The current run of classic films that I am currently going through comes from a list compiled by Rotten Tomatoes.  They ranked the 100 best reviewed classic movies of all time, both by critics and fans.  As I did with the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list, I am not doing this in any order.  Indeed, the only reason I landed on Freaks (1932) is because it is just over an hour in length and I needed something short before I go to the Vigil Mass.  I can encapsulate my reaction in one word: yikes!  Now, before I elaborate, the fact that such a film is mentioned among the likes of Citizen Kane (1941) or Casablanca (1942) begs the question: huh?  I should also mention that it is categorized as a horror film.  Though I am typically not into this genre, I thought that, given the date of its production, it could be safe.  What I got was, well, you will see. . . .

If you have an idea of what circus life was like historically, then it would probably not surprise you that Freaks begins under the big top.  A barker is trying to draw attention to one of the so-called eponymous attractions on display.  We do not see who it is at first, but we are told that she is the result of a code of law among traveling performers.  How she gets to this point is the subject of the rest of the film.  She had once been the “Peacock of the Air,” the trapeze artist known as Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova).  She is as renowned for her beauty as her death defying tricks as she swings through the air.  Because of this, many of the men of the show desire her, including Hans (Harry Earles), a little person.  This is not to the liking of the little person he has said he would marry, Frieda (Daisy Earles), though he claims he has eyes only for Daisy.  Despite these declarations, he is solicitous of Cleopatra, often bringing her gifts.  Another person who comes under her spell is the strong man Hercules (Henry Victor).  This happens shortly after he has a falling out with his previous girlfriend, Venus (Leila Hyams).  While Hercules basically goes straight from Venus’ trailer to that of Cleopatra, Venus finds comfort with the clown, Phroso (Wallace Ford).  From here, the movie wanders around a bit, which is hard to understand since it has such a short run time.  I suspect that its plot is purposely thin because the real point of the proceedings is to display the different circus performers, what used to be referred to as a “Freak Show.”  There are some interesting things said about this group of people, but I will save it for the next paragraph.  At any rate, they are also there to react in various ways to the developing love square, if you will, between Cleopatra and Hans, and Phroso and Venus.  Speaking of that, Frieda continues to warn Hans about Cleopatra, claiming that the trapeze artist does not respect him.  Frieda is correct, of course, but Hans will not listen to her.  Thus, Frieda goes to Cleopatra and, I guess, attempts to appeal to Cleopatra’s humanity by telling the temptress about Hans’ vast wealth.  Frieda’s goal is to shame Cleopatra into not being a goal digger.  This is conjecture on my part as it is never clearly said why Frieda would say the one thing that would interest a woman like Cleopatra, but I digress.  Immediately, Cleopatra and Hercules come up with a scheme whereby she would marry Hans, poison her new husband, and take his riches for herself.  She wastes no time in beginning the process of killing Hans, slipping a substance into a bottle of wine she continues to pour just for him.  Yet, this is interrupted by a strange and haunting sequence when Angeleno (Angelo Rossitto), another little person, commences a ceremony by which Cleopatra will become “one of us.”  This is meant to be her initiation into the eponymous group, but she instead recoils in horror.  The guests are shocked by her behavior, and this helps save Hans’ life.  Still, she goes with Hans into his trailer, ostensibly to begin their life together.  However, her real intention is to finish off her new husband.  He knows what she is up to this time, and eventually confronts her with this knowledge with others of his kind as back-up.  He is not the only one with knowledge of the plot.  Venus is aware, too, and Hercules goes to attack her, but is stopped by Phroso.  Meanwhile, Cleopatra manages to escape from the trailer, but the rest of the title people follow her closely.  Yet, we do not see what they do to her.  Instead, we cut back to where we started, and we see her on display as a human duck.  We close this strange tale with Phroso and Venus bringing Frieda to a heartbroken Hans, who is alone in his mansion.

Actually, now that I have written my synopsis of Freaks, I am not sure I properly conveyed its strangeness.  It is bizarre, but not for the reasons you might think.  This is something I tried to treat with respect as I typed the last paragraph.  This attitude is summed up well by a woman we see taking care of many of the people referred to in the title.  Though they are clearly infantilized, she says what is important to remember: that God looks after all His children.  I am a child of God, you are a child of God, and everyone you see in this movie is a child of God.  This statement comes moments after you see two people walking near the circus.  One of them is talking about how there should be a law that allows for the so-called “merciful killing” of the kinds of people you see in this movie.  This is also fascinating when you consider that this was the position of the Nazis, who were on the rise in Germany at the time of this production.  What the Nazis, or the person advocating euthanasia, think is that a person like those you see here do not have a quality of life and would be better off dead.  It is a barbaric stance on such matters, and not at all in keeping with the beliefs of the Catholic Church.  Most of the time people associate the Church’s pro-life rhetoric with abortion, which is fair.  It also goes beyond children in the womb.  Catholicism posits that all life is precious from conception to natural death.  No matter what we may see as a person “suffering,” they have dignity because they were created by God.  Of course, there is no dignity in this movie, though I would say that this is not as bad as it could be.  It is an unfortunate sign of the times that they saw no problems with exploiting a vulnerable portion of the population.

I do not recommend watching Freaks.  Again, it could be worse, but it has little value beyond reminding you how we used to treat people with these kinds of conditions.  I pray that society never returns to these attitudes.