本部饱受争议的离奇影片围绕马戏团里一群畸形人展开。矮人汉斯(哈利·厄尔斯 Harry Earles饰)暗自倾心于“正常人”——美貌的秋千表演者克里奥佩特拉(奥尔加·巴古拉诺娃 Olga Baclanova饰),同为侏儒人的弗里达(黛西·厄尔斯 Daisy Earles饰)告诫汉斯,她只是为他的钱财。克里奥佩特拉与“正常人”大力士赫克留斯(道格•霍奇森 Henry Victor饰)两人相好,设计让克里奥佩特拉嫁给汉斯得到钱财。婚礼上,克里奥佩特拉大吼在场的人都是“FREAKS”,激怒了所有畸形人。雨夜,畸形人对这两个“正常人”展开了报复…… 本片在1932年发行后因题材过于怪诞而被禁止,成为了当时的赔钱电影。可在当下来看,却是一部难得的“正常”影片。导演向我们抛掷了一个赤裸裸的提问:到底谁才是“正常人”?
华特(克里斯蒂安·贝尔 Christian Bale 饰)是目无王法的纨绔子弟,因为杀害了一名黑人学生而被沙夫特(塞缪尔·杰克逊 Samuel L. Jackson 饰)捉拿归案。无奈华特的家里有权有势,仅仅略施小计就令华特无罪释放。然而,重获自由的华特却并不懂得珍惜,他对让自己丢了面子的沙夫特恨之入骨,发誓一定要除之而后快。 沙夫特因为坚守内心里的正义,因此树敌众多,想要取他性命的,除了华特以外,还有曾经被他羞辱过的毒枭和在警察局里贪污受贿的刑警。性命同样受到威胁的,还有目击了华特杀人现场的证人,沙夫特必须早华特一步找到他,将他保护起来。
Eager to land a journalistic position, Adam White goes to work as an advice-giving newspaper columnist. His editor, Shrike, takes pleasure in browbeating his alcoholic wife Florence for her past adultery, and assigning his employees journalistic jobs for which they have little aptitude or interest. Shrike goads Adam into meeting one of his correspondents, Fay Doyle, a teary, self-pitying woman who makes a play for him. Adam is torn between his loyalty to the newspaper and his girl Justy.