"(rooster crows in distance)" "(indistinct conversations, laughter)" "(over radio):" "♪ I saw you last evening ♪" "♪ Standing up against a tree ♪" "(honky-tonk piano playing)" "♪ I saw you last evening, standing up against a tree ♪" "♪ I heard you say you was sick... ♪" "Thank you." "♪ But you looked like you strong to me... ♪" "(giggling)" "♪ Well, your hat was on backwards ♪" "♪ And your clothes were comin' off of you ♪" "♪ Well, your hat was on-- ♪" "PAUL:" "Hey, I was listening to that." "ANNOUNCER:" "...the town of Jupiter is in the grips of terror for a second week, from four unsolved murders and a child who remains missing." "Schools stand like mausoleums, their attendance drastically declined, as parents keep their children safely home." "(siren wailing)" "CAROL:" "Surprised to see you here." "Nobody else seems to be open." "Mr. Hanley says it's business as usual." "Even though we haven't seen a customer for days." "ANNOUNCER:" "And we have learned, though this report has not yet been confirmed, that one of their own, possibly a Jupiter police detective, has himself been missing for two days." "Reliable sources in the police department have circulated the clarion cry that," ""No stone will be left unturned." "The boys in blue are out for blood."" "(siren continues wailing)" "(siren stops)" "ANNOUNCER:" "This news report is brought to you... (radio clicks off)" "JIMMY:" "You take care of the body like we talked about?" "Jesus." "Who's the proprietor of this, uh, freak show?" "You're looking for Elsa Mars." "That's her tent, right there." "ELSA:" "We have nothing to hide." "But I cannot allow you to look around without a search warrant." "My monsters cherish their privacy." "You can see all we have to offer with a ticket to the show." "There ain't gonna be any show tonight, or anytime soon." "We're setting up a curfew." "This town is shutting down at night till the killer's caught." "A curfew?" "You are going to ruin my business." "Every dark cloud has a silver lining." "COLQUITT:" "Ah..." "Our famous vanishing patient." "Or is it... patients?" "ELSA:" "They left the hospital for the same reason anyone does:" "they're weren't ill anymore." "Did you expect them to move in?" "We like to get statements from anyone involved in a murder investigation." "ELSA:" "They gave their statement." "To the other policeman." "I was there when they did." "He told us, off the record, that their story had the trademark of the other killings." "He did seem..." "drunk, though." "I agree with Miss Mars." "I smelled whiskey." "COLQUITT:" "He never mentioned that statement to us." "And now he's missing." "Hmm." "Will you arrest us for that, too?" "His disappearance?" "(quiet laugh)" "We're such easy targets, aren't we?" "We're not arresting anyone for anything." "Yet." "We got a stack of murders and a missing cop, though, so expect to get to know us." "(latch rattling)" "(door bell jingles)" "Mr. Hanley, got your coffee." "M-Mr." "Hanley?" "Mr. Hanley!" "(sudden whirring)" "(quiet footsteps)" "♪ ♪" "(quiet gasp)" "(growling, shuddering)" "(blade scrapes, body thuds)" "(growls)" "(jaunty swing music playing)" "(laughter, lively conversations)" "PEPPER:" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "♪ ♪" "ALL:" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "Kill him dead!" "♪ ♪" "(chanting continues):" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "Kill the copper!" "Drink up, Jimmy!" "It's your victory cup!" "(chanting continues)" "Shut... up!" "(Jimmy grunting)" "I'm sorry I snapped." "I never killed nobody before." "What if he has a family, a couple kids, wondering where he is?" "I know what it's like to grow up without a father." "AMAZON EVE:" "Are we gonna return the body parts back to the family?" "JIMMY:" "No." "We're gonna burn these body parts, and we're gonna scatter the ashes as far as we can." "Cops are already sniffing around." "(body thudding)" "I'm sorry, guys." "I wanted to protect us and instead, I created a shit-storm of trouble." "You had no other choice." "He was gonna take the twins away." "He called us freaks." "I hate that word." "JIMMY:" "They don't even know us." "If they just got to know us, they would see we're just like them." "No