# The Man Who Laughs (1928)

> A disfigured carnival performer navigates forbidden desire, aristocratic intrigue, and the hope of being loved beyond his grotesque smile.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/16596

## Facts

- Runtime: 110 min
- Genres: Drama, Romance, Horror
- Director: Paul Leni
- Cast: Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Cesare Gravina, Brandon Hurst, Olga Baclanova, Sam De Grasse, Stuart Holmes, Josephine Crowell
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019130/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Mood: grotesque, melancholic, theatrical, classic cinema night, gothic film marathon

## Synopsis

A disfigured man struggles with love and acceptance in a cruel world.

## Movies like The Man Who Laughs

- [Beauty and the Beast (1946)](https://ember.film/movie/525)
- [Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)](https://ember.film/movie/1978)
- [Waxworks (1924)](https://ember.film/movie/16601)
- [Faust (1926)](https://ember.film/movie/5788)
- [Camille (1936)](https://ember.film/movie/28692)
- [The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)](https://ember.film/movie/194)
- [The Golem and the Dancing Girl (1917)](https://ember.film/movie/167445)
- [Phantom of the Opera (1943)](https://ember.film/movie/9525)
- [The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)](https://ember.film/movie/19864)
- [The Elephant Man (1980)](https://ember.film/movie/1322)

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