The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

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:

Circus | Clown | Trapeze | Elephant | Train Wreck

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Nov. 19

11:00 AM

TCM

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:

Australia:G | Australia:PG (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #15440) | Netherlands:12 | Brazil:Livre | 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:

When Mary Pickford presented the film's producer Cecil B. DeMille with the Oscar for Best Picture (March 19, 1953), not only was it the first time the Academy Awards ceremonies had ever been televised, it was also Pickford's very first television appearance.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the circus train is leaving to start the season, as it passes the priest performing the blessing, we see the car carrying Holly (clearly visible in the open door) pass twice - two nearly identical shots, one right after the other.

Quotes:

Angel: Did he say you were like cognac? All fire in zee glass?
Holly: No, he said I was like champagne. I made his head spin.
Angel: Yeah, only you'll be the one who winds up with a hangover.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Oh! Susanna

Great show and story

I know that some people are down on this movie, but I absolutely LOVE it. It has great ideals and good (not great) acting. It tells a story about the circus in a pseudo-documentary. The story has love, action, and humor. Three things that are missing from much of today's movie. I also love the color and the dramatic "feel" of the film for that era. It's a wonderful, wonderful, piece of 'Americana'.