An orgy of revenge and retribution from the team of Tod Browning and Lon Chaney-this may be the meanest of films from those two meanies. Chaney plays a vaudeville magician left paralyzed as the result of a heyrube with his wife's lover (Lionel Barrymore). The disabled man, now known as Deadlegs, disappears for eighteen years into darkest Africa to rule over a sleazy ivory-poaching operation until he can hatch his elaborately maleficent payback plot against his romantic nemesis. Lushly shot always and uncomfortably racist at times. The sometimes indifferent Browning really got up for this one.-Guy Maddin