He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

James and Thomas discuss the original creepy clown movie, He Who Gets Slapped, starring Lon Chaney in an amazing performance as scientist Paul Beaumont, who suffers a mental breakdown after his research and his wife are stolen by a wealthy baron. Leaving his former world behind, Beaumont becomes a circus clown known only as He, whose entire act consists of attempting to say profound things while being slapped and ridiculed by the other clowns, recreating his trauma - until one day, he comes back into contact with the man who betrayed him... The film explores the effect that the crowd's propensity for mockery and humiliation has on the human psyche.

The film is by the pioneering Swedish silent-era director, Victor Sjöström - his second movie made in the US. It remains very engaging for a silent film, and makes a good introduction to the medium.

Watch He Who Gets Slapped for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_qlCtPdqto

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Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com