He Who Gets Slapped

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He Who Gets Slapped
Title Screen
Directed by	Victor Sjöström
Starring	Lon Chaney Norma Shearer John Gilbert
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	1924
Country	United States
Language	Silent film English intertitles
IMDb profile

He Who Gets Slapped is a 1924 film starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, and John Gilbert. It was directed by Victor Sjöström. The film is significant for many reasons, foremost being that it was the first production to start filming in the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was not, however, MGM's first released movie, as the release was postponed until Christmastime when higher attendance was expected. This movie was also the first film to feature the MGM lion.

The story is based on the Russian play "Tot, kto poluchayet poshchechini" (published in 1914 and made into a Russian movie in 1916) and follows a scientist who, suffering betrayal and deep humiliation by his benefactor, makes a career of it by becoming a clown whose act consists of getting slapped by all the other clowns. He falls in love with another circus performer, and those who betrayed him enter his life yet again.

The film was highly profitable for the fledgling MGM, and was critically hailed upon release. It was an important film in the careers of Chaney, Shearer, Gilbert, and Sjöström.