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The Penalty Photos

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Movie Info

As a child, Blizzard (Lon Chaney) is involved in a car accident in which the attending physician, Dr. Ferris (Charles Clary), unnecessarily amputates both his legs. Years later, Blizzard is the head of the San Francisco mob and is determined to exact revenge on Dr. Ferris. He sees an opening when he meets the doctor's daughter, sculptor Barbara (Claire Adams), and agrees to pose for her to carry out his scheme. Little does he know, his employee Rose (Ethel Grey Terry) is a police operative.

Genre:

crime, mystery & thriller, drama
Director:

Wallace Worsley
Producer:

Samuel Goldwyn
Writer:

Charles Kenyon, Philip Lonergan
Release Date (Theaters):

Nov 14, 1920 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Jun 11, 2007
Runtime:

1h 10m
Production Co:

Eminent Authors Pictures Inc., Goldwyn Pictures Corporation

Cast & Crew

Lon Chaney
Blizzard

Claire Adams
Barbara Ferris

Kenneth Harlan
Dr. Wilmot Allen

Charles Clary
Dr. Ferris

Ethel Grey Terry
Rose

Edouard Trebaol
Bubbles

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for The Penalty

All Critics (6) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (1)

As a double amputee, Chaney is in top form, the motif of the disenfranchised, the butchered, the mutated, the unloved outstretched in full glory here, once again, to the detriment of his own health.

November 18, 2020 | Full Review…

Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
Demonstrates the wonder and value of pre-digital moviemmaking: For all intents and purposes, Chaney *is* a legless man in 'The Penalty,' and the film is a documentary record of this impersonation.

November 16, 2012 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Famous scene of Chaney straightening twisted legs is real plus.

May 9, 2007 | Rating: 4/5

Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com
Somewhat interesting for historical reasons and for Chaney's memorable performance.

October 16, 2006 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
The Penalty is by far one of the greatest unsung achievements of ber-legend Lon Chaney

July 18, 2003 | Rating: 4/4

Emily Blunt
Blunt Review
The reason the film still works instead of surviving merely as a somewhat hysterical anti-communist message film is Lon Chaney's performance.

November 11, 2002 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

View All Critic Reviews (6)

Audience Reviews for The Penalty

Nov 22, 2011

This movie was very predictable, but Cheney does a great job as usual in his strange role of a criminal kingpin without legs. The romantic part of it was good too, although sometimes unintentionally funny. But then the ending was really very sad. Overall it was pretty good, but it could have been better.

Aj V Super Reviewer
Oct 20, 2009

Lon Chaney is awesome

Brody M Super Reviewer
Sep 15, 2007

A true horror film. Lon Chaney's acting is just perfectible as the mad man whose legs were unnecessarily amputated since his childhood. A good, creepy silent story set in San Francisco. 77/100

Edgar C Super Reviewer