He Who Gets Slapped - Lon Chaney

1924 directed by Victor Sjöström (credited as Victor Seastrom) starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer and John Gilbert. The film was written by Victor Seastrom and Carey Wilson, based on the Russian play He Who Gets Slapped by Leonid Andreyev. It was the first film produced by the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Chaney is a scientist who has labored for years to prove his theories on the origin of mankind. Baron Regnard (Marc McDermott) becomes his patron, enabling him to do research while living in his mansion. Finally, he announces to his wife and his patron that he has proved his theories and is ready to present them before the Academy of the Sciences. Unfortunately, his wife is a treacherous broad who steals his papers and gives them to the Baron.

Chaney is aghast when his patron takes the credit for his research, and even more aghast when he discovers his wife has been diddling the patron. When Lon Chaney is aghast, strange things happen…