FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

classicsoncall Imagine what self confidence (or maybe lack thereof) that one must have to answer an ad that states 'If you think you look like Satan, apply at studio of ...'. It wouldn't have been a problem for the 'Man of a Thousand Faces', the elder Lon Chaney who made the transition from vaudeville to silent films, and eventually into talkies. Chaney's films may be a little hard to come by, but they're worth catching if only to see the amount of dedication the actor put into his craft. That's demonstrated here by the painful looking exercise the man had to go through to appear amputated at the knee of both legs. You know, I kept marveling at how real the effect looked and wondering how the film makers did it, because it does look like the actor really has no legs. Other reviewers on this board describe the process, so one could check those out.The story itself is a rather ghastly one, as it follows the tragic amputation of a young boy's legs due to an accident, but which probably didn't have to be performed as suggested by a senior doctor examining the work of Dr. Ferris (Charles Clary). The operation affects the young man not only the physically, but mentally, as he resorts to a life of crime that transforms into a madness for corruption and power. Taking the name of Blizzard (Chaney), the evil madman concocts a bizarre plan of revenge on the doctor who operated on him, the doctor's daughter, and even the entire city of San Francisco.I have to admit, there were any number of disconnects in the story for me which one might attribute to the writing of the era. One of the major ones involved Blizzard's management of a workshop in which dance hall girls assembled thousands of hats! Later it was revealed that the plot to loot San Francisco involved ten thousand disgruntled foreign laborers, but even so, why the business with the hats? It all seemed rather bizarre, but no more so than the twist at the end of the story that restored Blizzard's brain to normalcy, even as he wound up paying the penalty for his formerly wicked life.I caught this film on the Turner Classic Movie channel, with a soundtrack that eerily fit the activity that appeared on screen. I doubt if it was the original score for the film if indeed there was any. The music offered was at times strange, mysterious, and other-worldly, expertly complementing the character of Blizzard and his garish life. One might even consider the version of the soundtrack I experienced to be somewhat devilish.

Jamie Ward If not the very first to reach a wide audience, Wallace Worsley's The Penalty survives to this day certainly at least as one of the more memorable and enjoyable proto-noir gangster thrillers from the mid-to- late silent era. Featuring engrossingly dark imagery throughout, a wonderfully gritty plot line filled with characters blooming from a pre-code era and a sense of pace in editing and direction so brisk you might have to look twice at its production date; The Penalty has plenty going for it but by far its best feature lies in the magnetic and grotesquely alluring performance of its lead star Lon "the man of one-thousand faces" Chaney.Committing fully to his role as a man wrongly crippled at a young age by inept Dr. Ferris in the late 1890s, Chaney is so convincing in his role that viewers unfamiliar with his more famous works could be forgiven for Googling his name to find out if he really did have legs or not. Apparently the apparatus he wore to achieve the effect (which he had to insist on wearing against the studio's reported resistance) left him with lasting back problems for the remainder of his life. Whether true or not, the result is nevertheless a marvel to watch as his character of Blizzard—a brilliantly creative, megalomaniac-kingpin of sorts—hobbles his way in and out of people's lives, playing their strings all the while grinning sardonically with facial contortions likely to strip paint off walls. When Blizzard begins to enact on a long-dreamt-of plan of retribution against the now-successful Ferris however, it's the inclusion of the doctor's daughter Barbara that allows the audience to see briefly the sadness and morose qualities underneath the surface of the crime- lord's chagrined demeanour. Chaney nails both sides of the coin equally well, despite the film's best and most enjoyable moments resulting from Blizzard's more-often-than-not irritable and ill- tempered outbursts. Then there are the moments where the character switches back and forth like a light switch. During an early scene, Blizzard, while playing a wonderfully sombre and melancholic classical piano piece, begins: "I shall be the master of a city! And for my mangled years the city shall pay me—with the pleasures of a Nero and the power of a Caesar!" The contrast here is palpable, and were it in the hands of a lesser talent, may have come off stilted or jarring for the wrong reasons.On the other hand, the picture is by no means without its flaws. It's sometimes a little too melodramatic for its own good, specifically during the last 10 or so minutes. Furthermore, some plot lines go nowhere interesting, and the overall wrap-up is misguided and rushed to the point where it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, even though it does boast the best line in the film. As a package however, I would recommend at least one viewing. Much like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde released a few months prior, the performance of its lead star is worth the time invested alone. Unlike said film however, The Penalty still has plenty else going for it outside of Chaney whether it's from the performances of the supporting cast or the brisk direction by Worsley cut with incisive, well-written and paced intertitles. If you do seek out the film, again I would recommend the newly restored blu-ray which has been respectfully scanned and cleaned up by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department and released by Kino. The disc also features a score composed by Rodney Sauer performed by the Mont Alto Orchestra which bounces off and compliments the film beautifully to the point where they actually bring piano melodies played by Blizzard alive as he muses over his plans to conquer San Francisco by force. It's a nice touch and much like Chaney strapping his legs behind his thighs, brings a level of commitment and dedication that gives an extra spark to already bright and highly enjoyable film.

gavin6942 A deformed criminal mastermind (Lon Chaney) plans to loot the city of San Francisco as well as revenge himself on the doctor who mistakenly amputated his legs."The Penalty" was one of Chaney's breakout roles, showcasing his taste for the macabre and talent for contortion and disguise. He had previously demonstrated similar qualities in the previous year's "The Miracle Man", but "The Penalty" and "Treasure Island" secured Chaney's place as one of the greatest character actors, before moving on to his more famous roles in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Phantom of the Opera".This story is great, the acting is fine and the directing is good, too. But really, the draw of this film is Chaney -- a man who was willing to undergo extreme and permanent bodily pain in order to make his role as believable as possible. I am not entirely sure why an amputee was not hired, but if it launched Chaney to the big time, I am glad it worked out the way it did.

Scarecrow-88 The wrongful amputation of a child's legs due to a doctor's misdiagnosis leads to the embittered rage of the patient as an adult. The coping with not having legs, often repulsing others and pretty much ruining the relationship with his father, Blizzard(Lon Chaney in a mesmerizing performance)has risen to the ranks of Master of the Underworld in San Francisco. He's a cruel, sadistic tyrant who rules his district(The Barbary Coast)with such an iron fist that even police rather fear him. He has dreamed for years of having new legs grafted, following the success in the surgical field of Dr. Ferris(Charles Clary)with a demented goal of revenge if his desires aren't met. He's also planning to take over San Francisco as a Caesar(..he's really quite mad)with his dance-hall girls making hats so that he can start a revolt using supposed foreigners as his bait to draw out the authorities. Anyway, secret agent Rose(Ethel Grey Terry)is moved in to snuff out Blizzard's operation, but soon finds herself in love with him. Blizzard also has plotted a scheme to get back at Ferris by moving in on his daughter..Blizzard sits in as a model for daughter Barbara(Doris Pawn)whose creating a sculpture of Satan, while her fiancé is enraged with jealousy and fear. For a good hour and fifteen minutes, Chaney etches the portrait of a man consumed with evil and displays this cunning shark playing a game with others as his face twists in snarls and sneaky grins. I don't buy the idea, though, that a contusion at the base of the skull, placing pressure on the brain, causes Blizzard to become the purely maniacal ringleader of crime he so becomes, but the film's roots is in tragedy and "paying the piper" so the filmmakers seemed determined to have him go out facing the music as a wholesome human being.