The Unknown poster

The Unknown

Don't miss this startling spectacle!

7.5(221)19271h 8m2

On the lam, criminal Alonzo hides in the circus as The Armless Wonder—a performer who uses his feet to hurl knives. Alonzo keeps the arms he really has concealed to hide his identity. Meanwhile, ringmaster's daughter Nanon has a phobia of being touched by men, but is romantically pursued by not only Alonzo but the strongman Malabar. Alonzo's desperation to remain with Nanon will only end in tragedy.

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Status
Released
Budget
$217K
Box office
$847K
Language
No Language
  • circus
  • love
  • black and white
  • knife throwing
  • silent film
  • carny
  • psychotronic
  • armless
  • circus performer
  • suspenseful
  • horror romance
  • romantic

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Director

Tod Browning

Produced in

United States of America

Where to watch

All options

Availability for India. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.

Gallery

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Videos

Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • Theatrical (limited)Springfield, Missouri29 May 1927
    • Theatrical (limited)Los Angeles, California3 Jun 1927
    • Theatrical4 Jun 1927
    • Theatrical (limited)NRSan Francisco International Film Festival6 May 2014
  • United KingdomGB

    • Theatrical (limited)Rated A, London7 Jul 1927
    • TheatricalRated A27 Aug 1928
    • TheatricalPGRe-release2 Aug 2002
    • PhysicalPGDVD23 Oct 2023
  • AustraliaAU

    • TheatricalPG26 Nov 1927
  • CanadaCA

    • Theatrical7 Sept 1927
  • BrazilBR

    • Theatrical19 Dec 1927
  • DenmarkDK

    • Theatrical20 Apr 1928
  • FinlandFI

    • Theatrical23 Apr 1928
  • FranceFR

    • Theatrical (limited)TPRe-release19 Jun 2002
    • Theatrical (limited)TPL'Éstrange Festival7 Sept 2010
    • Theatrical (limited)TPLyon Festival Hallucinations Collectives2 Apr 2018
  • ItalyIT

    • TheatricalT9 Apr 1928
  • JapanJP

    • Theatrical1 Mar 1929
  • PortugalPT

    • Theatrical13 Feb 1929
  • SpainES

    • Theatrical (limited)Madrid - Artistic Metropol, subtitles provided22 Mar 2015

Frequently asked questions

The Unknown was released on 29 May 1927.

Audience reviews

2
  • C

    CinemaSerf

    3/27/2024

    7/10

    Joan Crawford is the dazzling "Manon", daughter of a circus owner and keenly sought by strongman "Malabar" (Norman Kerry) and the newly arrived arm-less knife thrower "Alonzo" (Lon Chaney). It's the latter man who has a bit of a secret though, and as the story progresses we realise that he's a criminal using a clever (if not desperately plausible) disguise to stay one head ahead of the pursuing police. She, meantime,…

  • D

    Dr Nostromo

    3/28/2026

    7/10

    66/100 A strangler on-the-run takes refuge as an armless man in a circus and falls in love with a performing girl who can't stand being touched. Sounds like the perfect match, doesn't it? This is actually an extremely mature look at unrequited love played out as an examination of irony as the man will do virtually anything, regardless of how extreme, to win her affection only to have each decision make matters wor…

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