The Man Who Laughs is a 1928 American synchronized sound romantic drama film directed by the German Expressionist filmmaker Paul Leni. The film was one of the earliest Universal Pictures films that made the transition from silent films to sound films using the Movietone sound system introduced by William Fox.

The film is an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s historical novel about a man cursed with a permanent carnival-freak-like grin on his face. Make-up job for actor Conrad Veidt inspired the look of Batman’s arch-nemesis the Joker.

Director: Paul Leni
Cast: Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Julius Moinar
Rating: N/R
Runtime: 1 hour 50 mins
Released: 1928
Format: DVD
Audio: Mono
Accessibility: Assisted Listening (headphones)