better, no worse, just... regular people." "That's what we gotta do let 'em know us." "Hey..." "look what I found." "I don't think it'll burn." "Maybe it'll melt." "Good catch, Evie." "I'll take care of that." "(quiet pinging)" "(pinging continues)" "(pinging stops as bell jingles)" "Snails?" "(sighs)" "How boring." "That's what you ordered-- escargot." "Like you had in Paris." "(laughs)" "Oh...!" "Dora went to a lot of trouble." "Don't you make a sour face." "(quietly):" "That boy's working my last nerve." "(young man sighs)" "You can't live on sweets and cognac, Dandy." "It's bad for the temperament." "I'm still having nightmares about the debacle with the Cushing girl" "I told you a million trillion times," "I did not touch her." "She was just miffed 'cause I said she reminded me of the pregnant hippo we saw on safari." "Damn lucky for both of us." "Police Chief Pringle was a high school beau of mine." "(scoffs)" "All those charming girls I've introduced you to." "They're all smelly cows." "But what about a grandbaby?" "It'd be such fun for us!" "Never!" "Babies are more boring than anything." "I want to be a thespian." "But you keep ruining it." "It's not our world, Dandy." "You come from a long line of such fine people-- generation after generation of refinement." "I am simply protecting you from a life of degradation and opprobrium!" "I'm turning to dust from boredom." "Where are you going?" "I don't know-- maybe St. Petersburg, where they have real caramel corn, not that cardboard they sell at the freak show." "Oh, stay, darling!" "Stay with Mother." "We'll play June Allyson paper dolls, or whatever you'd like!" "Something ghastly always happens when you run off in a mood!" "(door slams in distance) Miss Gloria..." "I have some bad news." "I found some of those, uh, parts... behind the tool shed." "There was some fur and teeth, and neighbors been stopping by all day, looking for their cat." "And people have been disappearing all over town." "Dandy had nothing to do with that." "He's just bored." "What are you two loafers doing out here?" "(sighs) Get up!" "It's time to go work on your act." "We're not performers." "Speak for yourself." "Around here, we sing for our supper." "(car approaching)" "Christ on a wheel..." "DOT:" "Who's that?" "Somebody I used to know." "Please tell me this is a rest stop." "As far as we're concerned, this might as well be the Garden of Eden." "So said the snake." "ELSA:" "This ad was placed months ago." "Well, we had to close out our Midwest engagement before we could get down here." "You were with the Giuseppe Brothers of Chicago, you say?" "Last six years." "Dell Toledo... the Stupendous Strong Man!" "You probably heard of me." "I got a honey of an escape act." "I studied under Hardeen," "Harry Houdini's younger brother." "Truly." "Three sold-out shows a night, two matinees every weekend." "I was a smash in the Windy City." "But the real star of our family is my wife here." "Desiree." "Those greasy Giuseppe Brothers never understood that." "They had her opening up for some lousy animal acts." "(groans) I couldn't stand the stink of it." "So I loaded up our caravan and I took my girl out of there." "Yours... is a true love story." "Yes, it really is." "Hey, what the hell are you two fruits doing around here?" "We're waiting for our friend." "He's inside." "He thinks he can change his stripes." "How's he figure he's gonna do that?" "Ah, ah, ah, oh!" "(man crying)" "That's it, baby." "Right there." "Aw, that's okay, baby boy." "There ain't no need to cry." "Desiree's got you." "Martin was right." "You're a miracle worker." "(laughs) You're my salvation." "I never dreamed that I would ever be able to do this with a real woman." "Maybe now I can have a wife." "A family." "A normal life." "Oh, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves." "Let's get you to come first." "You want me to use my extra bit of business to get you there?" "That's my wife!" "My wife!" "Dell!" "ELSA:" "The world of carny folk is small, Mr. Toledo." "I've heard tales of a strongman with a temper." "And murder." "There ain't murder if there ain't no body." "And ain't no Chicago police gonna drag his ass all the way down to this swamp on