The film is a remake of the noir drama of the same name made almost in 1947. Bradley Cooper stars with Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, David Strathairn, and Cate Blanchett. All turn in strong performances.

One of the selling points of the film for me was the rich setting of a traveling carnival 80 years ago.  In the bosom of that troupe of performers, outcasts and small-time hustlers,

the protagonist develops a rare ability—or the pretense of it—and is drawn to new venues where he plies his trade on more discerning and concerning types.

The film (based on the novel of the same name) draws its title from a dark secret of the carnival trade of that time. The “geek,” a nearly naked and wretched creature who feasts on a live chicken from within a cage, is often cultivated from “Skid Row” or “Nightmare Alley” bums who are deranged into the role. There are other ominous symbols and fetishes within the carnival’s culture that add to the foreboding quality of this tale. 

The movie is a little long, but the tension holds for the most part. This is a very well-made film (and worth the watch), though we won’t see until the award shows begin that it probably wasn’t the best told story.

WRH