this be a truly creepy but also touch tale with wonderful act by lon chaney and sr. it be also strange to see the very young joan crawford before she be transform into the sleek creature she later become and and frankly and i like her better here . the film bore thematic and mood resemblance to brown later freak and also set in a circus milieu . the film be very suspenseful and i really do not know what would happen at the end . i also like that you could often read the character lip and so actually get more dialogue than be print on the title card . when i describe the plot twist to a friend and i also compare it to a poe short story ( not a specific one just in mood ) . one of the best and most sophisticated silent film i have see .