account of some dead poof." "(laughs)" "They're lower than us freaks." ""Us freaks"?" "Three titties, proper girl parts and a ding-a-ling." "I'm a full blown hermaphrodite." "Put that on your banner." "My word." "(laughs)" "What does that make you?" "The happiest man on Earth." "You are an enchanting couple." "But the position is filled." "To be frank, business is slow these days." "I couldn't afford a couple of your renown." "You put a contract in front of me for whatever you think is fair, and I will sign it." "The truth is you... you're our last stop." "You said it before." "The world of carny folk is small." "Well, it's smaller than you know." "We're a vanishing breed." "You turn us away, there's no place left for us to go." "Show me your hands." "What, are you gonna read my future?" "Your past." "Come on, show me." "Strong hands." "Calloused." "And not afraid of hard work." "Not afraid of anything." "Maybe what this place needs is a strong male presence." "Do you bark?" "Hell, I'll even howl if you like." "(short laugh)" "♪ Kiss me sweeter... ♪" "(woman sings in Italian)" "♪ Hold me tighter... ♪" "(woman sings response in Italian)" "♪ Say you love me ♪" "(woman sings in Italian)" "BOTH (harmonizing):" "♪ Say it just to me ♪" "(man and woman harmonize in Italian)" "Excuse me?" "Excuse me!" "Clown?" "Do you do private parties?" "For children?" "I'll pay you handsomely for it." "My son's been a little down in the dumps." "Maybe you can cheer him up." "Well, it ain't bad, but the kids, they really like those prizes that come in the boxed stuff." "That's because they haven't tasted this!" "Listen, I know that's not why you're here." "You got a thing for the twins." "Look, I don't judge, okay?" "I get it, you know?" "You see a piece of tail, you just got to have it." "But us guys, we don't always think with our brains." "It's not about the twins!" "It's about me." "I'd like to join the show." "I've had an epiphany." "I truly believe this is where I belong." "I've been ruminating on my life and what I want." "This is the perfect place for me." "Well, unless you got pony legs under those trousers or a double ding dong..." "No, but I do know the entire Cole Porter canon." "Listen." "You ain't the first kid who wants to run away and join the circus." "You got dreams of the lights." "But trust me." "It's nothing like you'd imagine." "You wouldn't last one day here." "You don't know me!" "What you're looking at-- that's not who I am inside." "I'm one of you." "I'll prove it." "Please!" "Just take a chance on me!" "You'd be saving my life." "You know what I wouldn't give to have real hands like yours?" "To be able to touch a girl without scaring her?" "From where I'm sitting you got the world on a string." "So, you go home to your mansion on the hill, and you thank God for all you got." "Now scram!" "I got to sweep a tent." "DANDY:" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you!" "I hate you..." "You'd better eat something, Miss Mott." "Your ulcer's gonna start acting up." "(door opens) He's home!" "Dandy's home!" "Leave me alone, Mother." "I have a surprise for you!" "Something you've always wanted!" "What happened to you?" "I hate it here." "I hate this house." "I hate my life." "I hate you, Mother!" "Nonsense, you just need a little companionship." "Maybe a new friend." "Are your eyes closed?" "Don't be stupid." "Let me in." "(laughs) It's a clown." "Your very own clown!" "You can do whatever you want with him!" "I'll leave you two alone." "(low snarling)" "(flies buzzing)" "♪ ♪" "Well, I'll be dammed." "If it ain't old Honest Abe herself." "Ethel, you look good." "How's the old soup catcher?" "I would've expected to see some gray in it by now." "You been dyeing it?" "You can tell me." "Let's cut the chitchat." "I won't be here long." "And here's a news flash:" "You won't be either." "Whatever your story is, you're not welcome here." "You stay away from my Jimmy." "Jimmy who?" "(baby crying) Shut up!" "You know what?" "Life's rough, kid." "Especially for a mistake like you." "I'm gonna save you a lot of pain." "I never want to see you ever again." "You say one word to my boy, you get anywhere near him, and my freaks will tear you limb from