WHEN ONE WANTED to take an already frightening story and turn it into an even more disturbing shocker, there are two steps that would insure success. First, cast Lon Chaney in the Lead. Secondly, have Todd Browning direct. Fortunately for MGM, in 1925, WEST OF ZANZIBAR had both going for them.AS MANY OF the dramas of the period did, this film had a Show Business setting. In this case, we have Stage Magician, Professor Phroso (Lon Chaney), suffers the loss of his spouse, Anna (Jacqueline Gadsden)to her lover, Crane (Lionel Barrymore). The two men quarrel and fight, where Phroso suffers a severe fall; leaving his legs paralyzed and "dead." YEARS LATER, BOTH men are in Darkest Africa, where Phroso operates a trading outpost; where he uses his skills at prestidigitation to cheat Natives out of ivory. Eventually, Mazie (Mary Nolan) daughter of the now deceased Anna, comes under Phroso/"dead Legs" control and is left to wallow in the worst den of debauchery in Zanzibar.AFTER DIRECTLY CONFRONTING Crane, "Dead Legs"/Proso discovers that Mazie is after all his daughter. A sudden uprising by the African Natives, who have been cheated for so many years in the "Dead Legs" trading post, threatens to kill the Daughter and Proso sacrifices his own life; allowing Mazie to escape with young 'Doc' (Warner Baxter).OUR SYNOPSIS CAN do no justice to the film. With this outstanding "Duo of the Macabre", being Mr. Chaney and Mr. Browning, every scene is saturated with disturbing and frightful implications. DISDAINING THE BLOOD & gore that has come to be synonymous with "Horror", the production team instead creates all of their horror in the mind of the viewer.Please, please take the time to screen this film if you haven't yet done so. If you have, see it again

"West of Zanzibar" is truly one of Lon Chaney's best films. It's a story of revenge and hatred and is dominated by Chaney's performance as the paralyzed magician Phroso.The story in brief, has Phroso's wife Anna (Jacqueline Gadden) running off with ivory trader Crane (Lionel Barrymore). In a scuffle with Crane, Phroso is crippled. When Anna returns with a baby and dies unexpectedly, Phroso decides to exact his revenge on Crane through the child. The child who is named Maizie (Mary Nolan), is raised in a brothel to the age of 18. Then the demented Phroso who has become some sort of a false god in Zanzibar, begins to carry out his insane plan of revenge with the help of a derelict doctor (Warner Baxter) and his two assistants Tiny (Tiny Ward) and Babe (Kalla Posha).Chaney is so convincing as the paralyzed Phroso that you will believe that he is really crippled. With his slovenly and unkempt appearance, he drags himself around on the floor of his hut and climbs into his wheel chair pulling his lifeless legs behind him. Chaney was an excellent pantomimist. Watch the expression on his face change from insane hatred to surprise and pity at the climax of the story.Unfortuneatly, the film somewhat telegraphs the ultimate climax but Chaney's performance more than makes up for it. Mary Nolan is good as the tool of Chaney's revenge and Warner Baxter is excellent as the boozy "Doc" who comes to Maizie's aid. Barrymore is suitably evil as the other man. I was captivated by the beauty of Jacqueline Gadden in a brief role and wondered why we didn't see more of her.One of Lon Chaney's most memorable characterizations, it is a must for all Chaney fans.

What would appear on the outset to be another insane horror feature along the lines of Freaks (at least from the definitely deceptive publicity picture with Lon Chaney as a chicken or other, which never happens in the film), West of Zanzibar is just another melodrama. Actually, that's a lie. West of Zanzibar is one of the finest examples of the wild, over-the-top melodrama in the silent era. This is a filmmaker who understands what makes a melodrama tick and tickle, and in this film it's about the details of its plot unfolding at a quick clip but with enough characterization to make it never less than fascinating. At worst, it is painfully dated (the stereotypes of tribes people on screen seem a little flagrant), but at best its an example of what could be possible when a director could get his cast to convey all necessary through pantomime and gesture, of grandiosity loaded with little details stitched in there.It helps that Lon Chaney is starring, however. This is probably what makes it a must-see for me; between just seeing two of his films, this and Phantom of the Opera, he appears to be one of the giants of his time. Maybe even more-so in the case of Zanzibar, one sees Chaney's skills without make-up, with the only gimmick of his "Dead-Legs" not obfuscating what is most interesting about him which is his face and eyes. This man conveys so much without ever, for a second, going too far over the top, at least to how far Browning's melodrama commands. Lionel Barrymore, for the supporting-role time he's on camera, doesn't disappoint either, and character players Mary Nolan and Warner Baxter don't do bad at all, but Chaney just hits it so far out of the park it's without compare in this case.Playing especially this character, a man with a revenge plot that he has 18 years in the making (sound like that guy in 2009 Star Trek to you?), is a leap of faith, but its one the audience will make since this actor is so determined in this character, invested to the point where we believe how he's a jaded guy, as Doc describes him as despicable and very human at the same time. It's far more complex a character than I would have ever expected going in; the casket he has isn't too shabby, either.As for Browning fans looking for mood, there's lots of it, especially of the voodoo kind (again, some of it is a little squirm-in-your-seat variety, just in terms of the faces not necessarily the rituals and fire-dances). It's never too laugh-out-loud funny, but it has its moments, like when Maizie's clothes are used for ritual purposes by the tribe-folk. There's also a very sublime touch near the end, perhaps expected in the bittersweet vein but still very satisfying, and I'm sure that was the filmmaker's sensibility all the way. It's a wonderful movie, for fans of the star and director, and if you can see it with a live piano by any chance it's highly recommended.

West of Zanzibar (1928) *** (out of 4) Tod Browning's shocker about a man (Lon Chaney) who loses his wife to another man (Lionel Barrymore) but to make matters worse he also paralyzes him. The man eventually moves to Africa where he sets up shop with plans to seek vengeance by kidnapping the daughter that the lover had with his wife. It goes without saying that once again Browning creates a world of weirdos, crazies and downright evilness that no other director could ever create. It also goes without saying that Chaney once again delivers a brilliant performance and again he's able to get sympathy while at the same time coming off evil. Chaney has a lot of work to do with his crippled body and he pulls this of without a hitch. Barrymore and Warner Baxter also give good performances. The final showdown between Chaney and Barrymore is priceless as is the big plot twist. Later remake with Walter Huston as Kongo.