Freaks

Synopsis: A circus trapeze artist, Cleopatra, takes an interest in Hans, a midget who works in the circus sideshow. Her interest however is in the money Hans will be inheriting and she is actually carrying on an affair with another circus performer, Hercules. Hans's fiancée does her best to convince him that he is being used but to no avail. At their wedding party, a drunken Cleopatra tells the sideshow freaks just what she thinks of them. Together, the freaks decide to make her one of their own.
Genre: Drama, Horror
Director(s): Tod Browning
Production: MGM
  1 win & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.9
Rotten Tomatoes:
94%
NOT RATED
Year:
1932
64 min
1,715 Views


We didn't lie to you, folks.

We told you we had living,

breathing monstrosities.

You laughed at them, shuddered at them...

and yet, but for the accident of birth...

you might be even as they are.

They did not ask

to be brought into the world...

but into the world they came.

Their code is a law unto themselves.

Offend one...

and you offend them all.

And now, folks,

if you'll just step this way...

you are about to witness

the most amazing...

the most astounding living monstrosity...

of all time.

Friends...

she was once a beautiful woman.

A royal prince shot himself for love of her.

She was known as the peacock of the air.

She's the most beautiful big woman

I have ever seen.

Why, Hans, how you talk.

I should be jealous pretty soon.

- Don't be silly.

- Don't be silly?

I've seen these women

making eyes at my Hans.

Of course, I ain't jealous.

Frieda, my dear...

I have eyes for only one woman...

the woman I asked to be my wife.

Frulein Frieda?

Are you laughing at me?

- Why, no, monsieur.

- Thanks. I'm glad.

- Why should I laugh at you?

- Most big people do.

They don't realize I'm a man

with the same feelings they have.

Thank you.

You are so kind, monsieur.

- Nice.

- Don't.

You must come to see me sometime,

and we'll have a little wine together.

Thank you, Frulein Cleo.

You're getting old, Jean.

Probably, last night you had too heavy

a dinner, and now your imagination is...

But, Monsieur Duval,

at first I could not believe my own eyes.

A lot of horrible, twisted things,

you know, crawling, whining, laughing...

Be done, Jean.

What were you drinking last night?

Nothing, monsieur, I assure you.

Monsieur, there must be a law in France

to smother such things at birth...

- or lock them up.

- All right, Jean.

If there's anything like you say

on my grounds, we'll have it removed.

- Come on, let's go.

- All of you! Tout de suite!

Go away, all of you!

Don't you know trespassing

is the same as stealing?

I'm sorry, monsieur.

I am Madame Tetrallini.

These children are in my circus.

Children? They're monsters.

Your circus. I understand.

So you see, monsieur,

when I get a chance...

I like to take them into the sunshine...

and let them play like... children.

That is what most of them are.

Children.

Please forget what was said, madame.

You are welcome to remain.

Au revoir. Come, Jean.

Thanks a thousand, monsieur.

A thousand thanks, monsieur.

Shame!

How many times have I told you

not to be frightened?

Have I not told you...

God looks after all his children?

- Good evening, Madame Tetrallini.

- How are you, Madame Tetrallini?

Big crowd tonight.

There she goes,

taking them out to exercise.

Nurse to a lot of mangy freaks.

"Just as they are represented

on the banners...

"you will see them on the inside.

"Living, breathing monstrosities.

"Josephine Joseph,

half-woman, half-man."

Have a cigar, Joseph.

You dropped your lipstick, Josephine.

Don't get her sore,

or he'll bust you in the nose.

Come on. Hurry up. That's a boy.

You're all wrong. I didn't do it.

What are you trying to do, be funny?

You just don't understand.

A Roman lady...

Getting off the bull

and scratching yourself.

Can't a Roman lady itch?

- Why don't you take a bath?

- I did, but it's the bull that needs the bath.

I think she likes you...

but he don't.

Those flowers you sent to me,

they were beautiful.

But not much beautiful as you.

Thank you.

And Hans, I don't like to ask...

but may I have the loan

of another 1,000 francs...

until my money from Paris arrives?

- With pleasure, Frulein.

- Thank you.

I'll bring it to your wagon tonight.

Forget it.

- Maybe I was just fooling.

- Fooling?

"Come, little girl,

I want to take care of you."

And I fell for that.

Forget it.

So, you're quitting.

Is that it?

Maybe I'm only fooling.

You are not quitting me!

Because I'm kicking you out!

No, you don't. I gave you this.

Why, you cheap...

Don't you come around crying tonight,

trying to get back in.

I'm through wasting my time and money...

on things like you.

Yes. Your time, but my money.

Ungrateful little tramp.

That is fine.

What are you staring at?

Didn't you ever see a lady move before?

I guess you've been listening

to every word he said.

That's it.

Go ahead and laugh. It's funny, ain't it?

Yeah. Women are funny, ain't they?

They're all tramps, ain't they?

Yeah. Except when you can

get money from them.

I'll be...

Who do you think you are,

shooting off your head?

This is Phroso you're talking to.

Not any of those thugs

you've been chasing around with.

- Now, you listen to me.

- I didn't mean you.

- I had to take it out on somebody.

- Yeah, you dames are all alike.

You're sharpshooting, you're cheap...

and how you squeal when you get

what's coming to you.

Easy, kid. Cut it!

It's my own fault.

What gets me

so cockeyed sore at myself...

is that I fell for that big hunk of beef.

So you finally got wise

to yourself, did you?

The funny thing about you women is

most of you don't get wise soon enough.

You wait until you're so old,

nobody wants you.

Nobody does, most of the time.

You ought to be tickled to death

you're washed-up with him.

You're not so hard to look at.

Give yourself a tumble.

You'll make the grade.

- Your breaks is coming.

- Coming? Gone, you mean.

Now you'll sit there

feeling sorry for yourself.

No, I ain't.

Don't you ever accuse me of that.

All right.

But one thing, don't go out filling your

hide with booze, celebrating...

'cause fun what's got that way

never done no one no good.

Get me?

I got you.

You're a pretty good kid.

You're darn right I am. You should have

caught me before my operation.

- Hello, Phroso.

- Well, well, well.

- Tomorrow night's the big night, Daisy?

- Yes, the sister's getting married.

- And I'm thrilled to death.

- She thrills at anything.

- Roscoe's a good kid.

- She's only joking.

She'll like him lots

after she knows him better.

That reminds me.

Close your eyes, Violet.

Go ahead, close them.

- What did I do?

- Pinched Daisy's arm.

What do you know about that?

Her master's voice is calling.

Getting fresh?

I don't like it one...

Come on, you'll have to hurry.

We haven't much time.

So you were flirting

with that cheap clown, were you?

- No, I wasn't.

- He was doing a trick with me.

You shut up.

I'm marrying your sister, not you.

- I saw him getting familiar with you.

- Come on, Daisy.

No, you don't.

She's going to stay right here.

No, she isn't. I got to go.

You're always using that for an...

For an alibi.

Where are you going?

You don't look at others so much, do you?

Yes, I have seen you.

So that's how it is.

You got to be caught.

Well?

Come on in.

Help yourself to a drink.

That is fine.

Feel like eating something?

Always.

Prosit.

How many?

I'm not very hungry. About six.

How do you like them?

Not bad.

But you are strong.

You are squeezing me to death.

And you'll like it.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

Willis Goldbeck

Willis Goldbeck (October 24, 1898 – September 17, 1979) was an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He wrote for 40 films between 1923 and 1962. He also directed ten films between 1942 and 1951. Willis graduated from Worcester Academy. more…

All Willis Goldbeck scripts | Willis Goldbeck Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Freaks" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/freaks_8541>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    Freaks

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.


    Quiz

    Are you a screenwriting master?

    »
    In which year was "Avatar" released?
    A 2009
    B 2010
    C 2011
    D 2008