MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES [1957 / 2019] [Blu-ray] [UK Release]
The True Story of the Life and Loves of Lon Chaney!
One screen legend pays homage to another in ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES,’ an enthralling biopic which sees Oscar-winning tough guy James Cagney give a multifaceted portrayal of silent cinema legend Lon Chaney.
In early horror classics such as ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ and ‘The Phantom of The Opera,’ Lon Chaney captivated audiences with his vivid personifications of grotesque and afflicted characters. Lon Chaney extraordinary make-up skills, and miraculous ability to completely transform into grisly yet sympathetic and tragic monsters, garnered him international acclaim and the famous moniker of this film’s title.
Yet, despite his talent and success, Lon Chaney led a life plagued by hardship and heartache. This insightful film-portrait traces the trajectory of the actor s career: from impoverished vaudeville clown to Hollywood stardom, whilst also capturing the drama that surrounded his private life. The film is presented here for the first time in dazzling High Definition, with a selection of revealing extras.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1957 Boxoffice Magazine Awards: Win: Boxoffice Blue Ribbon Award for Best Picture of the Month for the Whole Family (October) for Joseph Pevney. 1958 Academy Awards: Nominated: Best Writing, Story and Screenplay that was Written Directly for the Screen for Ralph Wheelwright (story), Ben Roberts (screenplay), Ivan Goff (screenplay) and R. Wright Campbell (screenplay).
FILM FACT No.2: Creative license was used in writing the screenplay, and many incidents were sanitized and fictionalized, including the following: Lon Chaney had stated in interviews at the time that he did not want Creighton Chaney and later Lon Chaney Jr. to be an actor as is clearly depicted in the film's conclusion. At the time of his father's death, Creighton Chaney had been married for two years, attended Business College, and worked at an L.A. water heater company. When the company failed and financial problems became overwhelming for Creighton Chaney, he started to accept film work and was billed under his birth name. It was only in the mid-1930’s that he allowed himself at the insistence of film producers to be billed as “Lon Chaney, Jr.” an action he often said he felt ashamed of. In later life, Lon Chaney Jr. stated that he was proud of the name “Lon Chaney,” but not of the name “Lon Chaney Jr.” In the film, Lon Chaney is depicted as being at home, and surrounded by family and friends when he passes on. In reality, Lon Chaney died in his hospital room after suffering a haemorrhage. Bud Westmore's recreations of the original make-up are clearly partial masks which resemble the originals. James Cagney's face in some scenes is fairly immobile, such as the scene where he speaks to Creighton Chaney while wearing his ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ [1923] make-up, and when he speaks to the actress at the conclusion of the unmasking scene in ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’
Cast: James Cagney, Dorothy Malone, Jane Greer, Marjorie Rambeau, Jim Backus, Robert J. Evans, Celia Lovsky, Jeanne Cagney, Jack Albertson, Roger Smith, Robert Lyden, Rickie Sorensen, Dennis Rush, Nolan Leary, Simon Scott, Clarence Kolb, Danny Beck, Philip Van Zandt, Hank Mann, “Snub” Pollard, Harry Antrim (uncredited), Emile Avery (uncredited), Al Bain (uncredited), Bobby Barber (uncredited), Russ Bender (uncredited), Marjorie Bennett (uncredited), June Blair (uncredited), Nicky Blair (uncredited), Larry J. Blake (uncredited), Harold Bostwick (uncredited), Rudy Bowman (uncredited), Chet Brandenburg (uncredited), Helen Brown (uncredited), Robert Brubaker (uncredited), John Bryant (uncredited), George Calliga (uncredited), Charles Cane (uncredited), Anna Lee Carroll (uncredited), James J. Casino (uncredited), Spencer Chan (uncredited), Bill Chatham (uncredited), Jack Chefe (uncredited), Dick Cherney (uncredited), Heinie Conklin (uncredited), Billy Curtis (uncredited), Michael Dale (uncredited), Troy Donahue (uncredited), Helene Drake (uncredited), Steve Drexel (uncredited), Richard Emory (uncredited), William Flaherty (uncredited), Elizabeth Flournoy (uncredited), Evelyn Ford (uncredited), Clem Fuller (uncredited), John George (uncredited), Kenneth Gibson (uncredited), Bhupesh Guha (uncredited), Robert Haines (uncredited), Jerry Hartleben (uncredited), Charles Horvath (uncredited), Bob Hoy (uncredited), William Hudson (uncredited), Dave Kashner (uncredited), Tom Kennedy (uncredited), Jack Kenny (uncredited), Donald Kerr (uncredited), Nancy