Spurs (short story)
Encyclopedia
"Spurs" is a short story
by Tod Robbins
. The story was published in February 1923 in Munsey's Magazine
and included in Robbins' 1926 anthology
Who Wants a Green Bottle? and Other Uneasy Tales. In 1932 the story became the basis for the Tod Browning
film Freaks
.
in France
, midget performer Jacques has fallen in love with the troupe's bareback rider, Jeanne Marie. He proposes marriage and she accepts, because she has learned of his recent large inheritance. She is really in love with her partner Simon, and she plans to marry him after what she believes will be an imminent death for Jacques. At the couple's wedding feast, Jeanne Marie drunkenly insults her new husband, declaring that she could carry her "little ape" on her shoulders from one side of France to the other.
A year later, Jacques has retired and taken Jeanne Marie to live on his estate. One night Simon discovers Jeanne Marie on his doorstep. She begs him for protection from Jacques, who is forcing her to make good on her cruel taunt and carry him a distance equal to the width of France on her shoulders. Suddenly, Jacques appears astride a wolfhound
, brandishing a sword. Simon tries to defend Jeanne Marie but is quickly overpowered by the dog and killed by Jacques. Jeanne Marie resignedly puts Jacques on her shoulders and resumes their journey.
to buy the rights to "Spurs" in the 1920s. Browning began working to adapt the story as early as 1927 and was given the greenlight
to direct by MGM production supervisor Irving Thalberg
in June 1931. The final script retained little of the original source material other than the marriage of a midget to an average-sized person and the wedding feast.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Tod Robbins
Tod Robbins
Clarence Aaron "Tod" Robbins was an American author of horror and mystery fiction. Robbins attended Washington and Lee University and—along with Mark W...
. The story was published in February 1923 in Munsey's Magazine
Munsey's Magazine
Munsey's Weekly, later known as Munsey's Magazine was a thirty-six page quarto magazine founded by Frank A. Munsey in 1889. Munsey aimed at "a magazine of the people and for the people, with pictures and art and good cheer and human interest throughout". John Kendrick Bangs was the editor. The...
and included in Robbins' 1926 anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
Who Wants a Green Bottle? and Other Uneasy Tales. In 1932 the story became the basis for the Tod Browning
Tod Browning
Tod Browning was an American motion picture actor, director and screenwriter.Browning's career spanned the silent and talkie eras...
film Freaks
Freaks
Freaks is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. The film was based on Tod Robbins' 1923 short story "Spurs"...
.
Plot summary
In a small travelling circusCircus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, midget performer Jacques has fallen in love with the troupe's bareback rider, Jeanne Marie. He proposes marriage and she accepts, because she has learned of his recent large inheritance. She is really in love with her partner Simon, and she plans to marry him after what she believes will be an imminent death for Jacques. At the couple's wedding feast, Jeanne Marie drunkenly insults her new husband, declaring that she could carry her "little ape" on her shoulders from one side of France to the other.
A year later, Jacques has retired and taken Jeanne Marie to live on his estate. One night Simon discovers Jeanne Marie on his doorstep. She begs him for protection from Jacques, who is forcing her to make good on her cruel taunt and carry him a distance equal to the width of France on her shoulders. Suddenly, Jacques appears astride a wolfhound
Wolfhound
Wolfhound can refer to various breeds of dogs that have been bred to hunt wolves or to established lines of wolf-dog crosses that retain significant characteristics of wolves. Wolf-dog hybrids crossed in recent generations are often referred to as wolfdogs, wolf-dog hybrids or wolf crosses, but...
, brandishing a sword. Simon tries to defend Jeanne Marie but is quickly overpowered by the dog and killed by Jacques. Jeanne Marie resignedly puts Jacques on her shoulders and resumes their journey.
Freaks
Director Tod Browning convinced Metro-Goldwyn-MayerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
to buy the rights to "Spurs" in the 1920s. Browning began working to adapt the story as early as 1927 and was given the greenlight
Greenlight
To green-light a project is to give permission or a go ahead to move forward with a project. In the context of the movie and TV businesses, to green-light something is to formally approve its production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to...
to direct by MGM production supervisor Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg
Irving Grant Thalberg was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and his extraordinary ability to select the right scripts, choose the right actors, gather the best production staff and make very profitable films.-Life and...
in June 1931. The final script retained little of the original source material other than the marriage of a midget to an average-sized person and the wedding feast.