MovieChat Forums > Man of a Thousand Faces (1957) Discussion > How Much of This Is True?

How Much of This Is True?

posted 17 years ago by kapnkirk
10 replies | jump to latest

This played out as almost unbelievable. Especially where Cleva swallows poison onstage during his act. How much or is any of this true? Did Lon Chaney Jr. ever say anything about this film? I would imagine he would have. Also I was wondering, did Chaney Sr. work for MGM or Universal? Since his reputation has come to be associated with horror I'm guessing it was Universal but Thalberg was the resident boy genius of MGM. Was Thalberg also at Universal?

Oh and if you were thinking of purchasing the dvd, I'd say not to. You get the film and...that's it. Not even a trailer for $17.99. PBS did a documentary on Chaney not too long ago (which I missed). You'd think they'd have included it.

I think I may be beginning to disappear. Away From Her

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] kapnkirk 17 years ago

Thanks for the information. I think Lon Jr. was an alcoholic (if I remember correctly). I don't know if he ever stopped drinking by the time he died. He did appear far older by the mid 50s. A little ironic because in the movie they implied that Chaney Sr. was a teetotaler. By the way did Chaney Sr. work for MGM or Universal?

I think I may be beginning to disappear. Away From Her

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] kapnkirk 17 years ago

Thanks for that but if I have this right Lon did his famous horror roles for Universal (Hunchback, Phantom) and Thalberg was with Universal (instead of MGM) in the 20s? The reason why I ask is I think in London After Midnight he played a vampire so that would have been for MGM. Funny how even in the 20s Universal began specializing in horror films.

I think I may be beginning to disappear. Away From Her

[–] DarthVoorhees 17 years ago

Check my review of the film, I list a lot of the inaccurcies. I never heard the rumor about Lon Jr wanting to play his father, it may have been interesting he resembles his father a lot more than Cagney did even in an alcohol ravaged body

[–] metalman091 17 years ago

Chaney worked at both Universal and MGM. Thalberg was working at Universal when Chaney made 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame' (Thalberg was there when Erich Von Stroheim made 'Foolish Wives'). Chaney made the first film at MGM in 1924 'HE Who Gets Slapped'

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] montgomerydou55 10 years ago

I saw this movie in 1957--my Dad took me to watch it. I was about 7 then. So the deathbed scene wasn't true? It was a tearjerker nonetheless. When Chaney took the makeup kit and wrote "JR." after "LON CHANEY," I broke down and cried.

[–] 10 years ago

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