7/10
A Great Performance By John Gilbert, But Too Late
20 September 2021
John Gilbert is a stage magician in Paris, in love with Leila Hyams and she with him. Her father, C. Aubrey Smith, despises him, and wants her to marry hs good friend, Marquis Ian Keith. When Smith discovers about Keith's mistress, he forbids the marriage, so Keith kills him and lays the blame on Gilbert, who is quickly convicted and sentenced to the guillotine. As a magician and escape artist, he escapes, goes into hiding, and then seeks his revenge on Keith, who has married Miss Hyams. To complete the complications, he has plastic surgery done, and reappears..... as Keith!

Still played by Gilbert, of course. It's a fine performance by Gilbert, albeit a bit late to save his extravagant Metro contract after some of his early talkie flops, and his reduced star power. The story, from a Gaston Leroux story, is suitably florid, and there's some fine support by Lewis Stone and Jean Hersholt.
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