limb." "(laughs)" "Believe me, I didn't come here for that kid." "And I sure as hell didn't come here for you." "I'm married now." "She's a real lady." "And a star." "You wouldn't know a real lady from a goat's ass." "You sure that's the way you want to address your new boss?" "You'll never be my boss." "She put me in charge of the whole place." "Your-your friend Miss Elsa." "I simply pointed out security around this place is a little lax." "You wouldn't want nothing wandering in or wandering out." "You are aware there's a vicious killer abroad in the land?" "(door slams)" "(off-key):" "♪ When I'm calling you... ♪" "♪ Will you answer to...?" "♪" "Nein!" "Stop!" "Halt!" "You make my teeth ache." "You're flat." "I'm sorry." "I'm a little nervous." "A little tone deaf." "Yeah." "Come on, we try again, come on." "(off-key):" "♪ When I'm calling you... ♪" "(Elsa speaks German)" "Please, no more." "I thought you said you could sing?" "I'm going to have to find something else for you to do." "BETTE:" "Like what?" "Uh, juggling." "Doesn't matter." "What?" "What do you mean it "doesn't matter"?" "They're our headliners!" "Hardly that!" "They are my warm-up act." "It doesn't matter that they're good." "They have two heads." "BETTE:" "Please, Miss Elsa." "We don't want to just stand here and be stared at." "It's embarrassing." "Me and Dell?" "Uh, we saw this act down in Mexico." "This senorita, could shoot ping pong balls right out of her... (popping)" "What?" "At least I'm trying to come up with something." "What about Dot?" "Dot doesn't have any talent." "That's true." "I don't even know that song." "So sing something else." "Whatever you want." "Sing it to me." "No." "Pretend like nobody's here." "Just me." "Go on." "Give it a try." "♪ Stars shining bright above you ♪" "♪ Night breezes seem to whisper I love you ♪" "♪ Birds singing in the sycamore tree ♪" "♪ Dream a little dream of me. ♪" "Ha!" "Not bad." "That'll go over real nice tomorrow." "What, has the curfew been lifted already?" "Aw, hell no." "But we're not gonna let that stop us." "3:00 matinee every day until the curfew's lifted." ""Matinee"?" "That's right." "Folks can come see the show, be home in time for Uncle Miltie." "Nein." "Nein." "No matinees." "No." "No." "People don't come to see freaks in the heat of day." "They come in the evening." "When the darkness moves in and speaks of mystery." "The unknown." "When logic loosens its vice grip and the imagination comes out to play." "The night allows the stars to shine and we come alive." "(laughs) No." "Daytime is for kiddie shows." "Clowns and kewpie dolls." "Maybe that's what you're used to." "But you're in a real freak show now." "My freak show!" "Dell?" "Listen to the lady." "She's your boss now." "No lady is the boss of me." "Why don't we go outside and calm down, huh?" "(gasps)" "The hell with this." "I'm gonna go into town." "Post some bills." "There will be paying asses in these seats tomorrow!" "Curtain goes up at 3:00." "(quiet laugh)" "That man is going to be a problem." "I will be the king, you be Anna." "We can do my favorite scene from The King and I." "I saw the show on opening night." "And then every night for a week." "Yul Brynner was transcendent." ""Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera!"" "(laughs)" "You're right, of course." "Puppetry is a sad cousin to a live performance." "I like real puppets like you." "I've had quite the terrible day." "I could use a little diversion." "Amuse me, clown." "I'm sure Mother has paid you handsomely." "Your silence is utterly provocative." "But you'll have to earn your keep, clown." "Come!" "Find a toy, and show me what kind of clown you truly are." "(muffled screaming)" "Excuse me, miss?" "You're back." "Yes, ma'am." "And I brought some friends this time." "W-What do you want?" "Well, this is a diner, ain't it?" "We're hungry." "And we want to be served." "Remember, everyone, manners matter." "Use your forks." "Napkins on the lap." "WOMAN:" "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "Is there any place else you can eat?" "You're upsetting my daughter." "Well, I'm sure she'd love the show if she saw it." "Tell the ticket lady Jimmy sent you." "We're ready to order now." "What do