He Who Gets Slapped (1924)
By Thomas Mirus and James Majewski ( bio - articles - email ) | Sep 23, 2025 | In Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast
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James and Thomas discuss the original creepy clown movie, He Who Gets Slapped, starring Lon Chaney in an amazing performance as scientist Paul Beaumont, who suffers a mental breakdown after his research and his wife are stolen by a wealthy baron. Leaving his former world behind, Beaumont becomes a circus clown known only as He, whose entire act consists of attempting to say profound things while being slapped and ridiculed by the other clowns, recreating his trauma—until one day, he comes back into contact with the man who betrayed him... The film explores the effect that the crowd’s propensity for mockery and humiliation has on the human psyche.
The film is by the pioneering Swedish silent-era director, Victor Sjöström—his second movie made in the US. It remains very engaging for a silent film, and makes a good introduction to the medium.
Watch He Who Gets Slapped for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_qlCtPdqto
Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com
Criteria is hosted by Thomas V. Mirus and James T. Majewski.
Thomas is President of Trinity Communications, Director of Podcasts for CatholicCulture.org and hosts the Catholic Culture Podcast. See full bio.
James is Vice President of Trinity Communications and Director of Customer Relations for CatholicCulture.org as well as the host and narrator for Catholic Culture Audiobooks. See full bio.
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