HIT screens 'The Man Who Laughs'

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Ironwood — The audience at the Historic Ironwood Theatre had a chance to go back in time and experience a silent movie the way it was intended Saturday, watching “The Man Who Laughs” with Andrew Rogers accompanying the film on the theatre’s Barton organ.

“This is great to see, (there’s) a nice little crowd here for the movie and Andrew always does such a nice job accompanying it,” said Bruce Greenhill, the theatre’s operations manager. “A lot of new faces tonight, which is good. (We had) a bit of fun asking people to dress up and I think that attracted people who otherwise we don’t see here.”

Rogers, who lectures at the University of Michigan Dearborn and travels widely to perform concerts and accompany silent films, performed his own score along with the movie.

“They wanted something that was released in 1928,” Rogers said, regarding how he selected the movie. “Something that was potentially shown here at the theatre when the theatre was opened in 1928.”

The film — directed by the German expressionist Paul Leni and based on a Victor Hugo novel — tells the story of Gywnplaine, a man who was disfigured as a baby so he has a permanent grin.

The character is part of the inspiration for the comic book character the Joker’s appearance.

During the silent movie era, theaters would use live music to accompany the films.

“They’ve kept the tradition is alive, which is nice,” Rogers said, referring to the fact the Historic Ironwood Theatre has its original organ and uses it to accompany movies, just as it would have when the theatre opened a century ago.

This is the seventh time Rogers performed in Ironwood.