Freaks, 1932.
Directed by Tod Browning.
Starring Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova, Roscoe Ates, Henry Victor, Harry Earles and Daisy Earles.
SYNOPSIS:
A conniving trapeze artist joins a travelling carnival sideshow and begins to romance one its members while scheming to murder him and steal his inheritance.
So, let’s look at Tod Browning’s Freaks, one of the most controversial films of its era, but one that is the polar opposite of what one might consider a horror film.
Upon its initial release in 1932, Tod Browning’s Freaks was greeted with enormous controversy, ferocious critical scorn, and such outrage that it would be pulled from cinemas by studio MGM. The furore reached such a pitch that the film would see itself banned in several countries, with it remaining unseen in Britain for 30 years. Reviews and commentary from the time are filled with comments of disgust and revulsion at what Freaks depicts. One writer says of the film, “There is no excuse for this picture. It took a weak mind to produce it, and it takes a strong stomach to look at it” while another review called it an “outrageous onslaught upon the feelings, the senses, the brains and the stomachs of an audience”.
The reviews seem to suggest that Freaks is among the most disgusting films ever made and one that would send the faint-hearted running away screaming. However, when you actually watch the film, you get the idea that these reactions had less to do with its quality and more to do with societal attitudes of the era towards people with disabilities. So, let’s look at Freaks, one of the most controversial films of its era, but one that is the polar opposite of what one might consider a horror film.
In a groundbreaking move for the time, director Tod Browning opted to cast real circus performers in leading roles, many of whom had physical disabilities. However, while the title and the film’s standing as a horror film might suggest that the performers are playing villainous characters, they are anything but. If anything, they are perfectly mundane. The film’s description as a horror is inaccurate because, aside from the climax (more on that later), the film feels more like a drama, with much of the runtime spent simply depicting the performers’ life off-stage as they relax, share jokes and smokes, pursue romances, have children and enjoy each other’s company. Freaks, in contrast to what its rather overdramatic title and opening crawl suggest, is far from scary and is, in fact, an endearing look at the loyalty among friends as the performers all have each other’s back and will defend each other from those who threaten them.
If anything, the title refers not to the performers but to the supposedly “normal” characters of Cleopatra, a trapeze artist, and Hercules, a circus strongman, the film’s villains. Both are conniving, vindictive and greedy, regarding their fellow performers as repulsive and worthy only of scorn. Cleopatra is a particularly evil character, manipulating the short-statured Hans into falling in love with her, even as she slowly poisons him to steal his wealth. And while she tries to play the role of a loving suitor, she eventually snaps at the other performers and condemns them as “freaks”, even as they chant about how they accept her as “one of us”.
The film’s climax is perhaps the only instance in which it slides into the horror genre. A storm descends as the performers move menacingly toward Cleopatra and Hercules, some with knives drawn, the group moving through the rain-soaked mud, some crawling under wagons in a fashion that should fill the viewer with dread. Yet, we don’t fear the performers, but we root for them, feeling that the evil pair, revealed as spiteful attempted murderers are receiving the punishment they deserve.
On a technical level, Freaks is a well-made film, although very much a product of its era, with lots of static camera placements that make the film feel almost like a stage play at times. Although that’s not to say it’s not without some visual flourishes, with some great if all too brief sequences. Such as that of Johnny Eck moving under wagons while cast in shadow, the sounds of thunder and lightning making for a particularly striking image as the camera tracks his silhouette.
The performances are decent, with most of the cast managing to hit their marks. The film’s stand out is Olga Bacalnova as Cleopatra, with her distinctive drawn-out delivery (and heavy Russian accent), calling to mind the likes of Bela Lugosi in Dracula in how she melds charm and villainy to create a suitably loathsome antagonist. The performances of the circus performers, most of whom had never acted on camera before, vary, with some adapting to the format without too much issue, while others often come off as a tad wooden (in fairness, they aren’t professional actors and still try their best with what they have to work with).
I appreciated the scenes where the performers were given a chance to show off pieces of their circus routines, whether it be sword swallowing or fire eating. I was especially amazed by Prince Randian (a man born without limbs) who, using only his mouth, draws and lights a match, lights a cigarette with it, and has a smoke, performing the act with such skill and ease that it’s downright cool.
If the film has any major issues, it’s in the pacing, spending nearly its entire runtime establishing the characters but not getting its main story moving until it’s far too late. Although, in fairness, the pacing issues are not the fault of the filmmakers. Instead, it was the studio who, following poorly received test screenings, butchered the film and reduced its runtime from a more appropriate 90 minutes to the far too short 64 minutes of the final cut. And to add insult to injury, the cut footage has since been lost, meaning we might never see the film in its full uncut glory.
Misleadingly labelled as a horror film, Freaks is instead a highly sympathetic and endearing portrayal of friendship among those mainstream society regards as outsiders. While it could have done with an extra 30 minutes to flesh out its story a tad more, the likeable characters, loathsome villains and friendly atmosphere render Freaks, even with its dark climax, as one of the most surprisingly warm and pleasant films I’ve watched this month.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Graeme Robertson
