"The Penalty" (1920) is a powerful crime drama, in which Lon Chaney delivers one of his most memorable performances.  

An inexperienced doctor needlessly amputates a boy's legs after a traffic accident.  The boy grows up to be a criminal mastermind, determined to revenge himself on society and on the doctor that crippled him for life a long time ago.

The film has a strong 7.6 rating in IMDB.