MovieChat Forums > Nightmare Alley (1947) Discussion > Line about geek only used once?

Line about geek only used once?

posted 17 years ago by mlraymond
11 replies | jump to latest

I thought that there was a line in this movie that is spoken twice; once near the beginning ,when the youthful Stan Carlisle asks his boss about where they would find such a person, and near the end, when he is offered the job of geek at a different carnival. I remembered it as being a shock of recognition, for both Stan and the audience, when you hear the carny boss make the same pitch to Stan that he was told about at the beginning. Stan realizes that he is hearing the exact words his former boss used to describe how you persuade a down and out drunk to become a geek, by promising him a bottle a day, and that "It's just until we can get a real geek".

When I watched the movie on DVD the other night, I only heard the line spoken once, toward the end. Is it possible that the line is spoken twice in the original novel by William L. Gresham, but only once in the movie? I read about half the novel years ago, and I don't believe it's in print any more. Is there someone out there who's a real Nightmare Alley buff who can clarify this?

And when he crossed the bridge, the phantoms came to meet him

[–] Prof_Slats 16 years ago

I can't say I'm a buff, but I do have a copy of the novel--in the Library of America's collection "Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s & 40s", which I assume is still in print.

The novel has the two scenes, just as you said. For what it's worth, it's not the exact same words in both scenes, but it's pretty close, and definitely the same scheme.

Incidentally, I read the novel a few years back and enjoyed it. I never thought to check if there was a film version, but happily I stumbled across it this week. They're both worth checking out.

"The reason for the whole thing was that it was just too much effort not to have a war."
Capt. E. Blackadder

[–] adamyshoe 16 years ago

It is used twice in the film as well. Near the beginning of the film, Pete tells Stan that a geek just needs "a bottle a day and a dry place to sleep it off", which is the same line that the carny boss says to Stan after he has returned to the carnival (by the way, it is the same carnival, Stan is just so careworn and sick that the carny boss doesn't recognize him...he says something to that effect at the very end of the film).

Hope that helps!

[–] carrps 15 years ago

So, the movie doesn't actually repeat the part about "it's only until we get a real geek?"

Because I thought that's what made the last line in the book so powerful. Like a slap in the face.

[–] agera 15 years ago

I just saw Nightmare Alley again and a few minutes before the end, the carney owner offers Stan the job and does indeed say, "It's only until we get a real geek". The look on Stan's face when he hears those words is priceless.

Those aren't the final words in the film, though. The next night, Stan goes berserk. We then discover Molly is working at the same carny when she asks someone what's wrong and they reply, "The geek hired yesterday has gone berserk". She sees Stan, recognizes him and talks him out of his mania. One of the workers says, "So that's Stanton the Great? Hard to believe a man could fall so low" and the carny owner says, "He reached too high. Lock up, boys."

Or words to that effect.

I have to read the book.

[–] tepista 15 years ago

I thought the film should have ended right when he accepted the geek job. He became what he loathed. No need for that run around crazy scene at the end. My opinion, at least.

[–] agera 15 years ago

"I thought the film should have ended right when he accepted the geek job. He became what he loathed."

What a great idea. The look on Tyrone's face when he realized he'd be the next geek was chilling, it would have made a great final shot. But Hollywood would never have permitted such a downer ending.

[–] Marc-Kupper 14 years ago

I liked the ending where Molly is saying "I'll take care of you" exactly as how Zeena had earlier said the same to Pete. You know Stan's spiraling into oblivion then.

[–] agera 14 years ago

I liked the ending where Molly is saying "I'll take care of you" exactly as how Zeena had earlier said the same to Pete. You know Stan's spiraling into oblivion then.

Whoa, I never made that connection. You're right, you know Stan's doomed to oblivion then, just like Pete. Another Stan might even come along and offer him a drink he can't refuse and....

What a great insight, thanks.

"The night was sultry."

[–] roncerabona 11 years ago

Yes, the slightly softer ending with Molly (what a coincidence he ended up at the same place as her!) does work quite well though if they had stopped it after he says "I was made for it" it would have been a nice short, sharp jab (too bleak, perhaps, as noted). He really had hit bottom then. With Molly, it's a shot at recovery - or at the very least someone to care for him.

[–] davisk957 14 years ago

"...until we get a real geek" WAS used twice -- just not by the same person.

The original conversation between the carny owner and Stan was ABOUT the geek, but that's not the origin of that particular line. A later scene is a conversation between Stan and Pete, who observe the resident geek, having been calmed down by a bottle, and on his way back to his abode, singing to himself. It's Pete who says they use that line to get one, telling him it's only a temp job, in effect.

[–] agera 14 years ago

Thanks for straightening that out.

However often it's said, I think it's still one of the creepiest lines ever.

"The night was sultry."