Tuhatkasvoinen mies

At Universal Studios on 27 August, 1930, mogul Irving Thalberg speaks to a packed house as part of a tribute to recently deceased actor Lon Chaney. Thalberg describes how Chaney's unique background as the child of two deaf parents helped him achieve his great sensitivity: In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a young Lon regularly fights with the children who mock his loving parents. Years later, the still-feisty Lon is a great success as a vaudeville clown, but when his wife, singer Cleva Creighton, is fired from the show, Lon also quits. After revealing that she is pregnant, Cleva asks finally to be introduced to his family, and Lon agrees. In Colorado, however, Cleva discovers that the Chaneys are deaf and, fearing for her unborn child, turns away from Lon, declaring that she no longer wants the baby. They travel to San Francisco, where Lon starts work with the famous vaudeville comedy team of Clarence Kolb and Max Dill, and becomes friendly with their press agent, Clarence Locan. Although Lon is a hit at work, at home relations are strained with Cleva, who resents living in a house far from the city. Months later, Creighton is born, and when Cleva learns that she will need to wait a few weeks to know if he can hear, she spurns the baby. In response, Lon pulls away from her, but soon they both exult upon learning that Creighton can hear. Four years later, Lon is a doting father, performing skits for Creighton and welcoming him to the theater. There, dancer Hazel Bennet, who secretly loves Lon, cares for Creighton when Cleva is busy. One day, Cleva reveals that she is singing at a nearby club, and after Lon objects, insists that she can no longer stand to be alone all day, with a husband who cannot forgive her for turning away from her newborn son. Lon concedes, but after Creighton suffers a stomachache at the theater one day, Lon insists that Cleva quit singing and take care of their son. In her dressing room, Lon sees William R. Darrow, Jr. present Cleva with a bouquet of flowers, and then informs the manager that she is off the program. Upon returning to his theater, he witnesses Hazel's ex-husband, Carl Hastings, hit her and accuse her of having an affair with Lon. Lon punches him, but then discovers that he has no legs. As Lon comforts her, Cleva appears and, assuming the worst, races out. Three days later, after being rejected by Darrow, she reappears during Lon's show, rushing onto the stage to drink a vial of poison in front of the audience. Cleva lives, but will no longer be able to sing, and Lon's stage career is ruined by the scandal. He visits her in the hospital, and upon discovering that she has fled, vows that she will never again run out on Creighton. Lon files for divorce, but the judge declares that Creighton must remain a ward of the court until Lon can furnish a stable home environment for him. Crushed, Lon moves to Hollywood and tries to break into the movies. Eager to earn enough money to get Creighton back, Lon brings his makeup kit to the set each day and, after reading what type of actor is needed for the day's shooting, transforms himself into that character. His disguises are so skillful that they fool even the visiting Clarence, who then invites Lon to try out for his new boss, producer George Loane Tucker. In the role of a deformed man who is healed in the movie The Miracle Man , Lon stuns the whole company, but after a reporter questions him about his family, Lon laments that he will never be able to work in peace. Inspired, Clarence decides to bill Lon as "the man of mystery," and he is an instant hit. Three years later, Lon has steady work and a beautiful home, but the judge still will not grant him custody of Creighton. Clarence invites Hazel to visit, and gently points out that perhaps Lon needs a wife to provide a complete home. They marry, and soon Creighton, who believes his real mother is dead, comes to live with them. Over the years, Lon's fame grows, his best role presenting itself when Thalberg invites him to Universal to develop the character of Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame . The mogul, who knows Lon's past, urges the actor to help the audience understand the heartbreaking story of a man who is different. While Lon is creating Quasimodo's uncomfortable costume and makeup, he learns from a teenaged Creighton that a woman has been watching him at school, and realizes it must be Cleva. He finds and excoriates her, despite Hazel's warning that Creighton will hate him if he later learns that his mother wanted to see him. Soon after, Creighton excitedly reveals that an agent has promised to represent him as an actor, under the name Lon Chaney, Jr., but Lon refuses to allow him to act. Four years later, Hazel spots Cleva outside their house and invites her in. Cleva insists on leaving before Creighton returns, but when Hazel tells Creighton of her visit, he leaves in a fury to live with his mother. Lon is despondent over Creighton's departure, but refuses to apologize or visit him and throws all of his energy into his work, despite a persistent cough. Soon after, The Jazz Singer ushers in the era of the talking picture, and Lon works even harder to keep up with the new demands. One day, unknown to Lon, he is diagnosed with terminal bronchial cancer. Clarence informs Creighton, who meets his father at their fishing cabin and reconciles with him. After Lon finally collapses, he is brought to his deathbed, where he gives Creighton his makeup kit, with "Jr." added to the name painted on the box. With Clarence and Hazel looking on, Creighton translates his father's last wish, rendered in sign language, to gain their forgiveness. (jakelijan virallinen teksti)