Plot and Cast
Monica Rivers (Joan Crawford) and Dorando (Michael Gough) own a travelling English circus. Monica acts as the ringmistress, and Dorando is the business manager.
When Gaspar the Great falls to his death, it appears that his tightrope might have been purposely weakened. Monica's unemotional reaction to the tragedy alarms Dorando. When she suggests it will be good for business, he asks her to buy him out, which she refuses to do. Monica hires a new high-wire walker, Frank Hawkins (Ty Hardin). Not only is he handsome, he is daring as he does his act over a carpet of sharp bayonets. Monica is impressed, especially by his physical appearance. Shortly after an argument with Monica, Dorando is found gruesomely murdered. Suspicion of Monica's guilt grows and Frank in particular suspects her as he saw her leaving Dorando's trailer before Dorando was discovered. He confronts Monica with this information, demanding a share in the circus for his silence.
Monica's daughter, Angela (Judy Geeson), having been expelled from school, shows up at the circus. Not knowing what to do with her unruly daughter, Monica pairs her with Gustavo the knife thrower (Peter Burton). Another of the circus members is Matilda (Diana Dors) who attempts to seduce Frank, which Monica discovers. During Matilda's act, sawing-a-woman-in-half, there is a malfunction in the equipment and she is killed. During his high-wire act, Frank falls onto the bayonets and is killed. It was not an accident. Angela was seen throwing a knife into him before he fell. Then she confesses she has hated her mother for years as a result of being ignored, and has been "removing" those who take up her mother's time. She then unsuccessfully tries to kill her mother. As Angela attempts to escape, she is electrocuted by an exposed wire during a rainstorm. Monica sobs inconsolably over her daughter's body.
Read more about this topic: Berserk!
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