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.
Bygone Films 