Berserk!

Berserk!

Year: 1967

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Jim O’Connolly

ThrillerHorrorMysteryCrimeDrama

The Screen Screams out at a Hundred Horrors! A lady ringmaster milks the publicity from a string of murders.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Berserk! (1967)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Berserk! (1967). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1960s

Set in the mid-1960s, the film captures the era's appetite for sensational entertainment and practical showbusiness. The traveling circus operates in a pre-digital era where publicity, rumor, and stagecraft drive audience turnout. The characters navigate a world of live performances, risky acts, and escalating tensions.

Location

England

The story unfolds across England, centered on a traveling circus that moves from town to town. The troupe's performances bring spectacle, danger, and drama to each stop, shaping the rhythm of everyday life on the road. The English countryside and towns form a continuous backdrop for the show's evolving crises.

🗺️ England 🎪 Circus 🛣️ Touring life

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:07

Main Characters – Berserk! (1967)

Meet the key characters of Berserk! (1967), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Monica Rivers (Joan Crawford)

Monica is the ringmistress and driving force behind the troupe, obsessed with making the circus a headline event. She often prioritizes publicity and profits over personal connections, which strains her relationship with her daughter Angela. Her quick refusal to buy out Albert's share hints at a ruthless streak; she uses Gaspar's death to shape the show's future. Throughout the story, her presence looms over the circus as both leader and indifferent mother.

🎪 Circus Leadership 🧠 Calculating 🎯 Publicity-obsessed

Albert Dorando (Michael Gough)

Albert is the business manager of the circus, practical and protective of the enterprise. He is shocked by Monica's insensitivity and her desire for bigger audiences. He becomes a victim of the killer's scheme, murdered as tensions rise. He provides a counterbalance to Monica's showmanship with a focus on financial viability and security.

💼 Business-minded 🤔 Protective 🗝️ Practical

Gaspar (Thomas Cimarro)

Gaspar is the celebrated tightrope walker who performs dangerous acts without a net over a carpet of bayonets. His death at the hands of a tampered rope sets off the murder investigation and fuels the publicity machine. He is a symbol of risk and spectacle for the troupe; his talent is overshadowed by a suspicious, cutthroat circus environment.

🎈 Daredevil ⚖️ Risk-taker

Frank Hawkins (Ty Hardin)

Frank Hawkins is the new, handsome tightrope artist brought in to replace Gaspar's act. He uses his charisma to negotiate a share of the circus with Monica, showing a willingness to manipulate and profit from others. He is involved in blackmail and becomes a primary suspect in the later murders; his high-wire act ends with a fatal fall onto bayonets.

🎯 Rival 🕶️ Charismatic 💰 Ambitious

Angela Rivers (Judy Geeson)

Angela is Monica and Albert's daughter, expelled from school and brought back into the circus as a knife-throwing act. Her presence triggers jealousy and insecurity in Monica and fuels the tension within the troupe. She confesses to the murders and confronts her mother, then dies attempting to escape capture.

👧 Daughter 🗡️ Rebellious

Matilda (Diana Dors)

Matilda is another performer who tries to seduce Hawkins, becoming a catalyst for jealousy and conflict within the troupe. She is killed when a magician's trick goes wrong, highlighting the deadly stakes of showbiz.

🎭 Seductive 🧪 Dangerous

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:07

Major Themes – Berserk! (1967)

Explore the central themes of Berserk! (1967), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Showmanship

The circus is a stage where fame and spectacle trump personal bonds. Gaspar's death becomes a publicity boon, and Monica's drive for headline-grabbing moments influences every decision. The story probes how the pursuit of audience attention can erode ethics and relationships.

🕵️ Murder & Mystery

A string of murders and a blackmail plot propel the plot, turning the circus into a crime scene. Suspicions swirl around the performers and management, revealing how leverage and secrets can manipulate a troupe. The investigation exposes the peril hiding behind the makeup and costumes.

💔 Maternal Strain

Angela's resentment toward Monica mirrors a fractured mother-daughter bond in a high-pressure environment. Monica's emotional distance and obsession with success leave Angela craving attention and validation. The tragedy of their relationship drives the climactic consequences.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:07

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Berserk! Summary

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Berserk! Summary

Berserk! Timeline

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Berserk! Timeline

More About Berserk!

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