The Man Who Laughs (Universal, 1928). Half Sheet (22" X 28")....

Description

The Man Who Laughs (Universal, 1928). Half Sheet (22" X 28"). The success of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Phantom of the Opera" led Carl Laemmle to look for other novels with a tragic horror motif that could be adapted for the big screen. The logical choice was Victor Hugo's "The Man Who Laughs" and Laemmle turned to the German auteur Paul Leni to direct the film. Leni had risen to fame with such films as "Waxworks" and "The Cat and the Canary," and had a gift for dark and atmospheric films. Leni in turn, cast the noted German actor Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine. Veidt had first garnered international attention as Cesare the somnambulist in Robert Weine's surreal masterpiece, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." The film was planned to feature sound but the extreme make-up created by Jack Pierce left Veidt unable to talk, so the film was shot as a silent. Posters for this title are extremely rare and this half sheet is the only copy known to exist. Pictured on this poster is Veidt's co-star, Olga Baclanova. There are several tears and creases in the bottom border and a tiny chip off of the lower left corner. Rolled, Fine/Very Fine.

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