The Unknown
“Don't miss this startling spectacle!”
On the lam, criminal Alonzo hides in the circus as The Armless Wonder—a performer who uses his feet to hurl knives. Alonzo keeps the arms he really has concealed to hide his identity. Meanwhile, ringmaster's daughter Nanon has a phobia of being touched by men, but is romantically pursued by not only Alonzo but the strongman Malabar. Alonzo's desperation to remain with Nanon will only end in tragedy.
Genres
Drama, Thriller, Romance, Horror
Studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Language
en
Status
Released
How The Unknown performed
Budget
$217,000
Worldwide Gross
$847,000
Gross Profit
$630,000
Return
3.9× budget
Opening Wknd (est.)
$122K
Source: TMDB. Domestic/international split (~48/52, genre-typical) and the opening-weekend figure (30% of the domestic run, typical for Drama) are MoviesRankd estimates. Profit is gross revenue minus production budget and excludes marketing — studios typically need ~2–2.5× budget to break even.
Where to Watch
Cast
Alonzo
Lon Chaney
Alonzo
Malabar
Norman Kerry
Malabar
Nanon Zanzi
Joan Crawford
Nanon Zanzi
Antonio Zanzi
Nick De Ruiz
Antonio Zanzi
Cojo
John George
Cojo
Costra
Frank Lanning
Costra
Gypsy Running to Zanzi's Death Scene (uncredited)
Tom Amandares
Gypsy Running to Zanzi's Death Scene (uncredited)
Fortune Teller (uncredited)
Margaret Bert
Fortune Teller (uncredited)
Gypsy Woman (uncredited)
Louise Emmons
Gypsy Woman (uncredited)
Girl in Audience Flirting with Malabar (uncredited)
Italia Frandi
Girl in Audience Flirting with Malabar (uncredited)
Woman in Audience (uncredited)
Venezia Frandi
Woman in Audience (uncredited)
Landlady / Servant in Audience (uncredited)
Polly Moran
Landlady / Servant in Audience (uncredited)
If you liked The Unknown
The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act
2026
The Vanishing
1993
Not Easily Broken
2009
The Man Who Laughs
1928
Winter's Tale
2014
Water for Elephants
2011