Rating: 
Summary: Ah. The golden days of old Hollywood.
Review: "Man of a Thousand Faces" is a melodramatic vehicle, which allows Cagney to soft-shoe his way through the life and roles of Lon Chaney, famous silent movie actor. Chaney was born to profoundly deaf parents and this was a major contributor to his success as a silent screen star. His wordless ability to express great and subtle emotions was legendary. Chaney's is best remembered today for his portrayals of grotesquely disfigured humans. He was able to evoke a sympathetic reaction from the audience in his original presentations of Quasimodo and the Phantom of the Opera. This movie gives Cagney an opportunity to relieve the glory days of vaudeville. Numerous dance numbers find their way into the picture. As well as recreating scenes from many of the movies that Chaney was famous for. Still I can't help but notice that Cagney seems to act like Cagney throughout the picture. The typical tough-guy loner whose motto is "my way or the highway" that we see in so many other films. The film spends no small amount of time covering Chaney's turbulent first marriage. The main contention between Chaney and his wife in this movie is anger at his not revealing the dark secret about his parents (their deafness). Her anger at this secret and his anger at her rejection of his roots leads to a downward spiral in the marriage. Eventually, Chaney is able to find happiness with an ex-chorus girl and provide the stable home for his son he has always dreamed of. I enjoyed the movie but would caution you that it is not likely to be taken as a serious biography of this legendary film star.
Rating:
Summary: Ah. The golden days of old Hollywood.
Review: "Man of a Thousand Faces" is a melodramatic vehicle, which allows Cagney to soft-shoe his way through the life and roles of Lon Chaney, famous silent movie actor. Chaney was born to profoundly deaf parents and this was a major contributor to his success as a silent screen star. His wordless ability to express great and subtle emotions was legendary. Chaney's is best remembered today for his portrayals of grotesquely disfigured humans. He was able to evoke a sympathetic reaction from the audience in his original presentations of Quasimodo and the Phantom of the Opera. This movie gives Cagney an opportunity to relieve the glory days of vaudeville. Numerous dance numbers find their way into the picture. As well as recreating scenes from many of the movies that Chaney was famous for. Still I can't help but notice that Cagney seems to act like Cagney throughout the picture. The typical tough-guy loner whose motto is "my way or the highway" that we see in so many other films. The film spends no small amount of time covering Chaney's turbulent first marriage. The main contention between Chaney and his wife in this movie is anger at his not revealing the dark secret about his parents (their deafness). Her anger at this secret and his anger at her rejection of his roots leads to a downward spiral in the marriage. Eventually, Chaney is able to find happiness with an ex-chorus girl and provide the stable home for his son he has always dreamed of. I enjoyed the movie but would caution you that it is not likely to be taken as a serious biography of this legendary film star.
Rating: 
Summary: Cagney shows all his talents
Review: Jim Cagney shows all his talents in this well-made bio pic. As Lon Chaney on Vaudeville in his early years, he stages two wonderful dance numbers as a clown -- one dancing with a mannequin, the next a competition with a dancing shadow. His sense of pantomime and command of sign language is wonderful (Chaney being born to deaf parents), and his performance of the tragedy-stricken Chaney is a real tear jerker. Especially to be seen is the recreation of Chaney's film "The Miracle Worker." A scene shows Chaney portraying a cripple whose twisted limbs magically unfurl in a traveling scam show. Dorothy Malone kicks bootie as the insensitive wife and incapable mother who doesn't want to bear Chaney's child because Chaney's parents are deaf and so genetically inferior in her eyes. Chaney had been made fun of all his life due to his parents' deafness, and it's wrenching to see his wife's betrayal. At one point she screams to Chaney, "I don't want to give birth to a dumb thing!" Cagney's pained reaction is amazing. Cagney's portrayal of a dedicated father to his son is gripping as well. The wife is hateful to the newborn until she learns that he can hear. (Cagney in a great scene hesitates to clap his hands above the baby's crib to see if the noise will register.) The wife rejoices and sweeps the baby from the crib -- her love obviously is conditional. But Cagney subtley wrests the baby from her and coos to the squalling infant that "No one will scare you again." He turns a cold shoulder to her and effectively muscles her out of the relationship in one move. The course of their marriage is set by her previous attitudes and his inability to forgive her. The drama continues. This film makes one want to see Chaney's silent flicks. It's a good catalyst to jump back into the silent era. Cagney and rest of cast are magnificent!
