Gorilla at Large

Cyrus Miller's carnival proudly introduces the giant gorilla Goliath as its centerpiece. Night after night the crowd roars as the ape performs, drawing in plenty of fans. Behind the scenes, the setup hints at tensions simmering beneath the entertaining surface.

Laverne teases Goliath from the trapeze, swinging just out of reach and provoking the animal's frustration. Audiences relish the cat-and-mouse dynamic between human and beast. Goliath's irritation grows as Cyrus tires of the routine's repetitiveness.

Cyrus promotes Joey from pitchman to performer, planning to have him wear a gorilla costume. Laverne will fall into Joey's arms, convincing the audience that he is performing with the real gorilla. The move stirs jealousy and sets up a deceptive new act behind the scenes.

Joey has a fiancée, Audrey, who fears he will fall for Laverne and ruin their future. He accepts the higher pay and postpones marriage and his law studies to stay with the carnival. The relationship tension intensifies amid career ambitions.

Crooked concessionaire Morse is found dead near Goliath's cage with a broken neck, signaling a human killer. Joey becomes a suspect due to a past threat to Morse over Audrey. He believes Cyrus may be trying to frame him to cover his own tracks.

Someone in Joey's gorilla costume frees Goliath from his cage, and the animal wander into the Maze of Mirrors. Audrey, turning off the lights, calls for help as the crew rushes to her side. A second associate is found dead, further muddying the investigation.

Police believe Joey is innocent, while Cyrus volunteers to take the blame for the old deaths, claiming he was blackmailed by two victims years earlier. His confession results in his imprisonment, but the present murders remain unresolved. The carnival carries on amid the fallout.

Joey realizes that Cyrus, due to an old injury, could not have killed the first victim. This leads him to suspect Kovacs, the former trainer who was married to Laverne and tied to the ongoing blackmail scheme. A new suspect path forms.

As Laverne's act begins, Joey confronts Kovacs about the murders. He notices signs that Laverne has been using his costume and realizes she is the killer, not Kovacs. The suspicion shifts, intensifying the danger surrounding the performances.

Believing she is performing with a disguised Joey, Laverne leans into the deception and lets herself fall into Goliath's arms. Goliath carries her toward the roller coaster, while the crowd watches in mixed horror and awe. The plan spirals toward a deadly finale.

Joey and the police force Goliath to drop Laverne by his side; the gorilla dies amid a hail of bullets. Laverne is led away in cuffs as the truth about the disguise and the murders comes out. The carnival's prestige is irrevocably damaged by the tragedy.

With the killer unmasked and the danger past, Joey and Audrey decide to quit the carnival and pursue a new life together. The show ends around a quieter, unresolved note as they step away from the spectacle.