. . . Joan Crawford's agent (no doubt a very brave man) should have told her. "Maybe a dramatic anthology, we could get you a recurring role on 'Peyton Place,' hell, I'll have Tennesse Williams write you a play and you'll finally be on Broadway. But please, don't do 'Berserk.' I know you're a Christian Scientist but all the prayer in the world won't heal your career if you make this bomb." However, Joan was a strong-willed lady (to put it mildly) and so she went, well, "Berserk." This might be the worst idea, ever, for a motion picture. It's a cheapie that intersperses scenes of circus acts with a grisly serial-killer mystery. Which means it's supposed to appeal to small children and teenaged horror fans -- two audience segments which should not, repeat, not be in the same theater. Perhaps knowing what kind of turkey they were stuffing, the screenwriters didn't worry too much about continuity. "Berserk" may set a cinematic record for unresolved plot points. What happened to Joan's husband? Why did the trapeze artist kill a man in Toronto? Why is the cockney midget stalking Joan? Maybe the filmmakers intended to tie all these loose threads together but apparently they got so sick of making this movie that they concocted a ridiculous deux ex machina for an ending and called it a wrap. ("Nice working with you, Miss Crawford." "I wish -- hic! -- I could say the -- hic! -- same.")
The plot, such as it is, centers around Joan as the owner of a traveling circus in Britain. Is Joan supposed to be English? The movie never bothers to explain her accent, but her ungrateful blonde daughter (shades of things to come!) is played by the very British Judy Geeson. Joan's performers and business associates start dying mysteriously, but she isn't too upset by it, since the bad publicity is good for business and her legs still look good in her Mistress of Ceremonies costume. Her romantic interest is "portrayed" by Ty Hardin, who's half her age and half as animated. Hardin would go on to join the Aryan Nation in the 1970s, perhaps blaming "the Jews who run Hollywood" for his film non-career. He should blame his mediocre looks and lack of talent instead. The circus acts are mildly entertaining, the foppish detective investigating the murders is moderately amusing, but the horror is, for the most part, pretty lame -- the producers apparently didn't budget for much blood so only one or the murders is even remotely gory. Watch at your own risk.
The plot, such as it is, centers around Joan as the owner of a traveling circus in Britain. Is Joan supposed to be English? The movie never bothers to explain her accent, but her ungrateful blonde daughter (shades of things to come!) is played by the very British Judy Geeson. Joan's performers and business associates start dying mysteriously, but she isn't too upset by it, since the bad publicity is good for business and her legs still look good in her Mistress of Ceremonies costume. Her romantic interest is "portrayed" by Ty Hardin, who's half her age and half as animated. Hardin would go on to join the Aryan Nation in the 1970s, perhaps blaming "the Jews who run Hollywood" for his film non-career. He should blame his mediocre looks and lack of talent instead. The circus acts are mildly entertaining, the foppish detective investigating the murders is moderately amusing, but the horror is, for the most part, pretty lame -- the producers apparently didn't budget for much blood so only one or the murders is even remotely gory. Watch at your own risk.