King James VII (& II) (Sam De Grasse) seeks retribution against a disloyal nobleman by inflicting a disturbing mark upon his son—a grin carved into his face, so he’ll forever be reminded of his father's deceit! Not long after, the king is overthrown and the boy matures into "Gwynplaine" (Conrad Veidt). He then saves the sightless young woman “Dea” (Mary Philbin), and together they are looked after by "Ursus" (Cesare Gravina), who acts as both guardian and a source of philosophical musings. The man with the disfigurement conceals his face, believing that his growing feelings for "Dea" can’t possibly be returned. Meanwhile, Queen Anne (Josephine Crowell) has taken power, and thanks to her scheming jester “Barkilphedro” (Brandon Hurst)—who previously served the former king—and his controlling mistress, the sinister “Duchess Josiana” (Olga Baclanova), "Gwynplaine" is brought before the Stuart court. That environment is full of plots and manipulations overseen by a clever and forceful queen, and he quickly finds himself caught up in a scheme that could ruin him while he tries to hold onto his integrity and, naturally, win over the woman he loves. It’s essentially a familiar story about betrayal and revenge, but the cinematography and direction truly elevate it. The opening moments involving “the iron lady”—a torture device present throughout—are impactful, and Weidt's intense gaze (which is also well-lit) draws attention as his character grapples with past injustices and contemplates what he can do moving forward. Certain sequences are quite close-up and almost daringly filmed, and the locations perfectly complement the increasingly cunning and occasionally humorous scheming that still allows for a love story to develop. This avoids being overly sweet and presents a harsh portrayal of early 17th century British politics with realism.

Source on TMDB