The Unknown

Name: The Unknown
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Romance, Horror
Released: 1927-05-29
Duration: 1 h 8 min
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Lon Chaney, Norman Kerry, Joan Crawford, Nick De Ruiz, John George

1927·Movie·NR·68 min·★ 7.5(213)

Drama Thriller Romance Horror More English titles

“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.

▶ Watch trailer

Where to watch The Unknown in United States

Can I watch The Unknown in United States? Yes — you can stream The Unknown in United States on Criterion Channel, Bloodstream, and JustWatch TV, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video.

Stream

Rent

Buy

Click a service to open The Unknown there. Availability last verified on October 20, 2026.

Where is The Unknown streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Criterion Channel, Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Darkroom	Amazon Video
India	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Tubi TV, Plex	—
United Kingdom	Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Bloodstream, JustWatch TV	Amazon Video
Canada	Criterion Channel, Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Tubi TV	—
Australia	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Tubi TV, Plex	Amazon Video
Germany	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Plex	—
France	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Plex	LaCinetek, Sooner
Spain	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Plex	—
Brazil	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Plex	—
Japan	Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Plex	—

About The Unknown

The Unknown is a 1927 English-language drama, thriller and romance film directed by Tod Browning. The cast is led by Lon Chaney, Norman Kerry, Joan Crawford. It has a runtime of 1h 8m. Viewers rate it 7.5/10 across 200 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Bloodstream, JustWatch TV.

The Unknown was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and made in United States of America. It was released on May 29, 1927, and carries a NR certification. Made on a budget of about $0 million, it went on to gross $1 million worldwide.

Director: Tod Browning
Writers: Tod Browning, Joseph Farnham, Waldemar Young
Release date: May 29, 1927
Original language: English
Age rating: NR
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Budget: $0 million
Box office: $1 million
Production: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

#circus#love#knife throwing#silent film#carny#psychotronic#armless#circus performer#suspenseful#horror romance#romantic

The Unknown cast & crew

The Unknown was directed by Tod Browning and written by Tod Browning, Joseph Farnham, and Waldemar Young.

The cast features Lon Chaney as Alonzo, Norman Kerry as Malabar, Joan Crawford as Nanon Zanzi, Nick De Ruiz as Antonio Zanzi, John George as Cojo, and Frank Lanning as Costra.

Behind the camera, cinematography is by Merritt B. Gerstad and it was produced by Irving Thalberg.

Is The Unknown worth watching?

The Unknown holds an audience score of 7.5/10 from 213 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.

At 1h 8m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy drama, thriller, and romance, The Unknown is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Unknown

In United States, you can stream The Unknown on Criterion Channel, Bloodstream, JustWatch TV, Darkroom, and The Roku Channel, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.