The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writers:

Fredric M. Frank (story) and
Theodore St. John (story) ...

Release Date:

19 December 1952 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Romance

Tagline:

The Heartbeat Story of Circus People, Filmed with the Cooperation of Ringling Bros. - Barnum and Bailey Circus!

Plot:

The dramatic lives of trapeze artists, a clown, and an elephant trainer against a background of circus spectacle.

Plot Keywords:

Clown | Animal | Circus | Circus Performer | Train Crash

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. May 21

7:00 AM

MAX

Cast

Betty Hutton	...	Holly
Cornel Wilde	...	The Great Sebastian
Charlton Heston	...	Brad Braden
Dorothy Lamour	...	Phyllis
Gloria Grahame	...	Angel
Henry Wilcoxon	...	FBI Agent Gregory
Lyle Bettger	...	Klaus
Lawrence Tierney	...	Mr. Henderson
Emmett Kelly	...	Himself
Cucciola	...	Himself
Antoinette Concello	...	Herself
John Ringling North	...	Himself
Tuffy Genders	...	Himself
John Kellogg	...	Harry
John Ridgely	...	Assistant manager

Also Known As:

Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

152 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | USA:Approved (certificate #15440) | Netherlands:12 | Australia:G | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (original rating) (cut) | UK:U (video rating) (1988) (uncut) | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Cedar City, Utah, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Cameo: [Merrill Reese]Circus spectator (Best known as the radio broadcaster for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1977-present, Reese was an unknown nine year old who happened to be at one of the filmed performances.)

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Sebastian misses his mark and falls to the ground, he can be clearly seen landing on a cushioned surface.

Quotes:

[first lnes]
Narrator: We bring you the circus, pied piper whose magic tunes greet children of all ages, from six to 60, into a tinsel and spun-candy world of reckless beauty and mounting laughter and whirling thrills; of rhythm, excitement and grace; of blaring and daring and dance; of high-stepping horses and high-flying stars...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Voice of the Camera (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

SING A HAPPY SONG

Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde are superb in their 'flyer' roles!

I saw this film in a theatre when it first came out and, had forgotten a great deal of it, until I saw it again last evening.

Much of the film is actual footage of the REAL Barnum and Bailey Circus, setting up, tearing down and loading up for the trip to the next venue.

I had also forgotten how superb both Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde are doing a great deal of their own 'flying'! While you realize that they have a net just under the view of the camera, they both perform physically demanding stunts with the camers right in their faces! I can't stand on my head on the floor much less on a swinging trapeze!!

Wilde's front summersault from one swinging bar to another swinging bar is breathtaking!!

Some of the action is quite dated and the trainwreck is...well, DeMille's rendition of a massive trainwreck. The plot creaks a bit here and there, but the many performers do their bits with conviction.

Hutton and Wilde steal the show from Heston and Stewart. I recommend this film to Circus lovers everywhere and to people who appreaciate actors placing themselves in Harms Way to create illusions (be they VERY dangerous illusions) of the REAL thing! I give it an 8.