The Man Who Laughs (1928) is a silent horror film directed by Paul Leni. The film follows the story of Gwynplaine, a disfigured man who is forced to live his life with a permanent grin. After being adopted by a traveling showman, Gwyn
From Wikipedia
The Man Who Laughs is a Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, originally published in April 1869 under the French title L'Homme qui rit. It takes place in England beginning in 1690 and extends into the early 18th-century reign of Queen Anne. It depicts England's royalty and aristocracy of the time as cruel and power-hungry. Hugo intended parallels with the France of Louis-Philippe and the Régence.