Thinking about how The Man Who Laughs could be adapted to a ‘found footage’ style
I think an adaptation of this kind would be interesting given the way that written records are sometimes very significant to the plot, as well as the fact that what wasn’t written down wouldn’t be known to the makers of the ‘documentary’.
We start with a brief history of Lord Clancharlie’s role in the revolution, and his self-imposed exile in Geneva. The marriage certificate of Lord Clancharlie and Ann Bradshaw, then a discussion of how there were rumours that the couple had a son, but since the Clancharlie lands were given to Dirry-Moir, these rumours were thought to be false.
Then there are the papers for when Gwynplaine-then-Fermain was sold to the Comprachicos, and the order King James gave to have the Comprachicos driven out of England.
“After this point, it’s impossible to trace Fermain Clancharlie’s movements as a young, disfigured boy lost in the English countryside, until, years later, he reappeared using the name Gwynplaine...”
Details of Ursus, Dea, Gwynplaine, Homo, and the Green Box. A copy of their performance programme. If it’s modern adaptation, there could even be shaky camera footage of Gwynplaine performing, and interviews with those who worked at the fair (interesting since it’s book canon that Gwyn, Dea, and Ursus kept to themselves, so the other fair workers didn’t really know them). Perhaps some speculation as to the exact relationship between Gwyn and Dea - were they friends or lovers?
Records of Ursus being brought before the magistrates for practising medicine.
At this point, the documentary talks about Barkilphedro, Josiana, Dirry-Moir, and Queen Anne, leading towards the discovery of the confession in the bottle, and Hardquanonne’s arrest.
Details of Gwynplaine being escorted to the prison for Hardquanonne’s confession. (In the book there’s an actual record-taker present for this scene.)
All the various paperwork involving Gwynplaine’s ascention to lordship, etc.
Then we go back to the Green Box, and the fact that Barkilphedro gave Ursus the choice between arrest or exile. Arrest records for the innkeeper and his boy.
Then we get accounts of Gwynplaine’s speech to the lords and how it was received.
In the book, the Lords hand around a note, supposedly from Josiana, saying that it doesn’t matter if she has to marry Gwynplaine; she’ll just take Dirry-Moir as her lover. Some speculation as to whether the note really was from Josiana.
“After this point, Gwynplaine vanishes. He was last seen walking away from the Houses of Parliament...”
The letter Gwyn wrote saying that Dirry-Moir can have his lordship and titles is brought up, as this is the last record Gwynplaine leaves in history.
“It is notable that the place where the note was left was a walking distance from the jetty where Ursus and Dea were to set sail later that night. Ursus was later seen in the Netherlands, accompanied by Homo, but Gwynplaine and Dea were nowhere to be found. So... what happened to The Man Who Laughs?”
