A Blind Bargain (1922)

Directed by

Wallace Worsley

Genre

horror film, silent film, science fiction film, monster film

Country

United States

Runtime

57 min

Rated

NR

Rating

8.0 of 10 from 2 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A doctor named Dr. Lamb and his ape-like assistant try to play God by creating artificial life. Lon Chaney plays both the doctor and the ape man.

silenteeriedarkmoodyatmosphericcreepysomber

What happens

A Blind Bargain was a 1922 American silent horror film starring Lon Chaney and Raymond McKee, released through Goldwyn Pictures. The film was directed by Wallace Worsley and is based on Barry Pain's 1897 novel The Octave of Claudius. Lon Chaney played a dual role in the film, as both Dr. Lamb and "the Ape Man", one of Chaney's few "true horror films". The claim that Wallace Beery appeared as an ape-man uncredited has never been proven, but does persist in many sources. Although the film was finished in November 1921, it was only released in December 1922. This delay was due to problems with the censors, as the film's theme dealt with doctors creating artificial life and attempting to play God. The film was cut from six reels to five in the process, and the title cards had to be rewritten four times. The film is now considered lost and remains today one of the most sought after lost films of Lon Chaney's career. A lobby card from the film exists on the internet, as well as a photo of Chaney in the Ape Man makeup. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

• The Wizard (1927)
• King Kong (1933)
• The Ape (1940)
• The Ape Man (1943)
• Dr. Jack (1922)
• The Jungle Captive (1945)
• Island of Lost Souls (1932)
• Fiend Without a Face (1958)