Lon Chaney became one of the greatest stars of the silent era, and his performance in The Penalty (1920) is proof positive not only of his talent, but his remarkable dedication to his craft.

Chaney plays the role of an amputee, a man with both legs severed at the knees following a childhood accident. He overcomes this disability to become Blizzard, the most notorious gangster on San Francisco’s Barbary Coast.  To play the role convincingly, Chaney bound his legs behind him and learned to walk with the aid of short crutches.

Reportedly, the act of strapping his legs behind him gave Chaney severe leg and back pain which would bother him for years; he could only stand the binding for ten minutes at a time.  Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his performance is that he reveals no evidence of pain; one would never know he is acutely uncomfortable.  In other scenes, Chaney also lifts himself and climbs up walls with pegs using just his arms.  It’s a manifestly physical characterization that few actors have ever equalled, let alone attempted.

Chaney’s performance, however, is also impressive, as he malevolently plots revenge upon the doctor who mistakenly maimed him as a child, and as he reveals hidden reservoirs of culture and humanity to the two women in his life.  Chaney dominates the film, yet his criminal persona isn’t hammy at all.

Wallace Worsley’s drama isn’t as bizarre as those of Tod Browning, despite the presence of macabre elements.  There’s also an unexpected twist late in the story which may bother some viewers; I think it works fairly well and provides a path away from impending catastrophe.  The Penalty is one of Chaney’s best, and a great example of the artistry of silent movies.  My rating:  ☆ ☆ ☆.  (10:1).