Kilgas (uncredited), Jess Kirkpatrick (uncredited), Mike Lally (uncredited), Louise Lane (uncredited), Hugh Lawrence (uncredited), Walter Lawrence (uncredited), Robert Locke Lorraine (uncredited), Herbert Lytton (uncredited), Della Malzahn (uncredited), George E. Mather (uncredited), William Meader (uncredited), Joe Merritt (uncredited), Ralph Montgomery (uncredited), Carol Morris (uncredited), Sol Murgi (uncredited), Forbes Murray (uncredited), Leo Needham (uncredited), Eddie Parker (uncredited), Hank Patterson (uncredited), George Pembroke (uncredited), George Peters (uncredited), Foster H. Phinney (uncredited), Allen Pinson (uncredited), Mike Portanova (uncredited), Paul Power (uncredited), George Ramsey (uncredited), Ford Raymond (uncredited), James Seay (uncredited), Charles Soldani (uncredited), Cap Somers (uncredited), Owen Song (uncredited), Lelani Sorenson (uncredited), George Sowards (uncredited), Ray Spiker (uncredited), Norman Stevans (uncredited), Robert Stevenson (uncredited), Jane Strangis (uncredited), Hal Taggart (uncredited), Forrest Taylor (uncredited), Ken Terrell (uncredited), Jack Tesler (uncredited), Sammee Tong (uncredited), Jack Tornek (uncredited), Frances E. Williams (uncredited), Harry Wilson (uncredited) and Annie Yip (uncredited)
Director: Joseph Pevney
Producer: Robert Arthur
Screenplay: Ralph Wheelwright (story), Ben Roberts (screenplay), Ivan Goff (screenplay) and R. Wright Campbell (screenplay)
Composer: Frank Skinner
Costume Design: Bill Thomas
Costume and Wardrobe Department: Marilyn Sotto (wardrobe: Mr. Cagney)
Cinematography: Russell Metty, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Special Effects: Clifford Stine (Special Photographic Effects)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (CinemaScope)
Audio: English: 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
English: 2.0 LPCM Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 121 minutes
Region: Region B/2
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Universal-International / Arrow Academy
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ [1957] was released by Universal-International and tells the tale of silent film star Lon Chaney, from vaudeville clown to Hollywood legend. Starring James Cagney as the master of make-up and rounded out by a supporting cast that includes Dorothy Malone, Jane Greer, Jim Backus, and Robert Evans. There are even a few of the old silent film players portraying themselves.
Lon Chaney grew up with deaf parents, and so young Lon learns sign language and the art of pantomime. He later chooses a life on stage as a vaudeville dancing clown where his pantomime skills can be best utilized. In vaudeville is where he meets his first wife, Cleva Creighton [Dorothy Malone], who soon becomes pregnant, and trouble begins after meeting Lon Chaney’s parents. Cleva Creighton, uncomfortable with Ma and Pa Chaney and afraid her baby will be born a “dumb thing,” no longer wants to have Lon’s child (who will be christened Creighton Chaney, later to be known as Lon Chaney Jr.). Lon seems never to forgive Cleva Creighton for her words and prejudice towards those born different.
As Lon Chaney’s career moves along, Lon Chaney struggles to deal with his wife’s desire to be her own star and taking care of his son the best he can. As Cleva Creighton and Lon Chaney grow apart, Hazel Hastings [Jane Greer] moves closer to Lon Chaney and his son Creighton Chaney. After an onstage scandal with Cleva Creighton and at the advice of his press agent Clarence Locan [Jim Backus], Lon Chaney leaves Cleva Creighton and takes his son with him to Hollywood, California.
In Hollywood at Universal Pictures, Lon tries to break into moving pictures. Starting as an extra then rising to more prominent roles and with the help of his trusty makeup kit, Lon Chaney quickly takes centre stage. There he can better utilize his skills to create more depth in the characters he chooses to play. The roles he takes are often those of outsiders and misunderstood outcasts seen as monsters by most.
We see the classic Lon Chaney movies being made, ‘The Miracle Man,’ ‘The Unholy Three,’ ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’ We watch as Lon Chaney sketches and develop these roles and brings them to stunning life on screen. We’re there as Lon battles raising a son who wants to be in movies against his wishes. Cleva Creighton is out of their lives for the most part and Hazel is back, now the second Mrs. Chaney who stays with him until his death just after the sound remake of ‘The Unholy Three.’ Also upon his death, he hands Creighton Chaney his make-up kit, adding “Jr.” and giving Creighton Chaney the nod to carry on his work in movies as Lon Chaney Jr.
