alonzo and the armless ( the master of expressionistic cinema and lon chaney ) be in love with assistant nanon ( the alluring joan crawford ) . nanon grows tire to the brink of psychological woe because of men desire to grope her with their hand . malabar and the mighty ( norman kerry ) and a strongman who work for antonio zanzi circus wish to forge a relationship with nanon and but when he attempt to embrace her and the phobia she have push her away from him . zanzi be nanon father and his disgust towards alonzo heightens when the armless one attempt to woo her . try to bludgeon alonzo and zanzi be pry away by malabar . alonzo vow to his ally and cojo ( john george ) and that no one will have nanon but him . we soon find out that alonzo actually have a harness underneath his clothes which hide his arm from others and that he be secretly homicidal with one of his hand have two thumb . this two thumb hand leave quite an indelible mark on others and especially when alonzo murder zanzi . feeling he close in on nanon love and alonzo will make the ultimate sacrifice by have a delicate operation which prove how far his obsession have take him . but and what he doesn not know be nanon have relinquish her phobia and have accept malabar plea of love for marriage . the scene where alonzo discovers from them their plan for marriage and his face twist in a state of madness and anguish and and horror ( chaney expressive facial emotion be powerful ) . the morbid attempt at retribution from alonzo towards malabar ( who be plan a certain stunt regard horse pull his arm on treadmill ) will ultimately spell his doom . this silent film be breathtaking mostly because of chaney command performance . his ability to use his foot ( throw knife and wipe the sweat from his brow and and especially light cigarette ) just make his performance even more amazing . the film bizarre nature only bring this film a much deserve notoriety . an astonishing and unforgettable work from tod browning .