MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES in '50s Horror and Sci-Fi Forum

0 Points

Forum Jump

MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES

Author	Comment
IzzyVanHalen	MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES	Lead	[-]
Aug 8 10 3:12 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I searched and couldn't find an existing thread for this movie and I'm not sure if this is the right section, since it's not really a horror film, but I finally got round to watching MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES. It's certainly enjoyable enough and Cagney turns in a typically incredible performance, but something bugged me - Cleva's reaction to Lon's parents. I've got no idea if that was a normal reaction at the time, but it seems awfully over the top today. The makeups, although not a patch on Lon's aren't as bad as I've always heard either. People always point to the recreation of the Phantom and say it's stiff and imobile. Not as expressive as Chaney's granted, but not the unmoving mask I had been expecting. The scene itself though is a bit of a bargain basement version of the original with some terrible music and an actress who looks nothing like Mary Philbin! Anyway, on the whole, I enjoyed it, despite it being a very Hollywoodized version of Chaney's life. The ending, in particular, with Cagney writing "JR." on his makeup case and handing it to his son, was very romanticised. The Reel Deal: bad movies and the geeks who love them. http://movie-reel-deal.co.uk/
	Remove this ad
Monsterpal		#1	[-]
Aug 8 10 4:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	But casting Roger Smith as Chaney Jr was a stroke of genius. It's an uncanny resemblance.
DonM435		#2	[-]
Aug 8 10 5:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	IzzyVanHalen wrote: ... something bugged me - Cleva's reaction to Lon's parents. I've got no idea if that was a normal reaction at the time, but it seems awfully over the top today. ... In the film's storyline, she finds out -- abruptly and directly and for the first time -- that the child she's carrying has two deaf grandparents. I couldn't blame her for being somewhat concerned. We like to think that people a hundred years ago weren't so enlightened and sophisticated as we are now, and in tht case, it must have been all the more troubling.
The Batman of Gotham		#3	[-]
Aug 8 10 7:19 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	DonM435 wrote: IzzyVanHalen wrote: ... something bugged me - Cleva's reaction to Lon's parents. I've got no idea if that was a normal reaction at the time, but it seems awfully over the top today. ... In the film's storyline, she finds out -- abruptly and directly and for the first time -- that the child she's carrying has two deaf grandparents. I couldn't blame her for being somewhat concerned. We like to think that people a hundred years ago weren't so enlightened and sophisticated as we are now, and in tht case, it must have been all the more troubling. You know what? I first saw this movie around 1969 when I was around 12 years old. Even then, I was troubled by Cleva's behavior - I found it incredibly insensitive. So, I don't think that *her reaction* was considered 'normal' for that time, really. I think the audience was supposed to get the idea - point blank - that she was being shallow. Not to be defamatory of Cleva Crieghton, but to *emphasize* the hardships and challenges that the Chaneys were continually up against due to their disabilities - sometimes even from people who were close to them. - GJS
DonM435		#4	[-]
Aug 8 10 9:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	You may be right. Still, I would not judge a woman in that situation harshly.
	Remove this ad
MacXoftheMounted		#5	[-]
Aug 9 10 11:22 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I FIND MYSELF AGREEING WITH BOTH OF YOU. and disagreeing with my caps-lock AGAIN. MacXoftheMounted.....................formerly known as Professor Von X
The Batman of Gotham		#6	[-]
Aug 9 10 3:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	MacXoftheMounted wrote: I FIND MYSELF AGREEING WITH BOTH OF YOU. And, frankly, so do I. Don definitely has a good point. - GJS
Scoundrel		#7	[-]
Aug 9 10 3:40 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The actress playing Christine to Cagney's Phantom is Nancy Kilgas per the IMDB. It's odd that they cast as blonde for this, however the most recent memory of an actress playing Christine in a version of Phantom for viewers in 1957 would have been Suzanna Foster...also blonde.
Don Glut	casting Roger Smith as...	#8	[-]
Aug 9 10 3:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	No, it was an unchaney resemblance.
	Remove this ad

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Add Reply

Yuku free message boards

MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES

MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES