A visceral Pre-Code nightmare where gothic horror meets documentary realism. Vividly contrasting physical deformity with moral depravity, it serves as a cinematic mirror reflecting the true monstrosity hidden behind beautiful facades.
Freaks
"Can a full grown woman truly love a midget?"
Director:
Tod Browning
Cast:
Harry Earles, Olga Baclanova, Daisy Earles, Henry Victor, Wallace Ford
Drama
Horror
Budget:
$310,607
Freaks - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
The 'Master' Connection
Angelo Rossitto, who plays the performer who dances on the table during the 'One of Us' scene, went on to play Master in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) over 50 years later.
Lost Castration Scene
In the original uncut ending, the performers did not just attack Hercules; they castrated him. A subsequent scene (now lost) showed him singing in a high-pitched soprano in the sideshow.
Real-Life Siblings
Harry and Daisy Earles, who play the romantic couple Hans and Frieda, were actually brother and sister in real life, a fact that adds an unintended layer of discomfort for modern viewers.