Remember that this is a horror film of British origin, not American, and as such if you’re looking for a typical film of the genre, this is not one of them. British horror films tend to give more attention to the psychological aspects of horror and short shrift to the physical aspects. If you realize this, you should really enjoy this one.
The story revolves around a German plastic surgeon who, in 1947, botches a job badly and has to leave England to escape the notoriety. Fortunately a horrible car accident and near brush with death makes almost everyone convinced of the doctor’s death and makes his escape easy. In France he runs across a young girl who was scarred in the war. He repairs her face and in turn inherits the father’s circus when the father is mauled by a dancing bear. And I’m not talking about the parts that are a hoot yet.
Now for the discrete charm and campiness of it all. The doctor decides that, along with a name change and a new face for himself, running a circus will be a great front for continuing his plastic surgery practice and experiments. He seems to have no trouble finding scarred female criminals – they practically fall into his lap – and once repairing them he not only has no trouble bedding them, all of the doctor’s girls have a talent for walking the high-wire, eating fire, lion taming, etc. – talents that befit a circus. Not a clumsy or shy one or one who would rather be an accountant in the lot.
The doctor does resent it though whenever one wants to leave. Every time one of them announces a desire to leave or an engagement they die a horrible “accidental” death in the ring during what was supposed to be – and tragically is – their last performance. In spite of the bodies piling up, the authorities allow the circus to remain open, and stranger yet – the girls keep TELLING the doctor whenever they want to leave! As for me, after the third freak accident, I’d be packing my things in the middle of the night and disappearing if I had any desire to change careers.
However, without these confrontational and agile girls there would be no story, so it’s an understandable plot device. Don’t think I’m disrespecting this film – it is great entertainment, just not horror in the conventional sense. And that hammy yet hummable little tune “Reach for a Star” that gets played during every performance is pure 60’s British cinema.
