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“A source for all that is best in the horror movie” (Tony Rayns, Time Out Film Guide ), THE UNHOLY THREE was, like Browning's notorious FREAKS, based on a story by Tod Robbins. A Variety reviewer of the time marvelled that Lon Chaney was for once not in “grotesque make-up [or] isn't all hunched up, he isn't legless, he isn't this, that or the other thing in deformities. He's just Lon Chaney and he's great.” Which isn't to say that the film doesn't rely on strange disguise or touches of perversity in its tale about three circus sideshow performers - ventriloquist Professor Echo (Chaney), strongman Hercules, and midget Tweedledee - who use the bird shop owned by Echo's girlfriend in a bizarre plan to get rich quick. Echo dresses in drag as a granny and Tweedledee poses as a baby so that they can case houses for nighttime robberies. A series of mishaps leads to a murder and the unravelling of their foolproof plan, during which the unholy trio comes asunder. The New York Times chose the film as one of the ten best of the year, it was a commercial triumph, and Browning restored his reputation with the studios after a period of hard drinking hiatus. As the Variety critic said: “But boys, it's a picture - and what a picture!”
Presented with live piano accompaniment by William O'Meara.
The June 4th screening will be introduced by Guy Maddin.
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