On the lam, criminal Alonzo hides in the circus as The Armless Wonder—a performer who uses his feet to hurl knives. Alonzo keeps the arms he really has concealed to hide his identity. Meanwhile, ringmaster's daughter Nanon has a phobia of being touched by men, but is romantically pursued by not only Alonzo but the strongman Malabar. Alonzo's desperation to remain with Nanon will only end in tragedy.
Directed by Tod Browning
circus
love
knife throwing
silent film
carny
psychotronic
armless
circus performer
suspenseful
horror romance
romantic
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.8 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Lon Chaney
Alonzo
Norman Kerry
Malabar
Joan Crawford
Nanon Zanzi
Nick De Ruiz
Antonio Zanzi
John George
Cojo
Frank Lanning
Costra
Louise Emmons
Gypsy Woman (uncredited)
Polly Moran
Landlady / Servant in Audience (uncredited)
John St. Polis
Surgeon (uncredited)
Crew
Tod Browning
Director
Waldemar Young
Screenplay
Joseph Farnham
Writer
Irving Thalberg
Producer
Tod Browning
Story
Joseph Farnham
Title Graphics
Cedric Gibbons
Art Direction
Popular Reviews
87 reviews
mimi
7.0★ · 03/23/26
alonzo the armless with the suspiciously arm-shaped lump under his shirt: no i don't have arms
alonzo the armless with the suspiciously arm-shaped lump under his shirt: no i don't have arms
JPA
7.0★ · 01/25/26
70 An interesting film, but it doesn't come close to Tod Browning's "Dracula".
70 An interesting film, but it doesn't come close to Tod Browning's "Dracula".
Adam Murray
8.0★ · 01/14/26
I really wanted this to end with his arms getting ripped off by horses + Lon Chaney is so good in this
I really wanted this to end with his arms getting ripped off by horses + Lon Chaney is so good in this
LueC
6.0★ · 12/17/25
Lowkey surprisingly good even tho everyone was acting insane in this. Lon Chaney seems to always be doing too much
Lowkey surprisingly good even tho everyone was acting insane in this. Lon Chaney seems to always be doing too much
