The Man Who Laughs (1928): cast, story & where to watch
1928 · Film · ★ 7.3
Released in 1928, The Man Who Laughs is a drama, horror and mystery film directed by Paul Leni, running about 110 minutes. “THE BREAKING HEART BEHIND THE LAUGHING FACE.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Gwynplaine, son of Lord Clancharlie, has a permanent smile carved on his face by the King, in revenge for Gwynplaine's father's treachery. Gwynplaine is adopted by a travelling showman and becomes a popular idol. He falls in love with the blind Dea. The king dies, and his evil jester tries to destroy or corrupt Gwynplaine.
Who’s in it. The Man Who Laughs stars Mary Philbin as Dea, Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine / Lord Clancharlie, Olga Baclanova as Duchess Josiana and Brandon Hurst as Barkilphedro, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.3/10, The Man Who Laughs has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on FlixFling and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Man Who Laughs page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Man Who Laughs tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Man Who Laughs (1928)?
- In US, The Man Who Laughs is available to stream on FlixFling, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Man Who Laughs worth watching?
- The Man Who Laughs holds an audience score of 7.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, horror and mystery. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Man Who Laughs?
- The Man Who Laughs stars Mary Philbin, Conrad Veidt, Olga Baclanova, Brandon Hurst and Cesare Gravina.
- When was The Man Who Laughs released?
- The Man Who Laughs was released in 1928, with a runtime of about 110 minutes.