Freaks

Starring: Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova, Roscoe Ates, Henry Victor, Harry Earles, Daisy Earles, Rose Dione, Daisy Hilton, Violet Hilton, Schlitze, Josephine Joseph, Prince Randian
Directed by: Tod Browning
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama, Horror
1932

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In a circus filled with diverse talent, a growing rift develops between a selfish woman and a dwarf she claims to love.

Review:
Tim: Freaks is an astonishing film, a movie I can barely believe exists. When it was released in 1932, it was incredibly controversial, banned in many places. It's a movie that was unfortunately meddled with a bit by studio execs, yet still comes across as a film with enormous heart. I've never quite seen anything like what Tod Browning did here and I think this is one of the more remarkable movies of the 1930s.

I should start with one of the controversies of the film. The movie is titled Freaks and it features a wide cast of diverse humans, many with physical deformities that would have been shocking to audiences in the 1930s. Truthfully, it was a bit shocking to me, 90 years later. There is definitely an exploitative aspect of this film that doesn't sit well with me- these "freaks" are human beings, but they are put on display here, supposed making this a "horror" film. You could easily criticize this film for that. However, the reality is different. The movie might have that title and it might have a few scenes at the end that try to make it a horror film. But, most of the movie is a surprisingly heartfelt look at a cast of human beings shunned by the majority. The "freaks" in this film might have physical deformities, but the movie treats them (mostly) with compassion. They have heart, show love, support each other. It's the "regular" human beings who act out of selfishness, deceit, betrayal. I don't know how you watch this film and not come to that conclusion.

That's a huge reason why I loved this movie as much as I did. These people are presented to the audience, told they are freaks, but the movie itself goes out of its way to show them in a sympathetic light. Studio execs cut some lines that further illustrated this point, but the point is still made. I watched this movie, mesmerized by these people forced to live on the outskirts of society- there's a famous story about how they were excluded from the studio lot, treated as less-than-human, as something to shun verses embrace. I feel so badly for these performers, for being put into that situation. It's awful. And yet, the movie itself treats them with humanity. It captures their presence for all eternity. That's something I felt bewildered and impressed by- the fact that this movie exists allowed me, 90+ years later, to watch these human being act in this film, allowed me to see them on screen and acknowledge their existence. I felt so much gratitude that I know these people existed and I can't imagine what their lives must have been like. The physical deformities they suffered were challenging enough- can you imagine not having any arms or legs? But, to live during a time when your best chance at making a living was to join a circus or feature in a film where people would scream and faint at the sight of you? It's a tragedy. This is all wrapped up in this movie. Freaks is a film you don't just watch- you experience, and it's a movie that feels impossible to shake off.

Wallace Ford gives a strong performance as one of the more sympathetic humans. His role was critical, as he treats everyone with kindness and respect. He sees them as human beings, not "freaks". Leila Hyams is similar. Olga Baclanova is chilling as Cleopatra, an example of the worst of humanity. She sets the majority of the film's movement into action by pretending to love a dwarf (After she learns of his inheritance). She and Henry Victor do a great job portraying the darkest side of humanity through their characters. Harry Earles and Daisy Earles are incredible, playing Hans and Frieda. Interesting, they play romantic interests here, although they were brother and sister in real life. Their diminutive stature is a big part of their characters, but their humanity, their acting talent is what really seeps through. I especially thought Harry Earles gave a stunningly emotional performance, one of the best of the film. We see Siamese Twins, a Half-Woman-Half-Man, a Bearded Lady, individuals with microcephaly, and more. Audiences not used to seeing people like this (and, let's be frank- in the early 1930s, film was still fairly new, most hadn't) would undoubtedly have been shocked and scandalized. One of the best scenes in the film involves Prince Randian (the Human Torso) lighting and smoking a cigarette using only his mouth. It's one of the wildest things I have ever seen on screen- and a powerful testament to what he would have had to endured throughout his life. His ability to do this on screen speaks to the bottomless well of ingenuity and inspiration of humanity. That's not hyperbole- it's that amazing to see.

It's interesting to consider how this film was scandalous when released. Many viewers would come for the novelty, to be shocked and horrified. That's not cool, but it does tell us a lot about 1932. To watch this movie today is a wildly different experience. I feel like viewers would approach it with more sympathy, more humanity. Our collective empathy can still be debated, but the world is different than it was back then. This movie takes on a very different quality, yet it's no less memorable or powerful. Freaks is a movie so fundamentally different to everything else I've seen from this era. It's complex, complicated, impossible to fully explain or pin down. I do wish the cast was treated more humanely, more uniformly. Making the film couldn't have been an easy experience. However, these human beings were captured on film and live on, in a way. And I feel like that's such a beautiful thing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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