous man they have been watching. The screenplay by ruth wightman is based on the pulp novel the purple mask by gouverneur morris. The film stars leatrice joy, john bowers, and lon chaney. Ace of hearts is quite melodramatic and chaney hams it up, however i like him and this is movie is recommended.
Ace of hearts, lon chaney, cinema, movies, movie theater, films, film movie. Morgridge hardee kirkland the leader of a mysterious secret society. Lon chaney april 1, 1883 august 26, 1930 was an american actor during the age of silent films. Although the goldwyn studios put together a great cast for this film in addition to joy and bowers, it included lon chaney and raymond hatton its characters were not sympathetic and it was not wellreceived janiss garza, rovi. The ace of hearts is part of warner bros lon chaney collection. The movie was directed by wallace worsley, and written by philip lonergan and charles kenyon, based upon the pulp novel by gouverneur morris. Ace of hearts, the 1921 movie clip he has lived too long. Read the the ace of hearts plot and find out who is in the cast and crew at movies. Each of these wonderful 2disc sets is stuffed to overflowing with delights for the film enthusiast. However, the original ending of the film was a different matter entirely.
A good example is the lon chaney collection, a veritable. Two of the members, farallone and forrest, are both in love with lilith, the groups only female member. Most of chaneys films were destroyed or eroded in time, with talkies being in why save the silents. The lon chaney silent suspense thriller ace of hearts ranks as one of the great thespians less compelling films. London after midnight 1927, a lost movie with lon chaney directed by tod browning.
Jokes about his brothers mayeur and senateur are, frankly, too obvious even for me. That goes for my father, lon chaney, myself and all the others. A romantic rivalry among members of a secret society becomes even tenser when one of the men is assigned to carry out an assassination. One day tito stumbles upon an abandoned little girl and rescues her. Part of the opening act, the thusfar not defined brotherhood assembles, morgridge hardee kimble chairing, farralone lon chaney fretting and forrest john bowers providing evidence against an evildoer whom, it transpires, they vote to eliminate, in the ace of hearts, 1921. Lon chaney and leatrice joy are members of a secret society that likes to blow people to tiny little pieces. At a moving tribute in rock springs, wyoming, where chaneys the unholy three was being shown, the entire audience rose and stood in a moment of silence as the opening credits flashed on the screen. The ace of hearts 1921 cast and crew forrest john bowers and farralone lon chaney, members of a sinister anarchist society, are competing for the affections of lilith leatrice joy, another. It also shows that mgm production chief, irving thalberg, was not afraid to cast chaney in a nomakeuprole. Ace of hearts is an ahead of its time cinematic tale of tragedy and revenge. The police are trying to catch a burglar whom they have nicknamed goliath. He made his debut at the movies in 1912, and his filmography is vast. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and.
The lon chaney collection is a two disc set from warner bros. This movie stars lon chaney 18831930 who was the son of deaf mutes. Lon chaney plays a heartbroken anarchist in this incredibly curious tale of terrorism and unrequited love. The 2disc set also includes the features laugh clown laugh, also on disc 1, and the unknown, on disc 2. The following year chaneys only son, creighton better known as lon chaney, jr. He had made quite an impression in the miracle man, a lost 1919 film in which he played a con. However i do worry this version is not legal to download.
The ace of hearts 1921 crime drama mystery youtube. The supporting cast includes charles clary, doris pawn, jim mason, and claire adams. The ace of hearts is a 1921 film directed by wallace worsley, starring lon chaney a terrorist organization, referred to as a certain brotherhood, carries out assassinations from time to time. A secret society, brothers at odds and an unrequited love. The supposedly climactic card game, where he who gets the ace of hearts will commit the murder, feels like it goes on for hours, and the mixture of mystery and romance throughout the entire film falls flat.
Lon chaney, also known as the man of a thousand faces or the master of horror, was one of the most versatile, influential and most gifted actors of the silent era he was also an excellent comedian and dancer. Both chaney and worsley would do better things together in the future. Although his parents were deafmutes, leonidas chaney became an actor and also owner of a theatre company together with his brother john. She deals the ace of hearts, assigning forrest to a certain dangerous task. Like many other chaney films where the main protagonist makes great sacrifices for the object of his affection, whether it be selfmutilation, a prison sentence, or death, the ace of hearts doesnt vary the scenario in this regard. This all come to a head when one a contract on the life of one of them is set. Laugh, clown, laugh 1928 in one of his signature roles. The only female in the group is lillith and shes loved by two men of the same society. Lon chaney was especially famous for his horror parts in movies like e.
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