Vintage 8x10 in. US single-weight glossy restrike photograph (not a vintage original photo printed at the time it was taken, but one printed from the negative at a later time) from the silent film drama, THE ROAD TO MANDALAY, released in 1926 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and directed by Tod Browning. Lon Chaney stars as a former captain who tries to reunite with his daughter (Lois Moran) twenty
years after leaving her as an infant.
The image depicts a shot of Father James (Henry B. Walthall) making things difficult for former sea captain Singapore Joe (Lon Chaney) as the captain's daughter (Lois Moran) watches the religious man. Chaney's milky left eye and jagged scar are clearly seen in this shot. Printed most likely in the 1960's, this restrike photograph is in very fine condition with a few small creases simply from handling over time. There are no pinholes, tears, stains, or other flaws and the image quality is razor-sharp with very fine detail and great contrast.
Chaney simulated blindness in one eye by using one
of the first scleral (full-eye) white glass contact lenses made for theatrical
use. He used non-flexible collodion to form the facial scars.
The production employed a reported 200 African American extras. A 33-minute copy survives at the Cinémathèque de Paris.