The Greatest Show on Earth
(B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
Cecil B. DeMille (The King of Kings, The Ten Commandments, Samson & Delilah), known for his BIG epics, gives us another one here in 'The Greatest Story Ever Told'; containing all of the director's typical elements: larger-than-life characters, sumptuous visuals, a bloated run time, & state of the art visual effects. It also won 1952's Best Picture at the Academy Awards -- more on that later. The plot is pure soap opera and, is played by some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Bill Braden (Charlton Heston, his 1st of many starring roles) is the circus manager; tasked to keep things moving smoothly & to ensure that the show makes $$. As is mentioned regularly, he has 'sawdust' running in his veins; a reference as to how he ranks the circus above all else.
As the circus travels cross-country, Bill gets involved in a dicey romantic triangle with his long-time girlfriend, trapeze artist Holly (Betty Hutton), & a new arrival, the flamboyant European aerial daredevil The Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde). Holly is attracted to Sebastian and, Bill's 'seeming' indifference sends her into his arms. But Sebastian is an egotistical womanizer and, Holly no likey. To that, two of Sebastian's exes, sarcastic elephant performer Angel (Gloria Grahame) & iron-jaw acrobat Phyllis (Dorothy Lamour), trade cutting remarks concerning him, as well. All the while, the caring-but-mysterious clown Buttons (James Stewart) keeps a relatively low profile. Though he's a big hit with the kiddies, he never takes off his make-up so as to conceal a very tragic event from his recent past. And the nefarious gangster Mr. Henderson (Lawrence Tierney) schemes to use the circus for his own shady benefit. Melodrama & action ensues.
So, here's the thing. 'The Greatest Show on Earth' is not a bad movie. It is a grand spectacle. And I actually REALLY enjoyed it as a relic from Hollywood's Golden Age. But the passage of time has not been kind to it. In 1952, the circus was a popular entertainment that enthralled audiences {animals, clowns, high flying acts, etc}. Today: not so much. Viewed now, this film is more of a cultural artifact and, that the movie takes an inordinate time showcasing the circus acts works to its detriment. But again, DeMille created this film to be an homage to the circus and, well, he certainly did that -- that's all fine & good. Unfortunately, the circus backstage dramas are middling, with cheesy moments, ripe dialogue & a too-long run time.
Visually, this film is exceptional. The vibrant Technicolor cinematography is great. The circus sets give-off a "wow" factor. The costumes by Edith Head, Dorothy Jeakins & Miles White deserved an Oscar. And there is a climactic train wreck sequence that employs the use of state of the art special effects ... for the time. Looking at the wreck now, the effects look primitive. But when viewed from the lens of 1952, it was spectacular. This movie is the 1st one that Steven Spielberg saw in the cinema and, he credits it with getting him interested in movies and, particularly, special effect wizardry.
DeMille figured that with Charlton Heston's matinee idol looks & low-key masculine approach, the actor would shoot to superstardom and, well, he certainly did; most notably, in DeMille's own The Ten Commandments & then his Oscar-winning turn in Ben-Hur. This movie's biggest star at the time was James Stewart; though, he takes a big supporting role this time as the clown with a tear-jerking back story. Betty Hutton, Gloria Grahame, & Dorothy Lamour -- all very popular actresses at the time -- do well with their circus roles; both physically & emotionally. And so, while it needn't be as long as it is & should have had a better script, I found 'TGSOE' to be compulsively watchable cornball entertainment. Best Picture quality? Not exactly.
As the circus travels cross-country, Bill gets involved in a dicey romantic triangle with his long-time girlfriend, trapeze artist Holly (Betty Hutton), & a new arrival, the flamboyant European aerial daredevil The Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde). Holly is attracted to Sebastian and, Bill's 'seeming' indifference sends her into his arms. But Sebastian is an egotistical womanizer and, Holly no likey. To that, two of Sebastian's exes, sarcastic elephant performer Angel (Gloria Grahame) & iron-jaw acrobat Phyllis (Dorothy Lamour), trade cutting remarks concerning him, as well. All the while, the caring-but-mysterious clown Buttons (James Stewart) keeps a relatively low profile. Though he's a big hit with the kiddies, he never takes off his make-up so as to conceal a very tragic event from his recent past. And the nefarious gangster Mr. Henderson (Lawrence Tierney) schemes to use the circus for his own shady benefit. Melodrama & action ensues.
So, here's the thing. 'The Greatest Show on Earth' is not a bad movie. It is a grand spectacle. And I actually REALLY enjoyed it as a relic from Hollywood's Golden Age. But the passage of time has not been kind to it. In 1952, the circus was a popular entertainment that enthralled audiences {animals, clowns, high flying acts, etc}. Today: not so much. Viewed now, this film is more of a cultural artifact and, that the movie takes an inordinate time showcasing the circus acts works to its detriment. But again, DeMille created this film to be an homage to the circus and, well, he certainly did that -- that's all fine & good. Unfortunately, the circus backstage dramas are middling, with cheesy moments, ripe dialogue & a too-long run time.
Visually, this film is exceptional. The vibrant Technicolor cinematography is great. The circus sets give-off a "wow" factor. The costumes by Edith Head, Dorothy Jeakins & Miles White deserved an Oscar. And there is a climactic train wreck sequence that employs the use of state of the art special effects ... for the time. Looking at the wreck now, the effects look primitive. But when viewed from the lens of 1952, it was spectacular. This movie is the 1st one that Steven Spielberg saw in the cinema and, he credits it with getting him interested in movies and, particularly, special effect wizardry.
DeMille figured that with Charlton Heston's matinee idol looks & low-key masculine approach, the actor would shoot to superstardom and, well, he certainly did; most notably, in DeMille's own The Ten Commandments & then his Oscar-winning turn in Ben-Hur. This movie's biggest star at the time was James Stewart; though, he takes a big supporting role this time as the clown with a tear-jerking back story. Betty Hutton, Gloria Grahame, & Dorothy Lamour -- all very popular actresses at the time -- do well with their circus roles; both physically & emotionally. And so, while it needn't be as long as it is & should have had a better script, I found 'TGSOE' to be compulsively watchable cornball entertainment. Best Picture quality? Not exactly.