Nightmare Alley

Name: Nightmare Alley
Genre: Drama, Film-Noir
Released: October 28, 1947
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 75
Cast: Bonnie Bannon, Coleen Gray, Florence Auer, George Beranger, Helen Walker

1947

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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Nightmare Alley

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox | Release Date: October 28, 1947 | Passed

Starring: Bonnie Bannon, Coleen Gray, Florence Auer, George Beranger, Helen Walker, Ian Keith, Joan Blondell, Mike Mazurki, Taylor Holmes, Tyrone Power

Summary: The rise and fall of Stanton Carlisle, a mentalist whose lies and deceit prove to be his downfall.

Director: Edmund Goulding

Genre(s): Drama, Film-Noir

Rating: Passed

Runtime: 110 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Susan King

Jules Furthman penned the uncompromising script; Edmund Goulding directed with a master hand. [05 Jun 2005, p.E12]

Chuck Bowen

Edmund Goulding’s Nightmare Alley viscerally understands the lurid appeal of carnivals and acts of illusion. Read full review

Philip French

Tyrone Power is outstanding in the most demanding role of his career as a con man who emerges from the fairground world to exploit the credulous rich as a mind-reader and descends to depths he's never dreamed of as a pre-avian flu carnival 'geek', biting off the heads of live chickens in exchange for alcohol. [04 Dec 2005, p.14]

Staff (Not Credited)

Scripter Jules Furthman and Director Edmund Goulding have steered a middle course, now & then crudely but on the whole with tact, skill and power. Read full review

Tim Purtell

As much EC comic as noir, Nightmare Alley is strong on atmosphere (thanks to Lee Garmes’ shadowy cinematography) and performances (particularly Joan Blondell, as fellow mind reader Zeena), but doesn’t quite deliver on its lurid pulp premise. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

It's a one-of-a-kind experience -- dark, bleak, twisted carnival noir. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Despite some fine and intense acting by Mr. Power and others, this film traverses distateful dramatic ground and only rarely does it achieve any substance as entertainment. Read full review

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User Reviews

JLuis_001

Jan 12, 2022

The story of Nightmare Alley is more cynical and bitter than emotional.
A story about attaining what its protagonist believes to be success and wealth only to find himself completely stripped of it.
Perhaps Tyrone Power's performance isn't the most effective, but in a way even thoughThe story of Nightmare Alley is more cynical and bitter than emotional.
A story about attaining what its protagonist believes to be success and wealth only to find himself completely stripped of it.

Perhaps Tyrone Power's performance isn't the most effective, but in a way even though everything revolves around his character, his downfall is the most important point of this story, and I think the actor sells it well enough to sustain the film.

It's indeed a raw but fascinating story to watch, but I prefer Del Toro's version.… Expand

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