The Man Who Laughs
Movie • 1928 • Drama
ReportSynopsis
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.
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Your Triggers
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Needs More Answers
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Abandonment
Is a child abandoned by a parent?
46 supporters
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victorkain
The protagonist is orphaned and subsequently abandoned by his guardians at the beginning of the film.
1 comment | Add comment
Abuse
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victorkain
The title character is kidnapped, mutilated, and abandoned as a child.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there domestic violence?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
117 supporters
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Is someone gaslighted?
48 supporters
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victorkain
A major plot point concerns a character being tricked (with kind intentions) into believing that another character is alive when he is thought to be dead.
1 comment | Add comment
Does the abused become the abuser?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
36 supporters
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Is someone stalked?
29 supporters
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vlixxord
Two men watch a woman swimming through a keyhole.
1 comment | Add comment
Addiction
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Animal
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Assault
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victorkain
Potentially: there is a scene in which a character attempts to persuade another character to have sex with her by forcefully touching and kissing him.
1 comment | Add comment
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Is someone restrained?
40 supporters
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victorkain
A character is held down by several people whilst his pockets are searched, another is violently dragged and has her mouth covered as she tries to get away, and another is manhandled whilst being escorted to prison.
1 comment | Add comment
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Bodily Harm
Is someone tortured?
128 supporters
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vlixxord
Clancharlie is sentenced to death in an Iron Maiden.
2 comments | Add comment
Is there body horror?
109 supporters
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victorkain
No, Gwynplaine’s smile is treated sympathetically as a disabling visible difference rather than a source of horror.
1 comment | Add comment
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Is there a hanging?
68 supporters
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vlixxord
Gwynplaine passes by people who were hanged.
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Is there amputation?
52 supporters
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vlixxord
Gwynplaine is mutilated offscreen to have a permanent smile.
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Does someone become unconscious?
12 supporters
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victorkain
A character faints several times.
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Children
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Is an infant abducted?
41 supporters
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victorkain
The protagonist is abducted and sold shortly before the events of the film.
1 comment | Add comment
Death
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Disability
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Drugs/Alcohol
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Family
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Does a parent die?
41 supporters
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victorkain
A character's father is executed onscreen, and another's mother dies offscreen and appears briefly as a corpse.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone cheat?
31 supporters
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victorkain
Two characters openly flirt with several other people despite being in a relationship. A major plot point also concerns another character being tempted to cheat, but ultimately not doing so.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone kidnapped?
19 supporters
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victorkain
The protagonist is abducted and sold shortly before the events of the film.
1 comment | Add comment
Fear
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Are there clowns?
19 supporters
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vlixxord
There's also clowns apart from Gwynplaine at the fair.
2 comments | Add comment
Is there a shower scene?
15 supporters
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victorkain
There is a scene in which a character is watched whilst in the bath.
1 comment | Add comment
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Gross
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Large-scale Violence
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Mental Health
Does someone die by suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
127 supporters
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Does someone attempt suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
123 supporters
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Does someone say "I'll kill myself"?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
41 supporters
Add comment
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Does someone suffer from PTSD?
40 supporters
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victorkain
The title character is implied to be traumatised by his experiences, but nothing is referenced explicitly.
1 comment | Add comment
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Noxious
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Paranoia
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Pregnancy
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Are there babies or unborn children?
21 supporters
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victorkain
One of the main characters first appears (briefly) as a baby.
1 comment | Add comment
Prejudice
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Is there ableist language or behavior?
52 supporters
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victorkain
The title character is subjected to abuse and harassment because of his visible difference. Another of the main characters is manipulated because of her blindness.
1 comment | Add comment
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Is a minority is misrepresented?
40 supporters
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victorkain
The Comprachicos are an offensive representation of travelling people.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there hate speech?
40 supporters
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vlixxord
The word g*psy is written
1 comment | Add comment
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Relationships
Is there a large age gap?
46 supporters
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VelvetBow
I think Gwynplaine is around ten or so years older than Dea seeing as he was a child when she was a baby, but it seems like they’re both adults when they start having a romantic relationship. They have a healthy relationship.
1 comment | Add comment
Sex
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Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
102 supporters
Add comment
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5
Is someone sexually objectified?
55 supporters
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victorkain
There is a scene in which a character is watched whilst in the bath.
1 comment | Add comment
Are there nude scenes?
1 supporters
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victorkain
A character is shown in the bath.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there sexual content?
1 supporters
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victorkain
There is a scene in which a character attempts to seduce another character into having sex with her, but nothing sexual occurs.
1 comment | Add comment
Sexism
Is a male character ridiculed for crying?
27 supporters
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victorkain
The title character cries whilst an audience laughs at him.
1 comment | Add comment
Sickness
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Social
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Is someone homeless?
4 supporters
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victorkain
The title character is abandoned at the beginning of the film and is temporarily homeless.
1 comment | Add comment
Spoiler
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Vehicular
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Violence
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Does someone drown?
45 supporters
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victorkain
A character drowns after being attacked by an animal and knocked into the sea.
1 comment | Add comment
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