you want?" "Salisbury steak should hit the spot." "I'll have the iceberg wedge." "I'm watching my figure." "Yeah, that looks pretty good." "I think I'll just have that." "Paul." "JIMMY:" "Uh, what are you having, Pepper?" "Meat loaf." "Meat loaf!" "Yeah!" "Meat loaf!" "She'll have the meat loaf." "PEPPER:" "Meat loaf!" "Okay!" "Um, excuse me." "That's not yours." "Let me guess." "This was your bright idea." "You eat at the camp." "We're not bothering anybody." "But that's not his food." "I'm gonna have to bus this plate." "Don't you touch this girl!" "She's just doing her job!" "Apologize to the girl." "Hey!" "What's the problem here?" "She was gonna throw it out anyway." "Like this?" "MANAGER:" "I have the right to refuse service." "You people have to leave!" "Meat loaf!" "Meat loaf!" "Meat loaf!" "See what you did?" "!" "You give these folks a free show, who's gonna want to buy tickets?" "PEPPER:" "Meat loaf." "Come on, you stupid freaks." "Let's go." "Hey, stop calling us freaks!" "We're people!" "Just like everybody in this joint." "I said, let's go." "(grunting)" "Hey, come here." "Come help me." "Try this." "We're never getting out." "Now we have a chance." "(chains rattle)" "Just be ready to run." "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪" "(muffled humming)" "(rapid, muffled grunting)" "(slow, raspy breathing)" "(screams)" "(muffled screaming)" "Girl." "Are you hurt?" "My God, mister, please-- you have to help us." "Please, the clown, he's crazy!" "Here, here." "Oh, wait." "We'll get to the bottom of this." "(screaming)" "No, what are you doing?" "!" "We can't go back..." "He's a killer!" "Don't!" "(Bonnie screaming)" "Clown, look what I have for you." "You'll have to do a much better job of confinement if we're going to have any fun." "BONNIE:" "No...!" "(grunts)" "No!" "No!" "Please!" "No!" "Stop it!" "No...!" "Elsa...?" "Have you no decorum?" "Barging into a lady's tent unannounced?" "You're bleeding." "He can't stay here, Elsa." "I take it you refer to our new strongman." "You know he's out putting matinee posters all over town, after you asked him not to?" "Perhaps it's for the best." "We don't know how long this curfew will last." "I've decided to give his scheme a try." "Why not?" "Elsa, he'll tear this troop apart!" "Or hold it together." "If the killer who stalks this town is not soon caught, the people will seek out scapegoats." "And your kind... have always proven convenient sacrifices in such instances." "You think that thick-necked goon is gonna protect us?" "I think for now, it's good to have a man of strength among us." "You've already got one." "What's that?" "That's the only thing left of the cop who came here the other day." "He was gonna take the twins, Elsa." "He threatened to run us out of town or worse." "My liebchen." "How have I underestimated you?" "Not just me." "Dell." "See where he's got you billed?" "He's got to go." "Straight out of the jungle, and fresh off the farm," "Meep the Geek!" "Meep!" "You like what you see, so far?" "Well, hold onto your seats, ladies and gents, because today, for the first time ever, you will have the privilege of watching a song and dance act by our brand new headliners!" "Ladies and gentlemen, from the exotic land of Siam, the Spectacular Siamese Sisters!" "(intro playing)" "♪ I've been a bad, bad girl ♪" "♪ I've been careless with a delicate man ♪" "♪ And it's a sad, sad world ♪" "♪ When a girl will break a boy ♪" "♪ Just because she can ♪" "♪ Whoa, help me, but don't tell me ♪" "♪ To deny it ♪ ♪ Deny it ♪" "♪ I've got to cleanse myself of all these lies ♪" "♪ Till I'm good enough for him ♪" "♪ I've got a lot to lose ♪" "♪ And I'm betting high, so I'm begging you ♪" "♪ Before it ends ♪" "♪ Just tell me where to begin ♪" "♪ Ooh-ooh ♪" "BOTH:" "♪ What I need ♪" "Where the hell do you think you're going?" "What, I got to ask permission to take a leak now, too?" "♪ 'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal ♪" "♪ And I need to be redeemed ♪" "♪ To the one I've sinned against ♪" "♪ Because he's all I ever knew of love ♪" "♪ Yeah... ♪" "♪ What I need ♪" "♪ Is a good defense ♪" "♪ 'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal ♪" "♪ And I need to be redeemed