Cate Blanchett can’t save this remake

by Kathia Woods

The remake of Edmund Goulding's 1947 film Nightmare Alley by Guillermo del Toro is an intriguing experiment. On paper, the film appears to be a good fit, but it's not all smooth sailing. Deltoro has always proven a talent for bringing humanity to the worst of situations. Nightmare Alley is his first foray into the world of film noir. He has always had a flair for the dramatic. The director of Nightmare Alley takes a different approach to this entanglement. 

The film's beginning is a little slow. For the first ten minutes of the film, Stanton Carlisle (Bradely Cooper) doesn't say much. He comes from a troubled background and decides to join the carnival. It's the 1940s, and it's a good time to be looking for a place to hide. He gradually learns the lay of the land and befriends the various circus performers. He comes across as not the brightest or most caring individual, making it easy for him to study everyone's flaws and strengths. 

Toni Collette's character, Zeena, falls for Stanton and is forgiving when he abandons them for better opportunism. A romantic triangle exists between Zeena, Stanton, and Molly (Rooney Mara). 

Screenwriter Kim Morgan and Deltoro purposely toned down the sexual tension and political premise, allowing Deltoro’s curiosity for show business to flourish. In Nightmare Alley he gets to showcase the Underworld via circus performers and cadets. Many of the the sights are wonderful especially the electric chair Stanton builds for Molly. There are also oddities such as the jarred creatures especially the jarred fetus that Clem (Willem Dafoe) shows Stanton.  

Cinematographer Dan Lausten intensifies the colors and story within the circus helping the viewer understand the bleakness of the environment. One highlight of the circus atmosphere is when Clem explains how a “geek” is created. A “geek” is usually an individual who’s an addict that is scary and is willing to bite off chicken's heads for the entertainment of the crowd. 

Staton soon learns from Zeena a secret language that allows him to fake telepathy and soon he enlists Molly’s help and they become a star attraction in the city. They are no longer dealing with a low-end crowd but a high clientele. 

Up to this point this newer version of Nightmare Alley resembles a lot the original but in comes Cate Blanchett as Lilith Ritter. She’s a psychologist who sees Stanton for who he is a hustler. She knows that he and Molly use a code to hustle their clients for money. Lilith is also a hustler and secretly records the confessions of her wealthy patients.  She plans to con them out of money with Stanton's help. With her help she transitions him from hustler to full fledged con artist. Soon we learn that Lilith has her own agenda and is colder than Stanton. Stanton until that point looked harmless and small, however his alliance with Lilith changed everything. 

Blanchett's Lilith is astute and refined. Her clothes are tailored to a T, and her voice is sultry but controlled. She embodies both sex and power. She also manages to dupe Stanton. Blanchett breathes new life into a film that, at the moment, appears dull and overdrawn. 

Even though the third act of Nightmare Alley is the best, it is not enough to save the film. Deltoro exhibited excessive restraint. Fans of the original will be disappointed by this newer version, which lacks tension. In this newer version, the why has been replaced by just plain creed. This newer version also does the carny culture a disservice. 

This is the difficulty of remaking an original film. The anticipation is missing in Deltoro's version of Nightmare Alley, and we are left with a scornful woman turning the tables on her lover. She sees it as a psychological test. 

Deltoro and Morgan do exchange blasphemy with alcoholism. Both films show that Stanton is bound to be a geek. Stanton as much as he tries couldn’t escape his demons. 

While Bradley Cooper has established himself as a leading man,  continues to put in solid performances. In Nightmare Alley, he is consistent but not exceptional, hence he has yet to receive award recognition. 

Ultimately, Cate Blanchette can’t save this much slower version of a classic that doesn’t shine until the third act. Sometimes it's ok to admire an original film instead of remaking it.