1 In the grim comedy of life, it has been wisely said that the last laugh is the best - 2 In the villa of Baron Regnard in Paris, Paul Beaumont, an unknown scientist, labored to prove his startling theories on the Origin of Mankind - - Lon Chaney 3 For years Beaumont had struggled alone, in poverty, until the Baron - suddenly interested in his work - had invited him into his home - 4 In the scientist's life there were but two loves - his work - and his wife, Marie - - Ruth King 5 The illustrious Baron Regnard, a patron of the Sciences - - Marc McDermott 6 "I've proved all my theories -" 7 "Now I am ready to go before the Academy -" 8 "I will be famous - and it shall be all for you, Maria, my love -" 9 "And you, my benefactor - how can I thank you?" 10 "Now, Paul, you must rest. The Baron will make all the arrangements with the Academy." 11 On the appointed day, Paul Beaumont appeared before the Academy of the Sciences - for judgment upon his work - 12 He had left all arrangements to his influential friend, the Baron - 13 "You have told them all my discoveries - but you have not told them they are mine -" 14 "The Baron is my friend - he will tell you the truth -" 15 "The man is insane! A starving student I hired as an assistant." 16 Laughter - the bitterest and most subtle death to hope - 17 "He slapped me, Marie. I would have killed him, but they laughed - laughed as if I were a clown." 18 "Yes, I love him! Why shouldn't I, you fool?" 19 "What have you given me - that I should love you? You with your silly face and stupid books!" 20 "Fool! Clown!" 21 "Fool! Clown!" 22 The agony of that night exhausted Paul Beaumont's power to suffer. For there is a limit to what men can suffer - and live. 23 Paul Beaumont lived - to laugh at life. He laughed at his wife and the Baron - and left them to the doubtful joy of each other's society. 24 Years had passed - Paul Beaumont was forgotten - but the laugh was still his. For the brilliant scientist had, with a supreme gesture of contempt, made himself a common clown - 25 In a little circus near Paris, he amused the idle, the ignorant and vicious, with an act of his own fancy - under the expressive name of "HE - Who Gets Slapped" - 26 Five years before, Tricaud had hired the strange clown who desired only to be slapped - and now each night he proudly counted his slaps - and the laughs - - Ford Sterling 27 "Over a hundred slaps last night, HE - you lucky fellow! Soon you'll be getting famous!" 28 "But you know what they like - there's nothing makes people laugh so hard as seeing someone else get slapped!" 29 A thoroughbred of the circus - Bezano, the daredevil rider - John Gilbert 30 "The Count Mancini offers us his daughter Consuelo as a bareback rider." 31 Count Mancini - the flower of an old family - gone to seed - - Tully Marshall 32 Consuelo - an orchid in the ruined Mancini gardens - - Norma Shearer 33 "The Count admits that his daughter has been a great success in Italy." 34 "What do you say, Bezano? A new act - with the two of you on one horse?" 35 "How stupid people are - to laugh at a clown who lets himself be slapped." 36 So into the crude life of the circus came the daughter of the Mancinis - a delicately bred aristocrat - reminding Paul Beaumont of the world he had put behind him forever - 37 "I never see you any more, Consuelo - every day you go away with your father and the strange gentleman -" 38 "Father's friend is a very rich gentleman - perhaps he will ask me to marry him -" 39 "But you wouldn't, Consuelo -" 40 "Well, perhaps - I would - don't be too sure -" 41 "Let me see you, Consuelo, once in a while. If I don't see you - I shall die -" 42 "Tomorrow I will spend the whole day with you." 43 A strange thing, the heart of man - that loves, suffers, and despairs - yet has courage to hope, believe - and love - again. 44 "You're getting so famous you'll be leaving us soon for a bigger circus." 45 "I am happy here, Consuelo - I want to stay here always." 46 "Not always, HE - for someday you'll find something that you want more than the applause and laughs of the audience." 47 What is it in human nature that makes people quick to laugh when someone else gets slapped - whether the slap be spiritual, mental - or physical - ? 48 "Honorable Gentlemen, tonight I will prove the earth is round -" 49 "Honorable Gentlemen, I beg your pardon - the earth is flat -" 50 "Honorable Gentlemen, I'm wrong again - the earth is HARD -" 51 "There is -" 52 "There is -" 53 "Bravo, HE - funnier than ever -" 54 "Lie down, HE - you're dead, you know!" 55 Again he could laugh at the Baron - this time unrecognized - 56 "I hate clowns!" 57 "I hate Barons!" 58 "The Baron Regnard begs the honor of seeing us home. I have accepted for you -" 59 The Count Mancini prepares for an important interview. 60 "Baron Regnard thinks the daughter of a Mancini can be purchased with jewels! I shall enlighten him!" 61 Gather ye rosebuds while ye may - 62 "I'm not hungry -" 63 "Neither am I." 64 "I wonder why -" 65 "Could it be because - because you are in love?" 66 "I am in love - I love you!" 67 "And you love me - don't you?" 68 "Well, I wasn't hungry, either -" 69 "The Countess Mancini can accept jewels only from - her husband!" 70 "Idiot! Do you think I would marry a circus rider?" 71 "Think how beautiful she is -" 72 "Think what a bride she will make -" 73 "Do you hear the cuckoo?" 74 "All right, you win - I will marry her!" 75 "What you mean is that you make formal request for my daughter's hand!" 76 "Let's be married at once - this afternoon -" 77 "I couldn't marry without my father's consent -" 78 "I'll never love anyone but you, Bezano -" 79 "The misfortunes of my ancestors compel me to suggest a trifling loan - say, a thousand francs." 80 "Why are you so sad tonight, HE?" 81 "You'd be happy if you were only in love." 82 "It is when we are happiest that life strikes us, Consuelo -" 83 "Let me see your hand, Consuelo - perhaps I can read the future there -" 84 "You are doomed, Consuelo - it is written here -" 85 "Your father will sell you to that beast - Baron Regnard!" 86 "There is only one who can save you - !" 87 "Look, here is the letter 'H' - it stands for 'HE' -" 88 "It is I, Consuelo - I who have worshipped you in silence -" 89 "My love shall protect you from all harm and unhappiness!" 90 "I did not believe I could ever love or trust again - until I met you, Consuelo - I love you - I worship you!" 91 "You dear, funny HE - for a moment I thought you were serious -" 92 "You forget, Consuelo - I am never serious - I am 'HE Who Gets Slapped' -" 93 "- I say serious things - and people laugh at me!" 94 "The Baron Regnard has humbly requested your hand in marriage -" 95 "The wedding will take place tonight after the performance." 96 "The Baron will buy champagne for everyone!" 97 "You forget, gentlemen - this is a circus - love must wait - the performance must go on!" 98 "You beast! To sell your daughter like this -" 99 "No true father could do that -" 100 "Let us drink to - the one who laughs last!" 101 "I don't drink with a fool!" 102 "A fool! Look - see which fool this is!" 103 "Do you think I'll let you - of all men - marry her?" 104 "Remember, Baron - to the one who laughs last!" 105 "Come, my friend - give me the last slap!" 106 "Honorable Gentlemen - the world must have its love -" 107 "It's a new act HE's putting on!" 108 "Honorable Gentlemen - the world must have its tragedy -" 109 "But always, Honorable Gentlemen - the clown comes out - to make people laugh -" 110 "Your sorrows are over, Consuelo - and mine are over, too -" 111 "You will be happy - and - and - I will be happy, too -" 112 "You see - I am happy - I am smiling - a fool is always smiling -" 113 What is Death - ? What is Life - ? What is Love - ? 114 "And we always laughed at him."Home