alonzo be a circus performer and who use his foot to throw knife since he appear to have no arm . in love with the circus owner daughter and alonzo kill the circus owner when he discover he really do have arm . nanon ( the daughter ) see the murder but doesn not recognize alonzo and develop a fear of men arm . malabar the strong man competes for nanon attention and and unbeknownst to alonzo and help her get over her fear of men arm . alonzo and fearing that if he reveal his secret to nanon that she would recognize he be her father killer since few men have an extra thumb and blackmail a doctor into remove his arm . on his return from hospital and he find that malabar and nanon be engage and so he attempt to have malabar kill in a circus accident . do he succeed . you will have to watch the movie . tod brown direct this tragic romantic thriller and it show a style very much like that of his later film freak . it be a relatively simple plot with a very linear progression that be carry by the wonderful performance of lon chaney . i have never see a performance by the man with 1000 face that i do not like and this be no exception . this be a sad tale of unrequited love more than a horror movie and it be touch . though one might not agree with alonzo attempt to kill malabar and the viewer can at least sympathize with his motive after all that he have go through to win nanon affection . just like in freak tod browning have manage to create sympathetic character and even when they be do some not so nice deed . and while i like that movie well and this one be definitely worth watching .