As with most Hollywood biopics, the movie plays a little fast and loose with actual facts, time lines, places, as well as people’s true character and ages. All that aside, ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ is a really good movie that gives us a look at the life, loves, and creations of Lon Chaney. The movie is more focused on Lon Chaney himself rather than the films he made. We do see him as he is making those classic films but we see more of the man behind the makeup and his relationships with his son, wives, and family. All in all I highly recommend this Blu-ray release of ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES.’
MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES MUSIC TRACK LIST
JINGLE BELLS [Written by James Lord Pierpont] (1857) Integrated into the soundtrack when the Chaney family reunites at Christmas.
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Universal-International and Arrow Academy presents us the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ gets a brand new restoration upgrade from the original negative by Arrow Academy from the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 2K resolution on an Arriscan at NBC Universal. The film was graded and restored at Dragon DI, Wales. Picture grading was completed on a Pablo Rio system and restoration was completed using a combination of PFClean and Revival software. This is a totally amazing looking transfer which should easily please film’s fans. Detail levels are commendable throughout the presentation, offering precise looks at patterns on a number of nicely appointed costumes and sets, but also with regard to the recreations of some of the iconic makeup that Lon Chaney helped to fashion for some of his best remembered film appearances. Detail levels are so good, in fact, that a couple of “seams” in some of the makeup can be spotted. Contrast is totally solid throughout, supporting good black levels and a nicely modulated grey scale. Grain resolves naturally throughout and gives the presentation depth and texture. Please Note: Playback Region B/2: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Universal-International and Arrow Academy brings us the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ with just one standard 1.0 LPCM Mono Audio experience and was remastered from the three channel dialogue, music and effects dubbed master track by NBC Universal and is capably supports both the long dialogue scenes as well as some of the more music hall like performances that Lon Chaney [James Cagney] gives in his earlier theatrical career. The audio track offers good fidelity throughout all frequency ranges, and there are no problems with damage, distortion or dropouts.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Audio Commentary by Tim Lucas [Audio only] [2019] [1080p] [2.35:1] [121:35] With this featurette, we get to hear a new personal audio commentary by film scholar Tim Lucas and as the film starts he introduces himself, and says he is your fortunate commentator Tim Lucas, and is here to talk about the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES,’ and we are watching the Golden Jubilee release of the film, and mentions the wording at the start of the film that says, “On August 27, 1930, the entire motion picture suspended work to pay tribute to the memory of one of its great actors,” meaning of course the death of Lon Chaney, and this is his story. Although we get scenes of Universal Pictures studio, in fact in the last five years on Lon Chaney’s actin career he was under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ was filmed in November and December of 1956, but was released in1957, and this film is basically based on the bio pic film ‘Love Me or Leave Me’ released in 1955. This film separates the great Lon Chaney and monster actors that followed the silent star and onto the sound era with his son Lon Chaney Jr., but later on he only called himself Lon Chaney after his father Lon Chaney. When the screenplay was finished there was a biffing war between Universal-International and metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and of course Universal-International won hands down. We first meet Lon Chaney as the young 8 year actor Jerry Hartleben and we are informed that James Cagney was about 58 years of age when he appeared in the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES,’ and the period of the film is around 1905 with his appearance on the stage playing a clown, and like Kim Newman mentions that the reason Lon Chaney was able to express himself so well, was because both of his parents were deaf and was brought up in the environment of sign language. At the time of making the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES, James Cagney was 57 years of age and was asked if he was going to retire, and he answered, “Well the man develops a trick, and it is healthy, is to keep doing the trick until it deserts him, and it’s like the story of the man who approaches an actor and tells him he never saw anybody be so grief stricken at a certain funeral,” and the actor says, “That was nothing, you should of caught me at the grave, you find that sort of thing to a terrific degrees, particularly among Vaudeville people in a line is wasted if there is not laughter.” Tim Lucas now gets round to the actress Dorothy Malone and goes into the history of the actress, but of course we get to see her character of being a massive bigot, when husband Lon Chaney takes his wife to his parents’ home at Christmas and because he never informed his wife Cleva Creighton Chaney beforehand that they were both deaf , you get to witness how nasty