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The Unknown (PG) + Live Music

London International Mime Festival

,Cinema 1
A man stands gesturing with his finger for silence

Outrageous, lurid, haunting: this circus-set melodrama is one of the great silent films.

The famously versatile Lon Chaney (“The Man of a Thousand Faces”) is Alonzo the Armless Wonder, who uses his feet to perform a circus knife-throwing act. But Alonzo keeps dark secrets: he is not the amputee he pretends to be, and is in fact a killer on the run from the police. With enormous cunning, he keeps his true identity, and his arms, hidden from the world. To act on his infatuation with the circus’ beautiful bare-back rider Nanon (Joan Crawford) would be to give himself away: so, what to do?

A story of amour fou like no other, The Unknown builds to a Grand Guignol finale that is truly breath-taking in its intensity.

We are delighted to welcome back musicians Stephen Horne, on piano, and Martin Pyne, on drums, to accompany this film live.

Tagged with: Cinema London International Mime Festival 2023

US 1927 Dir Tod Browning 75 min
 

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.