James Gunn Spotlights Conrad Veidt's THE MAN WHO LAUGHS and How He Inspired the Joker
James Gunn recently put the spotlight on Conrad Veidt’s character in the classic 1928 film The Man Who Laughs and how he was the main inspiration behind the creation of The Joker in DC Comics. He said in his post that was accompanied by some photos saying:
"Conrad Veidt in Paul Leni's The Man Who Laughs (1928), based on Victor Hugo's novel. The film was a silent romantic melodrama – Veidt's character was the hero; the smile was carved into his face as a boy by a Comprachico (a fictional group of people who reshaped the physical appearance of children like a pruner would a Bonsai tree). Bill Finger, Kane & Jerry Robinson couldn't agree on much but they all agreed Veidt's portrayal was the inspiration for the Joker in the comics."
He’s not really saying anything that most DC fans don’t already know, but as you might expect, it’s got fans talking and wondering what this means for the DC Cinematic Universe that Gunn is in the process of building.
The Joker hasn’t been confirmed for any of his projects yet, including Batman: The Brave and the Bold, but I think it’s safe to say that one day The Joker will be introduced into the DCU, and when he is, Veidt might just be a big inspiration behind what Gunn has envisioned for the iconic DC villain.
By the way, if you haven’t watched The Man Who Laughs, you should because it’s such a beautifully made, tragic, and haunting movie.