For those who may have seen the cult classic film Freaks (1932), an article describes medical aspects of the movie:
In a circus in which several people with significant physical deformities make their living as sideshow attractions, a voluptuous trapeze artist and her brawny lover attempt to take advantage of a midget in order to take possession of his fortune. When the beauty’s intentions are unmasked and this humiliating lover’s deception is discovered by the little fellow, the revenge of all his handicapped colleagues culminates in a horrifying dramatic ending for the unscrupulous trapeze artist and her strongman lover...
Both ‘normal’ and ‘handicapped’ performers work in a circus. Hans, one of the midgets in the circus, falls in love with the beautiful trapeze artist, Cleopatra. She apparently loves him in return, but in truth what she really wants is Hans’ money because her secret lover is Hercules, the strongman of the circus...
Various characters who have these types of malformations appear in Freaks: Above all we highlight Prince Randian, “The Living Torso” (1881-1934) (Figure 11), a native of British Guyana who had all four extremities missing since birth. Married and having fathered 5 children, he starred in one of the most impressive scenes in the film, in which he was able to roll a cigarette and light it calmly using only his lips...
Frances O’Connor (1914-1982) (Figure 13), also known as the “Living Venus de Milo”, who made up for the congenital absence of her arms by having an extreme ability with her feet, which enabled her to eat, drink, write and even dress herself...
See more at http://campus.usal.es/~revistamedicinacine/Vol_4/4.2/ing.4.2.htlm/parada_ing.htm
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