Man of a Thousand Faces

Rating:
Summary: CAGNEY on top form
Review: Truly one of the greatest of all movie stars and a very underated actor this movie glows with Cagney's talent in his depiciton of the life of Lon Chayney. Unlike so many hollywood bios of the time this move tends to steer away from the usual sanitization of a character and instead confronts the darker side of Chaney, a man beset by torments. Poignant, powerful in it's day with the head on look at how deaf people were treated, and indeed with the tragic aspects of Chayney's first marriage. For me this movie stands the test of time exceptionally well, thanks in no small measure to the performances, notably the conflict between Chaney and his first wife wonderfully played by Dorothy Malone. This is one of the great ones!