Nightmare Alley (2021)
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A desperate carnival worker uses his fraudulent psychic skills to climb the social ladder, only to find himself ensnared in a web of manipulation and danger.
The story
In 1939, Stan Carlisle, a man with a mysterious past, joins a traveling carnival as a performer. He begins working alongside Madame Zeena, a clairvoyant, and her husband, Pete, learning the art of 'cold reading' to perform as a psychic. While Stan attempts to build a life with a fellow performer named Molly, he becomes increasingly involved in the deceptive world of the carnival. After a period of success, Stan moves into the world of the wealthy elite in Buffalo, where he uses his skills to navigate high-stakes social circles, unaware of the dangerous consequences of his ambition and the secrets he is beginning to uncover.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1939, Stan Carlisle hides his father's body before joining a traveling carnival. He learns the craft of 'cold reading' from Madame Zeena and her husband, Pete, and begins a relationship with a fellow performer, Molly. After a local raid and a period of growth, Stan moves to Buffalo, where he performs for the wealthy elite. He enters a lucrative but dangerous arrangement with a psychologist, Dr. Lilith Ritter, to perform for a wealthy industrialist, Grindle. Stan's ambition leads him to manipulate information and begin an affair with Ritter. The situation spirals when he attempts to 'materialize' a spirit for Grindle, leading to a violent confrontation where Grindle is beaten to death. Following the tragedy, Molly leaves him. Stan eventually finds himself homeless and alcoholic, eventually returning to a new carnival where he is forced to accept a job as a 'geek,' realizing he has fallen into the same trap he once tried to escape.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 150
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Guillermo del Toro
- Writers
- Guillermo del Toro · screenplay; Kim Morgan · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Bradley Cooper · Stan; Cate Blanchett · Madame Zeena; Toni Collette · Molly; Willem Dafoe · Pete; Richard Jenkins · Clem; Rooney Mara · Dr. Lilith Ritter; Ron Perlman · Grindle; Mary Steenburgen · Kimball's wife; David Strathairn · Judge Kimball
- Genres
- neo-noir; psychological thriller
- Themes
- ambition; deception
- Tone and mood
- dark; noir
- Premise and plot tags
- psychological thriller; neo-noir; circus
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was described as a 'spectacular noir melodrama' and a 'gorgeously acted psychological thriller.'
- Reported review scores
- PostTrak · score: 72% · scale: 100
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film is the second feature adaptation of the novel.; A black-and-white version titled 'Vision in Darkness and Light' was released.; The film was shot in Buffalo, New York, and Toronto, Canada.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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