she is towards his parents, but of course it was of course Lon Chaney’s fault in not informing his wife about the situation and of course sets the course for a very unhappy period in Lon Chaney’s life, especially when Cleva Creighton Chaney tried to commit suicide and of course eventually Lon Chaney gets a divorce, also the reason why Lon Chaney did not warn Cleva Creighton Chaney of his parents condition, because he thought his wife would reject him, but of course we will never find out this scenario if she would have left him if he had told her about his parents being deaf and of course eventually Cleva Creighton Chaney walks out on them and leaves her son with Lon Chaney and grows up being informed his mother was dead, but of course the whole situation changes dramatically and events brings everyone back together and a happy ending to what was at the time a nightmare scenario, but at the time of the family Christmas celebratory meal and his wife’s negative bigot outburst towards Lon Chaney in the bedroom scene, and when Lon Chaney leaves his wife in the bedroom, we are informed that we are being shown the dark under belly of America in that period of time, which might seem especially jarring as the film never really gives us a sense of how hard working and struggling young Lon Chaney, but most of all, Lon Chaney’s parents brings s sense of clam into his life, and also gives Lon Chaney a sense of a mission with his art, and how can anyone watching this movie, not to love the actress Celia Lovsky who plays his mother. But of course we find out that Cleva Creighton Chaney wanted to commit suicide on stage with Lon Chaney so that she would hopefully abort the baby she is expecting because she did not want a deaf baby, which of course would have been 100% illegal in that period of time, but of course the baby is born and it is not deaf, but despite Cleva Creighton Chaney walks out on their lives to pursue her own career and at the time their rocky marriage lasted 10 years. But in time the actress Jan Greer eventually enters the lives of Lon Chaney and his son and becomes Mrs. Hazel Bennet Chaney. At around 48 minutes Tim Lucas goes into great detail about the career of the wonderful actress Jane Greer and appeared in many well-known films, but sadly over time Jane Greer in August 2001 at the age of 76. One amazing fact we get to hear about James Cagney is that he single handed created all his own dance routines, and the dance routine on the stage with his shadow behind him copying his dance routines on the stage, was actually copied from a Fred Astaire dance routine in the 1936 RKO film ‘Swing Time.’ When we get to around 59:20 and the court scene Lon Chaney gets a divorce from Cleva Creighton Chaney, Yim Lucas points out the actor playing the judge, who was Russ Bender who was a most familiar actor for the horror science fiction of the 1950’s with the film ‘War of the Worlds’ followed by ‘It Conqured The World,’ ‘Drag Strip Girl,’ Invasion Of The Saucer men’ and ‘The Amazing Colossal Man’ and its sequel ‘Ware of the Amazing Colossal Beast’ and seeing the actor was very big news, but sadly passed away in 1969 a few months after his 60th birthday. At chapter 7, Tim Lucas talks about Lon Chaney’s long career at Hollywood’s Universal Pictures and his important biographical career with that studio, but in that period had to cope with his mother Emma who dies of a heart attack on the 8th April and week after his divorce proceedings. At once point we see Lon Chaney doing his own unique imaginative make-up, and because of that Lon Chaney was invited to do a write up an entry on make-up in the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Now Tim Lucas now goes into the history of the actor Jim Backus and his long career in films and TV series and especially the cartoon series “Mr. Magoo,” sadly Jim Backus passed away peacefully. Tim Lucas talks about the salary Lon Chaney earned at Universal Pictures and was around $45.00 a week and in today’s money he would have earned $1,140. At chapter 9, Tim Lucas talks about the Irving Thalberg, who was the young 21 year old studio executive for Universal Pictures and makes for a very fascinating story in itself and was the instigator on getting Lon Caney to appear in the films ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ [1925] and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ [1925], but eventually Irving Thalberg then went to work for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and eventually marrying the actress Norma Shearer, but in 1936 he suffered a very severe heart attack and died at the age of 37. Just 6 years after the death of Irving Thalberg, Lon Chaney would follow to his grave and Hollywood would seem like a different world and at chapter 12 at around 2:00:57, Tim Lucas informs us that Lon Chaney was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery and is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California 90068, in the Hollywood Hills neighbourhood of Los Angeles and in keeping with Lon Chaney’s will, that his resting place bears no marker, and the only way to work out where he is buried, they think he is buried in the crypt with his father Frank Chaney and his wife Hazel Chaney. At this point near the end of Tim Luca’s audio commentary, was quite informative about the actual iconic movie actor Lon Chaney and is quite fascinating information. By the way, due to the amount of space I am allowed to do my very professional Blu-ray Reviews, I have only been allowed to do highlights of the more informative parts of Tim Lucas’s audio commentary featurette, and despite this, I do hope you enjoy what you have read?
