The Man Who Laughs

L'uomo che ride

Also known as L'homme qui rit, O anthropos pou gela, Manden, der ler, O Homem que Ri, Miekka ja naamio

“If you liked "Scaramouche" you'll love "The Man Who Laughs"”

This loose adaptation of the Victor Hugo classic shifts the story to Italy and back in time, with the deformed protagonist meeting Lucrezia Borgia instead of Queen Anne. Also, Gwynplaine is renamed Angelo (Jean Sorel) with his disfigurement represented by a single broad slash across his mouth, crude yet convincing. The story (not credited to Hugo) is a swashbuckler pitting the disfigured acrobat against the henchmen of the Borgias.