This is an enormously powerful film, and also very unique as far as the films I've seen. Lon Chaney plays an armless circus performer, a knife thrower, who, well, is not quite honest about his existence. He's in love with the circus ringleader's daughter, played by Joan Crawford. A strong man named Malibar is in love with her, but she can't stand being touched by a man's hands and arms. Instead, she prefers to hang around with the armless (and ergo handless) Chaney. He has no doubts that he's in love with her, but does she love him? She seems to...<br /><br />The Unknown works as a bizarre circus film, a horror film, and a psychological drama. Lon Chaney is at his best here. He really affected me with his performance. This film is actually prime to be remade. It is a masterpiece, I think, but it could stand to be much longer (what, it's only 54 minutes, I think). The psychological and emotional depth could be even further expanded, making an even greater masterpiece. Unfortunately, I think if you proposed such an original script today, even if it is a remake of a classic film, the Hollywood producers and script readers would just laugh at you. Maybe a director with clout could get it done. Perhaps Spike Jonze of Being John Malkovich fame?<br /><br />Actually, this must have been at least half of the inspiration for Alejandro Jorodowsky's 1986 masterpiece Santa Sangre, the other half being inspired by Hitchcock's Psycho.