Rating:
Summary: Lon Chaney's Genius of the Silent Lives Through James Cagney
Review: Lon Chaney made over 150 films from 1913 - 1930. 99.9% of them were silent. He died in 1930 before he could play Universal's "Dracula". Can you imagine that. Instead we had Bela Lugosi get the role and will always be remembered as The Count Dracula. "Man of a Thousands Faces" is about this remarkable man who was born of deaf parents. From them he learned sign and the unique ability to communicate with great panomimic skills (visual effects for the silent screen). Summary; This is the life of Lon Chaney (James Cagney) and his Silent Screen genius at work. This movie is considered to be one of the best screen-bios ever produced. Cagney does an amazing job portraying Chaney from using sign, to dance (Cagney won an Oscar in 1940 (Yankee Doodle Dandy) about song and dance man George M. Cohen), acting, master of disguise and his remarkabe contortionistic skills. This films covers his silent film career and his private life. A very enlightening and emotion journey with the "Man of a Thousand Faces". (NOTE - His only son Lon Chaney Jr. became Universal Pictures famous "Wolfman" (1940)). Chaney was such a Master of Disguise the general public hardly recognized him when ventured out amongst them. See Lon Chaney is his most famous silent horror classic role as the "Phantom of the Opera" - 1925/1929. (Read my review). Now on remastered DVD. Good Dvd quality picture and shown in Widescreen (Letterbox) format. This a great film about a great Hollywood talent.
Rating:
Summary: Lon Chaney's Genius of the Silent Lives Through James Cagney
Review: Lon Chaney made over 150 films from 1913 - 1930. 99.9% of them were silent. He died in 1930 before he could play Universal's "Dracula". Can you imagine that. Instead we had Bela Lugosi get the role and will always be remembered as The Count Dracula. "Man of a Thousands Faces" is about this remarkable man who was born of deaf parents. From them he learned sign and the unique ability to communicate with great panomimic skills (visual effects for the silent screen). Summary; This is the life of Lon Chaney (James Cagney) and his Silent Screen genius at work. This movie is considered to be one of the best screen-bios ever produced. Cagney does an amazing job portraying Chaney from using sign, to dance (Cagney won an Oscar in 1940 (Yankee Doodle Dandy) about song and dance man George M. Cohen), acting, master of disguise and his remarkabe contortionistic skills. This films covers his silent film career and his private life. A very enlightening and emotion journey with the "Man of a Thousand Faces". (NOTE - His only son Lon Chaney Jr. became Universal Pictures famous "Wolfman" (1940)). Chaney was such a Master of Disguise the general public hardly recognized him when ventured out amongst them. See Lon Chaney is his most famous silent horror classic role as the "Phantom of the Opera" - 1925/1929. (Read my review). Now on remastered DVD. Good Dvd quality picture and shown in Widescreen (Letterbox) format. This a great film about a great Hollywood talent.
Rating:
Summary: CAGNEY gives an all time great performace
Review: No actor of our time comes close to james cagney or bogie of course. Cagney shows his versitily in this drama of the life of Lon Chaney. Cagney is GREAT and this movie will hold your interest through the entire 2 hours nothing drags. You will feel such compassion for lon chaney as the age old truth that money and fame can not bring you happiness is still true today. You will see such suffering from a bad marriage and a wife who didnt even want to bear his son because chaney's parents were deaf and dumb she was afraid that her child would be as well. Later she wants to act again and when that doesnt work out she tries to commit suicide. Obviously she is not fit to be a mother and chaney files for divorce and of course gets it but to his shock the court takes his child away from him since he has no wife. Later a female co-worker and friend who was secretly in love with chaney offers to marry him and he accepts they then get the child back. Of course later in life the mother shows up wanting to see her kid who thought she was dead. This is such a touching and realistic story that is all too common now adays you couldnt write a ficton this dramatic. Watch this movie it deserves 10 stars but dont expect gangsters and action this is a drama.
Rating:
Summary: Facinating! Simply Facinating!
Review: This is a very well done biography on perhaps one of the greatest actors of all time! It starts from Lon Chaney's(played beautifully played by Cagney) early days to when he made frightening classics. Much tragedy occurs in this film and may cause you to pity him or even cry. Also shows very realistic reinactments of some of Chaney's films. A sad, yet fine, fine end. A MUST SEE for any of Chaney's fans or fans-to-be!
Rating:
Summary: FABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Review: This movie is awsome! I have been in love with it for years! Cagney was wonderful! The story is so beautiful. It touches you in the heart, way down deep where you did not know you had heart. The ending was so sad. At least he was at home with love.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful, but oh, so dated
Review: This was one of my favorite movies as a kid (I'll never forget Cagney knocking that guy down backstage and the revelation that immediately follows). It's still engrossing, but the attitudes it reflects about the deaf back then are absolutely stunning today. It's hard to believe things were ever that bad. I only hope deaf viewers can see past that to the wonderful performance Cagney gives. He's as good as any actor Hollywood ever produced.
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!
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