to the one I've sinned against ♪" "♪ Because he's all I ever knew of ♪" "♪ Love. ♪" "(audience cheers and applauds)" "(sirens wailing)" "♪ ♪" "MAN:" "Elsa Mars." "We have a warrant to search the premises for evidence pertaining to the disappearance of Detective Robert Bunch." "On what grounds, Officer?" "We received an anonymous tip." "We have reasons to believe he was murdered here." "Which one of these tents belongs to Dell Toledo?" "What?" "That one over there." "Turn it upside down!" "DELL:" "Wait a minute." "What the hell is going on here?" "Hey, hold on, pal." "We only just got here a couple of days ago." "We haven't done anything." "Shut your trap." "DESIREE:" "Dell!" "Dell!" "COLQUITT:" "We already got an earful about what a Boy Scout you were, from Chicago PD." "I'm telling you-- there's nothing in there." "Why are you so smug?" "You're the one with the guilty look on your face." "Nothing in the trailer, sir." "COLQUITT:" "Nobody moves a muscle until we search every tent here!" "Tear this place apart!" "Is this what guilt looks like?" "Tragic, isn't it, when a plan breaks down?" "DELL:" "Where do you think you're going?" "DOT:" "♪ What I need ♪" "♪ Is a good defense ♪" "DELL:" "Jimmy..." "There was no way the cops were ever gonna find what you left behind in my trailer." "OFFICER:" "Found it, sir!" "(whimpering):" "Meep-Meep..." "Meep..." "Meep..." "(whimpering)" "It was under his bed roll." "This is Detective Bunch's badge." "I'm shocked, Officer." "Shocked." "Take this freak to the station." "(Meep whimpering)" "(engine starts)" "(whimpering)" "(door creaking shut)" "DOYLE:" "I'm telling you, there's no way this guy is the mastermind behind everything." "He had the badge." "Even if he didn't kill those people, he knows who did." "A night in the tank, you'll name names." "Get a load of this." "(whimpering)" "INMATE:" "So you're the big, scary killer?" "You like to diddle little kiddies, you sick freak?" "(whimpering)" "GREASER:" "I heard they found the toy store owner with his fingers missing." "How about I rip yours off, one by one?" "(shrieking):" "Meep!" "Meep!" "Meep!" "(echoing):" "Meep." "(whispering):" "Wake up." "I came to congratulate you on your triumph tonight." "They loved her, not me." "I kept trying to run off the stage." "I felt so embarrassed." "And now she's really mad at me." "She's mad at you?" "Mm-hmm." "Oh. (chuckles)" "She deliberately eclipsed you." "She made you feel like shite." "I thought I would be good." "I thought all I needed was an audience." "And it would all come together." "I'm such a stupid fool." "That's how she wants you to feel." "These people get their confidence from feeding off others' self-doubt." "You talking in your sleep?" "No, it's Elsa." "She came to congratulate us." "Well, tell her thanks." "We're sleeping." "It's like she's become another person." "Oh." "Really, truly, anyone can see... you are the star, my angel." "(giggling softly)" "But that one, she has a dark soul." "Mm-hmm." "She wants what you have, and she knows how to take it." "But you mustn't allow it." "You mustn't allow it." "My angel." "(sighs)" "(coughs)" "Son, what are you doing?" "What's it look like I'm doing?" "My sweet boy." "What's wrong?" "I've never seen you take a drink before." "I've always been so proud of you, staying away from this shit." "You're such an example to the others." "I can't help the others." "(sniffles) They took Meep." "Meep." "He didn't do anything." "It's my fault." "That's nonsense." "You had nothing to do with that." "The police had no right, roughing you up like that." "I just wanted him gone." "Meep?" "Dell." "He's bad news." "More'n that, Jimmy," "I want you to stay away from that man." "You hear me?" "(thumps stage)" "(groans)" "I gotta tell them." "I gotta get him out." "No, no, Jimmy..." "Yeah, I've gotta tell them..." "That's easier said than done." "...he can get out!" "The bastard has signed a contract." "Jimmy!" "Not Dell!" "Meep!" "He's not gonna be able to spend the night in jail, Mom." "He's not tough." "(panting)" "He's just weird." "I gotta..." "I have to tell them everything." "(sighs)" "I'm sorry." "Tell who what?" "Jimmy?" "Jimmy!" "(truck approaching)" "(screaming)" "(Jimmy sobbing)"