As a Lon Chaney fan I do appreciate this movie's existence, but adherence to biopic convention and the frequent inaccuracies for the sake of drama and sanitation doesn't do any favors. James Cagney, while majorly miscast as Chaney, still delivers a really good performance. Definitely a well-made film with a definite level of appreciation towards its subject, but it largely misses the mark on capturing what was so fascinating about Lon Chaney with the respect that he deserves.
As a Lon Chaney fan I do appreciate this movie's existence, but adherence to biopic convention and the frequent inaccuracies for the sake of drama and sanitation doesn't do any favors. James Cagney, while majorly miscast as Chaney, still delivers a really good performance. Definitely a well-made film with a definite level of appreciation towards its subject, but it largely misses the mark on capturing what was so fascinating about Lon Chaney with the respect that he deserves.
