The real shame of the movie Mockery is that it is one of the lesser known Lon Chaney pictures, which contributes to the fact that any casual silent movie fan may either overlook or miss it completely. To add to the confusion is the fact that online reviews are overwhelmingly mediocre. This Lon Chaney fan is stumped by that fact as he finds Mockery jam packed with great emotion and adventure.
Mockery is the simple yet complicated story of Sergei, a poor peasant who rescues a countess, who in turn gives him a job as a servant. Unbeknownst to her the lower class help are staging a violent revolt which pits the poor Sergei in a life and death battle between the classes.
Smartly directed by Benjamin Christensen, he seamlessly weaves action, romance and drama while never committing to taking either side of the conflict. The characters of those parties involved and Sergei included have both likable and despicable moments which casts an uncomfortable cloud of realism over the fates of all involved.
It's no surprise here that Lon Chaney gives another one of his superb transformations, but this time he is equally joined in his efforts by a top-notch supporting cast consisting of Barbara Bedford, Ricardo Cortez, Mack Swain, Emily Fitzroy and Charles Puffy as the rabble rousing gatekeeper.
Don't wait to stumble upon Mockery, as chances are you won't. Instead, seek it out, but please don't read the online reviews. Judge for yourself as you may find yourself adding another gem to your favorite silent movie list.
Mockery is the simple yet complicated story of Sergei, a poor peasant who rescues a countess, who in turn gives him a job as a servant. Unbeknownst to her the lower class help are staging a violent revolt which pits the poor Sergei in a life and death battle between the classes.
Smartly directed by Benjamin Christensen, he seamlessly weaves action, romance and drama while never committing to taking either side of the conflict. The characters of those parties involved and Sergei included have both likable and despicable moments which casts an uncomfortable cloud of realism over the fates of all involved.
It's no surprise here that Lon Chaney gives another one of his superb transformations, but this time he is equally joined in his efforts by a top-notch supporting cast consisting of Barbara Bedford, Ricardo Cortez, Mack Swain, Emily Fitzroy and Charles Puffy as the rabble rousing gatekeeper.
Don't wait to stumble upon Mockery, as chances are you won't. Instead, seek it out, but please don't read the online reviews. Judge for yourself as you may find yourself adding another gem to your favorite silent movie list.
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