Pearl

In 1918, Pearl lives on a modest farm in Texas with her German immigrant parents. Amid the Spanish Flu pandemic and World War I, her existence is primarily focused on caring for her ailing father under the watchful eye of her demanding mother.

Feeling trapped by her family obligations, Pearl seeks escape by frequenting the local cinema. The enchanting films ignite her aspiration to become a chorus girl, highlighting her longing for a life of excitement and freedom.

To cope with her loneliness and family pressures, Pearl begins misusing the liquid morphine prescribed for her father. This addiction further isolates her, creating a deeper chasm between her dreams and her reality.

At the cinema, Pearl meets a young projectionist who is captivated by her lively spirit. This encounter leads them to share intimate moments, including watching an illicit stag film that inspires Pearl to pursue her dreams across the ocean.

Pearl learns about an upcoming audition through her sister-in-law, Mitsy, igniting her hopes for independence. However, a fierce clash with her mother over Pearl's desires results in a tragic accident where Pearl accidentally ignites her mother’s dress.

In the aftermath of the fire, Pearl finds herself in a state of shock, leading her to make a series of horrific choices. After extinguishing the flames, she moves her unconscious mother to the basement, quickly seeking comfort in the arms of the projectionist.

The next morning, Pearl's violent tendencies surface when her projectionist suitor becomes suspicious of her. In a fit of rage, she stabs him with a pitchfork and disposes of his body in a pond, where it is devoured by an alligator.

After checking on her barely conscious mother, Pearl pushes her down the basement stairs, showing her drastic shift into cruelty. She then dresses in her mother’s clothes and suffocates her father, cloaking her actions in a twisted sense of mercy.

At the church audition, Pearl is confronted with rejection from talent scouts for not fitting their mold. Her shattered dreams prompt her to confide her inner turmoil to Mitzy, revealing her dark and violent transformations.

In a shocking escalation, Pearl murders Mitzy after learning of her acceptance into a dance troupe. This act solidifies her descent into madness and marks the end of any remaining innocence she may have had.

Pearl dismembers Mitzy, discarding her body to the alligator in a desperate act to conceal her crimes. She seeks comfort next to her deceased mother, vowing to create a welcoming home for her husband Howard upon his return.

Howard returns home to discover the horrific aftermath of Pearl's actions. The unsettling sight of her gruesome handiwork forever changes their relationship, intertwining joy and horror in a macabre reunion.