The Woman for Joe (1955) User Reviews (4)

Life is a circus (possible slight spoiler)

[eddie-83 · 7/10 · 18 March 2002]

I enjoyed `The Woman for Joe' - ignore the bland & slightly misleading title - I found it sincere and unpretentious. The Technicolour (surprising in a small-scale British film of the Fifties) makes its carnival setting attractive to look at though I wondered at the inclusion of acts like lion-taming and trapeze which would be more at home in a circus. By the way if, like me you've heard of a Flea Circus but wonder what is involved there is some enlightenment here. The incidental pleasures of the Cinema are many.

Several of these actors found later success on television with lead George Baker starring as Inspector Wexford in a series of TV-movies. I personally find Baker totally charisma-free. He shares a prominent beauty spot with Robert de Niro but the resemblance ends there.

Miriam Karlin went on to appear in a popular sitcom `The Rag Trade', David Kossoff was a storyteller of note on British television and Arthur Lowe from `Dad's Army' makes a brief appearance here.

But the most attractive character in `The Woman for Joe' is George, played by Jimmy Karoubi, the little person referred to as `the midge' who shows intelligence, dignity and great humanity in the face of much humiliation. Joe initially literally buys him from a fellow impresario and later pays for the services of a woman of George's stature as a birthday present! Needless to say George indignantly refuses.

The story turns out to be that old chestnut the eternal triangle with Baker's character Joe who owns the fairground and George, the little person whom he employs, both in love with attractive Diane Cilento. Though in the cinematic convention of the time not so much as a kiss passes between them and there's no hint of any thing untoward off-screen. Despite this and the fact that Diane appears more than half an hour into the running time of `The Woman for Joe' the ending is touching, the tragedy inevitable.

Don't be put off by the fact that neither Maltin's or Halliwell's movie guides mention `A Woman for Joe', they both contain many lesser films.

The Lost World

[boblipton · 7/10 · 1 January 2019]

George Baker's sideshow is broke. Two of his acts are walking out because he can't pay them. He's buying a new act, a midget, played by Jimmy Karoubi. Karoubi is smart, hard working and the two quickly bond as business turns around and prosperity enters with it. Karoubi insists Baker hire Diane Cilento, whom he trains as a singer whose voice can calm lions. It's obvious that Karoubi loves her, and that she loves Baker.

Neil Paterson's script is a lovely one, showing the tight-knit insularity of the carny life, and the shoddiness under the night-time glitter. The performances are simple, yet telling. The only question in my mind was who was the director, George More O'Ferrell, a man with seven screen credits to his name in the mid-1950s. It turns out that the reason his work wasn't on the big screen is because after beginning in the theater, he joined BBC Television in 1936, where he was "the drama producer" for twenty years. His work in that and directing gave that station stature, and it wasn't until the early 1950s that he was lured away, first to the Rank organization, then to Anglia TV.

Alas, given the rarity of early BBC productions, it's likely his name will continue to decline. Only one of his movies is regularly available, THE HOLLY AND THE IVY. Too bad.

Little person, Big heart.

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 24 January 2020]

It takes time for members of a traveling sideshow to accept the little person (Jimmy Karoubi) that carny owner Joe (George Baker) buys from the lower down the scale freak show. But even the fat lady (Violet Farebrother), refusing to work with a little person at first, grows to quickly love him, seeing how good he is, and defends him against the bullying weight lifter (Sydney Tafler). When George becomes ill, the carny troop becomes concerned, and even the strong man is there to welcome him home. Joe and George become inseparable even though Joe threatens to sell George to another carnival when he's fed up. But along comes pretty Diane Cilento whom George adores and Joe eventually falls in love with in spite of initially being cool towards.

Filled with heart, this drama of humanity and a sincere, thoughtful performance by Karoubi. One embarrassing moment for the shy George comes when Joe tries to set him up with a female little person (Verna Gilmore) who acts like Mae West and makes the shy George uncomfortable. But she does serve a purpose, showing up for the finale at Karoubi's request to wrap up issues with Baker concerning his feelings for the pretty Cilento. This is much better than the American made "It's a Small World" which even on a B level budget came off as an exploitation film. This is colorful, romantic, and potentially tragic.

It's obvious where this plot will go in regards to Cilento, but at least after the first part of the film, you know nobody is out to exploit George. He's probably one of the most non cliched little person on film up to this time, and Wilson steals the film and the audience's heart. There have been many types of little people on film, from Angelo Rossitto to Billy Barty to Michael Dunn, but Karoubi has the body and stature of a 9 year old yet hasn't grown past that. His desire to be accepted is more than just to feel big. His needs comes from just being human, lonely and desiring to be just like any other man. Cilento is sweet and sincere, gorgeous in her circus act outfit, certainly no Olga Baclanova from "Freaks". Joe learns the truth about George's loyalty when one of the carny robs the troop's safe. Karoubi's realization of what he has to do at the end is truly heartbreaking which adds to the emotional impact of the film.

It had to be a high score - it was ahead of its time.

[ouzman-1 · 10/10 · 14 October 2018]

A haunting film about prejudice and a bygone time.

That this starts as an excruciating recollection of touring freak shows, that leaves you feeling uncomfortable, this film must be "judged of its time." A fitting tribute to those brave men and women that were judged as "freaks" by the general - and most importantly - paying public.

Try not to wince at the "midget, Dwarf" references - that are used as derogatory - but instead suspend your toe-curling, righteous indignation and consider such dialogue as necessary to the plot.

Then judge the performance of the star: no not Mrs Connery (Cilento), or George Baker (found at odds with his Irish-showman persona, regularly slipping out of Irish brogue to middle- class RP) but THE star JIMMY A KAROUBI.

Yes I use the capital letters to suggest that someone should shout out loud at his performance. Stuffed full of pathos and probably not promoted as the film's leading man, due simply to his size; the film is, after all, entitled "The Woman for Joe."

This is the story of "Buttons" and his visceral passion for his "Cinderella" is haunting. Spun differently by the film's producers as a romance between the leading man and woman ( Cilento and Baker). The producers were, to be blunt, not brave enough to realise that this film could have been breaking down the barriers before the likes of Verne Troyer and Warwick Davis emerged fifty years later.

J.A.K was groundbreaking in the development of stand-and-be-counted actors of his 'genre' - excuse me if I must categorise him here. Achondroplasia and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita are cruel burdens. I salute all that have such cards dealt to them

To conclude. Jimmy acts the pants off them all, well nearly all - Kosoff is his reliable self, and Violet Fairbrother, who had appeared in Hitchcock films, both add a secure gravitas to the film. George and Diane finally catch up with Jimmy's performance, and help provide the film with a moving end.

Can Buttons carry off Cinders, away from the gallant Prince Charming? You will have to watch to find out. That he finally finds "a princess" is terribly troubling. Jimmy referred to as "an extraordinary fine specimen" by the Doctor in the final scene is troubling but it would have left the 50s viewer mindful of people's prejudice and of their, which I feel was the point being made by both the director and producer. It was ahead of its time.

The film is worth the watch, albeit it may be a little uncomfortable to modern senses. To me it is haunting and is on a par with David Lynch's "Elephant Man." I hope that you might understand that sentiment.

Watch it and shout up for a little man that, "hates midgets."