Freaks (1932)

• Year: 1932
• Released: 20 Feb 1932
• Country: United States
• Adwords: 2 wins & 1 nomination
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022913/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/freaks
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/freaks
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English, German, French
• MPA Rating: Not Rated
• Genre: Drama, Horror
• Runtime: 64 min
• Writer: Clarence Aaron ‘Tod’ Robbins, Willis Goldbeck, Leon Gordon
• Director: Tod Browning
• Cast: Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova
• Keywords: murder, revenge, cult film, infidelity, pre-code,

	7.9/10
	80/100
	95% – Critics
	88% – Audience

Freaks Storyline

A traveling circus has a wide variety of acts, including a number of sideshow curiosities based on some unusual physical attributes. They include midgets, limbless people, pinheads, conjoined twins, a bearded lady, and a half man/half woman. There are many interpersonal interactions between the entire troupe, those interactions which are generally amiable, although there are some who treat the curiosities merely as freaks. However, there are few romantic relationships between the “normal” troupe members and the curiosities. One of those exceptions is the budding romantic relationship between Hans and Cleopatra, one of the midgets and a trapeze artist respectively. What Hans is unaware of is that Cleopatra only fosters that relationship because of the expensive gifts he lavishes on her, while in reality she carries on with who is probably the antithesis of Hans physically, Hercules, the muscle man. A fellow midget, Frieda, who was once engaged to Hans and who she still loves, believes Cleopatra’s interest in Hans is solely to make fun. But Frieda inadvertently provides Cleopatra with some information which changes Cleopatra’s resolve instead to marry Hans. Hans’ fellow sideshow curiosities do whatever they need to protect their dignity and that of one of their own.

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Freaks Movie Reviews

*Gasp* this movie is brilliant!!

`Freaks’ is a totally unique and superb film by Tod Browning. He made himself legendary one year before this came out – in 1931 – with the all-time horror classic `Dracula’. This film, however, is something completely different and it nearly cost Browning his career. Since Browning had the courage to cast actual deformed actors, the words ‘distasteful’ and ‘exploitative’ were automatically attached to his masterpiece and it remained banned in many countries for too many years. Very unjustified, of course because throughout the whole film, you NEVER feel like a voyeur and neither is the misery of these unfortunate people overly exposed. On the contrary, I’d say…you can’t but get deeply affected by these circus freaks. Especially in the 30’s, when the people didn’t know much about physical anomalies and feared the unknown, I dare to say Tod Browning’s `Freaks’ could have been an essential social portrait. And keep in mind that Browning’s main moral is that the `freaks’ show a lot more solidarity and honesty than the `normal’ people whose every motivation is driven by greed and power.

The plot of this purely gold film is set in a traveling circus in which the freaks and normally formed people work together. The beautiful trapeze artist and her strongman lover plot a cowardly plan and she uses her beauty to seduce the rich midget named Hans (a brilliant Harry Earless who also starred in Browning’s `The Unholy Tree’). When the greedy couple openly insults the group spirit of the freaks and publicly humiliates Hans, an eerie act of vengeance is thought up. This film is over 70 years old and it’ll still unquestionably shock and amaze you. To me, it’s just perfect. An outstanding mixture of warm-hearted characters, great dialogue and tension. The climax, in which the freaks seal the portentous fate of their enemies, is an immortal piece of pure terror! `Freaks’ is one of the most dazzling classics ever made and must be seen by anybody who ever showed any interest in cinema.

The scariest film I have ever seen

I was a little torn between giving the film a 9 or a 10. I finally decided on a 10 because although it is not PERFECT, it is absolutely chilling and will likely disturb most viewers. More modern horror films too often rely on silly special effects, dumb bimbos who walk right into an assault by a maniac with a ____________ (chainsaw, axe, machete, etc., etc.), or story lines that insult the intelligence of the average viewer. It really is HARD to create a good horror pic! That is why I applaud this film so much–it creates great terror and taps into our darkest prejudices with a minimal of expenditure for special effects. Instead, director Browning uses REAL freak-show freaks to create the mood and the film seems so very real because it uses people in the film, not actors (like an earlier version of the Italian Neo-Realist films). Watch it and prepare to be shocked!

The strangest show on earth

The nominal stars of Freaks, Wallace Ford and Leila Hyams, function as nothing more than witnesses to the action. It’s through there eyes we see the drama going on with these strange and misshapen people known as Freaks.

Ford and Hyams are cirus performers in nothing like Barnum&Bailey, but a road show in Europe where the sideshow exhibits take center stage. Most of these players did not do too much other work due to casting limitations.

In Ship Of Fools Michael Dunn explains that he comes from rich parents who keep him perpetually traveling so that his grotesque dwarf appearance in their eyes doesn’t embarass them. Harry Earles is one of the midgets in this traveling show, but he too comes from money.

When that’s learned trapeze performer Olga Baclanova makes a play for the midget to the contempt and disgust of her fiance circus strong man Henry Victor. On one drunken eve Baclanova blurts out what she really thinks of all sideshow fellow circus performers. All I can say is their revenge is swift and terrible.

Todd Browning directed Freaks, it’s as much a classic as his original Dracula with Bela Lugosi. Maybe a bigger achievement because the players sure aren’t actors in the traditional sense. Browning fleshed out believable performances from his non-traditional cast and made them quite real.

Given its nature I doubt we’ll see a remake of it. That’s all right because this film should never be remade. Any more than Gone With The Wind or Citizen Kane.