Lon Chaney, Sr.

THE UNHOLY THREE

MGM, 1930.  Directed by Jack Conway.  Camera:  Percy Hilburn.  With Lon Chaney, Sr., Lila Lee, Harry Earles, Elliott Nugent, John Miljan, Ivan Linow.

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Ventriloquist Professor Echo tires of living off the small profits of petty theft.  He proposes to his fellow sideshow performers, Herman (who is known as the strong man Hercules) and Willie (a dwarf billed as Tweedledee), that they go far away, where they will never be found.

Some time later, the three have established new identities, along with Rosie, a young pickpocket with whom Echo is in love, and Echo's gorilla, of which Herman is mortally afraid.  They open a pet shop and Echo disguises himself as Mrs. O'Grady, the store owner, to allow them to have access to the homes of wealthy clients who take delivery of parrots and other pets.  Echo guards the jewels and money that Herman is able to steal, but Herman and Willie are becoming tired of waiting to spend their money, and Rosie is becoming attracted to Hector, a kind, but naïve young man who works at the pet shop.  Although Echo verbally threatens Rosie not to become involved with Hector, she is not afraid of him and continues to see Hector.

On Christmas, when Herman and Willie commit a jewel robbery at the home of wealthy client Arlington, Arlington is killed.  Echo is furious and, with Willie's help, nervously hides the necklace that Herman has stolen when the police come to his home behind the shop.  To avoid the police, Echo implicates Hector in the robbery by planting the jewels in his room.  The bewildered Hector is then arrested and put on trial for robbery and murder.

Soon Echo is hiding in a cabin in the country with the others, including Rosie, who has fallen in love with Hector and urges Echo to help him.  After Rosie promises to marry Echo and show him the affection he craves, Echo softens and decides to help.  He then goes back to the city and appears at Hector's trial dressed as Mrs. O'Grady.  Although he attempts to hide his true identity, on the witness stand he eventually reveals himself as Echo and is arrested.

Meanwhile, in the country, Herman and Willie, who have been left behind with Rosie, have a falling out when greed and jealousy overtake them.  Herman kills Willie, but he's then also killed by the gorilla, while Rosie escapes the cabin and goes to the city.

After Echo is sentenced to several years in jail for the robbery, Rosie promises to wait for him and make good on her promise, but at the train station on his way to prison, Echo pretends not to want her anymore, letting her know that it is all right for her to marry Hector, earning Rosie's gratitude.

American Film Institute Catalog

Additional photos courtesy of Gary