The Greatest Show on Earth: 1952

After a fairly long hiatus, I finally found time to watch the 2 1/2 hour circus extravaganza that is The Greatest Show on Earth, starring Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, and James Stewart. The film's story is fairly short: the film could easily have been an hour and a half. But the film is more than the story; it's also a full circus performance broken into chunks. I saw trapeze artists, clown shenanigans, musical numbers, elephants, lions, and more. Each performance segment was full of elaborate costumes and incorporated bits of the storyline. The film also had a narrator who acts as the behind-the-circus guide for the audience, explaining how the circus moves from city to city to town to town and how set up and tear down occur. It really became an education in how a circus functions (although I already knew quite a bit about circuses after visiting the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida).

As I mentioned, the costumes were incredibly elaborate, and it seemed every  female character had numerous costumes for performing as well as a full wardrobe for everyday scenes. The performances followed various themes, including a Disney segment, a Hawaiian luau, and the four seasons. Being a color film, the costumes dazzle the viewer, and the intricate details really stand out. The trailer includes some of these costumes:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GJHCicaOs0

Besides the costumes, I have to say the acting was also impressive. Stewart plays Buttons the Clown, who is clearly on the run from some crime but seems so sweet to Holly (Hutton) that you can't imagine that Buttons is guilty of anything terrible (but he is). Stewart does play his usual, awww-shucks character, only this time with face paint, silly clothes, and oversized shoes, but this seems so perfect for the Buttons character. Plus, Stewart has the opportunity for slapstick in this role, and he becomes the perfect mixture of friendly and funny. Heston plays the "bossman", or the behind-the-scenes leader and organizer of the circus, perfectly. He keeps his emotions in check when appropriate, but there are subtle moments when we see his facade crack and reveal his true feelings for Holly. But I think my favorite character was the sassy, street-smart Angel (Gloria Grahame) who says what she thinks and does what she thinks is right, and usually, she has a better conscience than the girl-next-door Holly. Grahame was Violet in It's A Wonderful Life, and in that film, she seems like the trashy counterpart to Donna Reed's wholesome Mary. In Greatest Show, however, Grahame has the chance to play a larger role and be a strong woman who doesn't need a man to be complete. Despite these strong performances, Hutton as Holly often came across as annoying, a woman who can't quite decide which man she wants and whines about it. I haven't seen Hutton in other films, though, so perhaps this is just the character I have an issue with, not the actress.

Brad, the "bossman", with Buttons

Source: http://www.the-frame.com/2012/03/on-row-three-oscar-winner-rank-em/

Although I had my doubts about this film, overall I enjoyed the storyline, but I wish there was less circus and more character development. I didn't feel like I knew the characters until towards the end of the film, and then I wanted to know them better.