wow, it's been 2 moths since i last watched a netflix documentary. there's been travel and family obligations and, of course, the start of a new television season. i've been watching american horror story: freak show, so when i saw the film "bound by flesh" about conjoined twin sisters, i chose it as my netflix comeback.
the hilton sisters, as they came to be called, were born in england in 1908, to an unwed mother, who shrieked at the sight of the conjoined infants and refused to raise them. her barkeep employer saw potential in the infants and took them as her own, selling admittance to the rear room to see the sight. they were conjoined at the back/butt area. nowadays, they certainly would not stay conjoined, since they didn't share any organs and each had 2 arms and legs. however, in this day, there was no question of separating them. and, mrs hilton exploited the curiosity. they were taught to be entertainers, singing and playing musical instruments. their lives became large and they were once the highest paid vaudeville act in the country. but they were sheltered for all of their life, until the early 20's. after emancipating themselves from a bogus contract, they were left to live life on their own, have adventures, experience all they had missed. they drank, smoked, caroused. one of the twins even became pregnant. they couldn't sustain the entertainment life as the world shifted from stage entertainment to film and lived out the end of their days as produce clerks in a local grocery store. it's always an interesting story to me--how people cope with their particular adversities. i'd never heard of daisy and violet hilton....but, now i have!
No comments:
Post a Comment