Surviving Footage of The Miracle Man (1919)

[yayoineko]

How does he do that!? He's awesome, no actors could do that kind of performance today without CG.

[kellielovesroger]

Charlie Sheens rare cameo there at the end! haha Looks like him. thumbs up if you agree!

[barbarasprague]

It truly is a shame that so many silent movies that were HUGE in there days are Gone! Many early motion pictures are lost because the nitrate film used in that era was extremely unstable and flammable. Additionally, many films were deliberately destroyed because they had little value in the era before home video. I read that back in 1978 in Dawson City, Yukon, a bulldozer uncovered buried reels of nitrate film during excavation of a landfill.

[PhotoCher]

So very fascinating. I had no problem with the less than pristine condition. Thank goodness these clips are found at all. Love to think in the coming years a Shepard boy tending his flock in the Hollywood hills might toss a stone into a cave and hear the clang of film cans. Dead hillzy rolls.

[MFPhoto1]

This small clip shows Cheney's brilliance. I hope someday a complete print is found and restored.

[StukInTexAss]

What's really sad is that the so-called "surviving" films are all only blurry, truncated duplicates, as is the one posted here often made from other duplicates. Nothing is available from the long gone 35mm negatives. And NO one is going to see a vintage, shimmering silver nitrate celluloid 35 mm print .

[laffpro1]

Incredibly powerful ! Absolutely Brilliant !!!

[cinema901]

lon chaney is great,

[cweirick]

in the very last last scene the boy is giving head to the preacher

[FireflyFanCa]

This is one movie I keep hoping we'll find a forgotten copy of, like those Valentino movies from a few years back. I've wanted to see it for years. The look on Chaney's face when the kid starts to walk? DAMN. Even if you ignore Chaney, the rest of the cast still sells the hell out of the moment. Young Hollywood should all get copies of this footage so they can learn a thing or two about acting.

[MsTammyjo777]

OMG, I'm getting creeped out... I looked up old lost films, and every lost film or old film has Lon Chaney in it!!!!!!! I'm starting to call it the return of the phantom!!!!!

[thisgunforhire05]

The greater portion of silent films are lost; it's just that Lon Chaney happens to be in some of the most sought after (London After Midnight, The Miracle Man, The Tower of Lies etc.), which is partially due to the fact of his garnering of a huge cult following.

[Drac39]

@MsTammyjo777 Chaney tragically has the most lost films out of any of the big silent stars

[ChristopherTen1]

An excellent reproduction of this cripple scene is shown in the film "The Man of a Thousand Faces" starring James Cagney. Cagney's performance is nothing short of brilliant in the segment which details the life of Lon Chaney. Unfortunately in the re-creation scene there is no little boy but is very emotional nonetheless.

[powergirl07]

Some should make a remake of it, it probably won't be as good, but it would just be nice to watch a movie version of it. Maybe the script still survives.

[chiliheadwizard]

@powergirl07 There was a movie called "Leap of Faith" that went along this same vein. Steve Martin played a goofier rendition of a miracle man but it had a similar climatic scene with a little boy.

[jaywhofan]

"This was the big scene that will help to make The Miracle Man a picture that will never be forgotten". Ironic....

[abby0cat]

Who plays the Little Crippled Boy (Andre?)

[MildredDavisLloyd]

I do want to see London After Midnight very much, but THIS is the lost Lon Chaney movie I REALLY REALLY want to see! It was voted as one of the best movies of the year and just seeing this clip and pics of Chaney as The Frog. I am dying to see it!

[Drac39]

Agreed

[AnimaniacsBIGGESTFan]

*Sniff* T-that was s-so beautiful... God Bless Lon Chaney and The Boy... :*)

[daughterrevolution]

Such a great cast. What a shame it is lost.

[QueenOfTheKelpies]

Ironic that is has been forgotten to an extent. What wonderful acting, I really am impressed. It is tragic there isn't a print kicking about.

[wanghobb]

there probably is, no one's actively looking for it though im sure

[g4005t]

:< Suck's that's missing T-T

[originalfunkyfry]

Some reviews at the time of its release said that "The Miracle Man" was the best film of all time up to that point. Very cool to see some more of the footage besides just a few moments I've seen in documentaries, thanks for posting.

[Drac39]

I would love for this film to turn up. This is what I want to show up more than any other lost film even London After Midnight

[mielr]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

[praguephotog]

Chaney was pure genius. I love this scene; that kid must have taken a page from Chaney's book in his own healing act. Marvelous

[PC3900]

Oh, if a print would only turn up somewhere!

[Thedivinewoman]

Just shows what a genius Lon Chaney was. Thnan you for posting this treasure of a clip.

[ladylove1972]

Oh my word!!  I bet this was an incredible movie! Watching Lon Chaney "unfurl" like that was amazing. Thanks for posting this!