Special Feature: The Man Behind A Thousand Faces [2019] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 2.35:1] [20:53] With this featurette, we get to view a newly filmed look at Lon Chaney and his legacy by the critic Kim Newman, and comments that he feels it is very strange when you look at the film ‘Sunset Boulevard’ made in 1950 with the relationship to silent movies that comes from the mist of time, especially being a gothic tragedy that still lingers in Hollywood. But of course with the coming of sound it changed everything and changed our perception of silent movie stars and of course the ultimate silent movie stars were Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Rudolph Valentino and of course Lon Chaney and of course in their careers mostly stayed silent, but Greta Garbo then became very successful when sound arrived to the talking picture and made a great impression to the adoring public, and publicising that “Greta Garbo Talks!” But of course with the coming of sound, Charlie Chaplin had a couple of talking pictures, but did not speak much, but eventually went onto direct films. As to Lon Chaney, he made only one talking picture and then after that sadly died. Then we have the actor John Barrymore who was a very big silent movie star and carried on into the 1930’s and 1040’s and also did some talking pictures. With the rise of talking pictures, then every territory got their own movie stars, and spoke in their own local language and local accent. Lon Chaney was not the only star to have a biography film in his honour in the 1950’s, but there was also another biography film, and that one was on Buster Keaton entitled ‘The Buster Keaton Story’ and starred Donald O’Connor. With Lon Chaney Jr., who was of course the son of Lon Chaney and of course traded on his father’s reputation, then changed his name to Lon Chaney in the 1950’s and of course he was the only Lon Chaney in the movies and of course appeared in the horror film ‘The Wolf Man.’ But in the height of his acting stardom, Lon Chaney Sr. made a great impression, especially for young children, because he was such a total visual actor in the silent film era, especially with the best collaboration was Lon Chaney and director Tod Browning with the film ‘The Unknown’ and is one of the most perverse film ever made, as it has no boring love story, but all in all it is a very strange film, but with Lon Chaney’s other films he was a one man showman and he never ever played the same character in all of his films, all because of his amazing character make-up, and even more grotesque make-up to give him a great visual performance. But when talking pictures started to grow in popularity, other actors took over from Lon Chaney like Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lionel Atwell, Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone. But they say about Lon Chaney that he was such a visual actor especially in the silent film era, and stems from the fact that his parents were deaf, but of course it was very sad was the fact that when Lon Chaney appeared in his first talking picture ‘The Unholy’ he was starting to lose his voice because his tonsils were very dangerously infected with throat cancer and that sadly was the end of his amazing career, and at that point this Kim Newman featurette ends.
Theatrical Trailer [1957] [480i] [2.35:1] [1:33] With this featurette, we get to view the original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES.’
Special Feature: Image Gallery: Here we get to view two featurettes and they are as follows:
Production Stills: Here we get to view 81 black-and-white images of the actor James Cagney, especially in his special different make-ups, but we also get to view other black-and-white images of other main actors who appeared in the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES.
Posters and Lobby Cards: Here we get to view 17 colour posters from different countries, plus of course lobby publicity items advertising the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES.
BONUS: Reversible Blu-ray sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys.
PLUS: FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Fully Illustrated 32 page booklet with a newly commissioned essay by Vic Pratt of the British Film Institute. Contents includes: Cast and Crew; Larger Than Life: Revisiting Man Of A Thousand Faces by Vic Pratt; About The Restoration; Production Credits and Special Thanks. But we also get loads of black-and-white and some colour photos from the film ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES.’
Finally, ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ sees James Cagney play the real life Lon Chaney in his own unique way, and Man of a Thousand Faces helped resurrect James Cagney’s career. The monsters Lon Chaney brought to frightful life, ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ as classics of early Hollywood horror. The year 1957 was the perfect time for ‘MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES’ to be made as it would later air on television repeatedly and a whole new generation of horror fans would grow to appreciate Lon Chaney’s monsters. Those fans would go on to create their own modern monsters, make up, and special effects. This film’s influence was so great that for year’s merchandise that was supposed to be of Lon Chaney were actually modelled after this movie’s recreations. The recreated monsters are still no match for the originals. The monsters here seem more a product of the 1950’s rubber mask era and not as good as the originals. Despite this I felt this was a really memorable film and the professional actor James Cagney really portrayed Lon Chaney in a very professional and it is a must watch film. Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
