The Man Who Laughs
“THE BREAKING HEART BEHIND THE LAUGHING FACE.”
Synopsis
When a proud noble refuses to kiss the hand of the despotic King James in 1690, he is cruelly executed and his son surgically disfigured.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Man Who Laughs (1928) - Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2019-03-14
Top Cast
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Conrad Veidt
Gwynplaine / Lord Clancharlie
Mary Philbin
Dea
Cesare Gravina
Ursus
Brandon Hurst
Barkilphedro
Olga Baclanova
Duchess Josiana
Sam De Grasse
King James II
Stuart Holmes
Lord Dirry-Moir
Josephine Crowell
Queen Anne
Julius Molnar
Young Gwynplaine
Károly Huszár
Innkeeper
Deno Fritz
Sword Swallower
Delmo Fritz
Sword Swallower
Henry A. Barrows
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Richard Bartlett
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Charles Brinley
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Les Bates
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Carmen Castillo
Dea's Mother (uncredited)
Allan Cavan
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
London
Festival / Special Debut
September 8, 1998
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 10, 2007
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Paul Leni
- Screenplay & Story
- Victor Hugo, J. Grubb Alexander, Bela Sekely, May McLean, Marion Ward, Walter Anthony, Charles E. Whittaker
- Original Score
- Sam Perry, William Axt, Erno Rapee
- Original Title
- The Man Who Laughs
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- No Language
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Production Studios
- Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Paul Leni
Victor Hugo, J. Grubb Alexander, Bela Sekely, May McLean, Marion Ward, Walter Anthony, Charles E. Whittaker
Sam Perry, William Axt, Erno Rapee
Gilbert Warrenton
Edward L. Cahn
Carl Laemmle
Department Leadership Roster
Paul Leni
Director
Gilbert Warrenton
Director of Photography
Edward L. Cahn
Editor
May McLean
Writer
Carl Laemmle
Producer
Marion Ward
Writer
Walter Anthony
Writer
Charles E. Whittaker
Writer
David Cox
Costume Design
Vera West
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Man Who Laughs.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Man Who Laughs.
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-20 07:40:11 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Man Who Laughs
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Man Who Laughs about?
When a proud noble refuses to kiss the hand of the despotic King James in 1690, he is cruelly executed and his son surgically disfigured.
Who directed The Man Who Laughs?
The Man Who Laughs was directed by Paul Leni.
Who stars in The Man Who Laughs?
The principal cast of The Man Who Laughs includes Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Cesare Gravina, Brandon Hurst, Olga Baclanova.
When was The Man Who Laughs released and how long is it?
The Man Who Laughs was released in 1928 with a total runtime of 1h 50m.
Who composed the musical score for The Man Who Laughs?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Man Who Laughs was composed by Sam Perry, William Axt, Erno Rapee.
Is The Man Who Laughs based on a book or true story?
The Man Who Laughs is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Victor Hugo".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Man Who Laughs?
The Man Who Laughs holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.).