He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

Clowns are creepy. A scientist who faces the ultimate betrayal from his wife and his patron, then chooses to become a clown so he can reenact that betrayal night after night is incredibly sad. Lon Chaney plays the role of this man, who as a clown is known only as HE, to perfection. The humiliation is willingly subjects himself to is heartbreaking. If all that isn’t enough, there’s some wonderful visual transitions in the film that are worth the watch on their own.