Film Review: The Greatest Show On Earth (1952)

I love a good circus, don’t you? Granted I haven’t been to one since I was 5, but I remain a big fan of anything circus related, making this movie a must-see.

This is the second time I’ve viewed it, the first I hadn’t seen it in its entirety. It’s got an amazing cast which includes Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Dorothy Lamour, Cornel Wilde and Jimmy Stewart.

It was also interesting that the film was made with the help of the actual Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily circus, featuring its actual  performers and clowns (including Emmett Kelly) the actors were trained in their characters professions and did the acts themselves.

There are movies I’ve seen in the past on the subject of Circus or Carnival life that fall short, simply because they lack the realism of what the circus is about, especially behind the scenes. This movie felt genuine, like I wasn’t watching actors in costume.

That being said, the movie is a bit of a Soap Opera. The circus, especially in the past, was a very gritty and often crooked lifestyle. While they managed to squeeze a little bit of that in, it was still very idealistic and romanticized. However, that seems to be a trend in most films made in the 1950s.

I can’t say I enjoyed the over-acting, either. Some of the characters were a little too much for my taste and I felt like rolling my eyes or laughing at some serious moments. Melodramatic would be the right word, I think. It’s complete with love-triangles, life-altering injuries, murder suspects, and train wrecks.

I have to point out that Jimmy Stewart was amazing for a minor character, as Buttons the clown. Although he did have his own side-story, he wasn’t billed as a star in the film. In fact, the only time you see him out of clown make-up is for a brief moment in a photograph. Still, with such a small part, he managed to steal the audience’s attention every time he was on screen.  He worked personally with Emmett Kelly to perfect the act of the clown, and did a fantastic job. And in the more serious moments, really made you feel for his character.

I was surprised to hear that this film won the academy award for Best Picture. While enjoyable and interesting, I never thought it ranked quite that high. I do, however, think it’s worth a watch. It’s purely entertaining, so don’t look for too much beyond the surface.

Happy Birthday Mel Brooks

The man who gave us History Of The World (1 & 2), Spaceballs, Blazing Saddles, and many more fantastic comedies is 83 today. He is, as far as I’m concerned, the best of parodiers. So many of his films are must-see comedy classics, and I admire is wide range of work. Happy birthday, Mel!

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All About Hitchcock

I must admit, until very recently my knowledge of Alfred Hitchcock’s work was limited. Sure, I had seen the typicals, the ones almost everyone has seen. Psycho, The Birds, and Strangers On A Train to name a few.

It wasn’t until I sat down for a back to back marathon of some of his greats that I really got a feel for the essence of what makes him the master of suspense. With each new film I viewed, I feel like I understood a little bit more about his vision and the way he wanted to tell a story. I can see now why so many of his films are thought of as iconic.

The first thing that struck me was the point of view. No matter the subject matter or plot, the overall view seems to be the same.

With the many movies I have seen over the years, I had gotten used to having this sort of privileged outlook of what is going on. I was granted access to things the characters could not know. With Hitchcock, you are right there with the character the entire time, seeing the world as they see it.  If something is in shadow, it will remain there until visible by everyone present. If someone is whispering you will not hear it any louder than anyone else on the screen. You are left to guess, ponder, and analyze along.

You are also subject to the surroundings of the characters. Often it seems background noises infiltrate and interrupt scenes, especially those of dialogue, much like they do in reality. This is not a magical place where the entire world stops until the protagonist is done speaking, it reminds you that there is still a world existing despite the importance of these peoples situations. And often times these natural, worldly sounds are enhancing the emotions and actions of those on-screen, in a very subtle yet still impacting way.

It is also his use of soundtrack in combination to these noises that makes every little thing hold its own atmosphere. The well-known suite from Psycho emphasizes feelings of paranoia and anxiety, two things I found very prominent in almost all his films.

As mentioned previously, seeing the world through the characters eyes is also something I quite enjoyed about his films. It wasn’t constant, which is good, because if it were it would leave the viewer slightly dazed and probably annoyed or nauseated (Cloverfield, anyone?) but little moments that draw you in to the story. Seeing the neighbors through the camera lens in Rear Window, the tire at the edge of a cliff in North by Northwest, paint coming off the face of the dead man and onto the hands of Dr.McKenna in The Man Who Knew Too Much. These small perspective shots flash quickly, and just as quickly make you feel more involved.

All of these observations are just examples of the overall reason I am now a Hitchcock fan. When watching these films, you do not feel like you are an audience member, peacefully observing from home. No, as soon as the film began you  were there, feeling as if you are subject to the same dangers, confusion, and affection as the characters. You know you will not be able to rest until you have found a resolution to the tale, and even when it comes you’re still not sure if it’s safe.

Hello world!

So here it is, my new blog.

I am an avid viewer of classic film. Sometimes, I can see where my regular ol’ friends would get sick of my constant gushing about this film or that actor, yet I knew someone, somewhere would be able to appreciate my rambling.

My previous blog failed, due to having a small audience. I thought, “what else could I write about that I feel passion for? That other people feel passion for as well? And enjoy reading about?”

Film, of course! And not just any film, but those of the silver screen era, the classics, the essentials, the golden years.  Whatever you call it, I think you know what I’m talking about it.

What you can expect out of me is reviews of favorite films or recently viewed ones, news pertaining to said films and the actors in them, as well as fun bits of trivia and spontaneity.

So that’s it for my little introduction. I hope you enjoy the coming attractions as much as I do.