Quick Links
- A Joker You Can Actually Root For
- The Creators of Batman Agree
As a film enthusiast with a penchant for the macabre and a soft spot for the misunderstood, I found myself captivated by the tale of The Man Who Laughs, a story that seemed to have left an indelible mark on the creation of one of pop culture’s most iconic villains – The Joker.
Whether it be through Joaquin Phoenix’s mentally troubled rendition in 2019’s Joker, Heath Ledger’s mass-murdering portrayal in The Dark Knight trilogy, or the awkward version Jared Leto created for the Suicide Squad movie back in 2016, Batman’s number one villain has always been known for his wicked smile. A cheek-to-cheek grin overlapped with bright red lipstick is certainly a memorable but eerie trademark. The Joker even shows this off when he pops up in Batman’s debut comic back in 1940, drawn with his back to the reader, turning around ever so slightly to show off his evil and mischievous smirk.
84 years have passed since then, yet if we go back an extra 20 years, we’ll find The Joker’s distinctive look in a movie called “The Man Who Laughs“. Doesn’t that ring a bell?
First released in 1928 and subsequently remade in 1966, 1971, and 2012, this classic American romantic drama has seen a reclassification as a horror film in modern times. Featuring stars who were prominent during the era of silent films, such as Mary Philbin (known for her role in The Phantom of the Opera) and Hans Walter Conrad Veidt (who played Major Strasser in 1942’s Casablanca), both delivered exceptional performances in this chilling tale of twisted love. Despite lacking traditional heroes, villains, or fantastical elements, the ominous presence of a character akin to The Joker (and his unsettling grin) sets the tone for this melodrama right from the start… be prepared to be shocked by how this movie begins.
A Joker You Can Actually Root For
Before executing Lord Clancharlie, condemned nobleman, King Charles II unsettles him by sharing the news that his son has been taken prisoner and left with an unremovable grin, achieved through surgery. This grim revelation may bring to mind a well-known character from DC Comics.
Gwynplaine plays a crucial role in the narrative, making his tortured countenance deeply felt by the audience through his expressive eyes. Moreover, there are instances where the main character grapples with profound emotions yet can only manage to smile broadly, hinting at hidden depths of distress. In an alternate universe, this tale might have served as a more compelling origin story for the Joker than the one presented in director Todd Phillips’ forthcoming film, “Folie à Deux”.
In his youth, Gwynplaine, an orphan, encounters a showman named Ursus, who leads a traveling troupe. Over the years, Gwynplaine becomes a part of this group. Despite a permanent grin etched across his face, he develops feelings for a blind woman within the troupe named Dea. Their love story initially resembles that of Beauty and the Beast. However, Gwynplaine’s main act, “The Laughing Man,” allowed German director Paul Leni to showcase the protagonist’s unsettling disfigurement in vivid detail. This movie was shot in black and white, but it’s hard to envision the character without his distinctive green-slicked hair, a painted white face, and red lipstick.
The Creators of Batman Agree
In crafting the character of The Joker for the Batman comic books, there were influences from the 1928 German expressionist film “The Man Who Laughs,” although it has been a contentious issue among the original creators. While Bob Kane and Bill Finger claim they created The Joker independently, Jerry Robinson, one of Kane’s artists, attributes his inspiration for The Joker to the Jack of Spades card in a traditional deck of playing cards. However, Robinson showed photographs of actor Hans Walter Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine from “The Man Who Laughs” to both Kane and Finger, which may have played a significant role in shaping the iconic villain.
With The Joker now being linked to a silent-era film from the 1920s (and a late 1800s novel by association), this long-running lineage proves that a single box office bomb will not kill the character, as much as many Terrifier fans would like to think (through some well-made memes). And for those who want to see this spiritual prequel for themselves, The Man Who Laughs is streaming for free on YouTube. Just don’t get too attached to Gwynplaine — there’s a maniacal reason why future versions of his character are called The Clown Prince of Crime. The latest iteration of the character can be seen in Joker: Folie à Deux, which is still playing in many theaters.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-22 04:35