The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

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

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writers:

Fredric M. Frank (screenplay), Barré Lyndon (screenplay)

Stars:

James Stewart, Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	Emmett Kelly
Cucciola	...	Cucciola
Antoinette Concello	...	Antoinette Concello
John Ringling North	...	John Ringling North
Tuffy Genders	...	Tuffy Genders
John Kellogg	...	Harry
John Ridgely	...	Assistant Manager

Storyline

To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground. Subplots involve the secret past of Buttons the Clown and the efforts of racketeers to move in on the game concessions. Let the show begin!

---

Plot Keywords:

circus | trapeze | trapeze artist | clown | elephant trainer | 

---

Taglines:

The motion picture for everyone!

---

Genres:

Drama | Family | Romance

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

May 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth

Filming Locations:

Cedar City, Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$36,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

152 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Conspicuous mention is made of the circus tent's fireproof quality. This is because only a few years earlier, in 1944, 167 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a Ringling Brothers "big top" caught fire and burned to the ground in Hartford, CT. This movie is seen by some as an elaborate public relations gesture by Ringling Brothers.

---

Goofs

When Brad is checking the baby gorillas after learning they may have contracted the mumps, a crowd of onlookers is gathered right behind, plainly staring at the camera filming the scene.

---

Quotes

[Holly and Sebastian are one-upping each other on the trapeze]
Buttons: How long do you think this can go on before something happens?
Brad Braden: It's circus, isn't it?
Buttons: Do you believe in prayer?
Brad Braden: And practice.

---

Connections

Spoofed in Big Time Operators (1957)

---

Soundtracks

It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day
(1939) (uncredited)
Music by Sammy Timberg and Winston Sharples
Played during the parade of cartoon characters

User Reviews

Highly entertaining and informative

I've never been to the circus, so I think of this movie as my trip to the circus. Charlton Heston is great as Brad, the all business manager of the circus. But my favorite character is James Stewart as Buttons the Clown. It's a very different role for him, but it's great.

The Best Picture of 1952, "The Greatest Show on Earth" is wonderful, especially if you've never experienced it. I think this is one of Cecil B. De Mille's finest movies, and I recommend it to everyone. So I give it a 10 out of 10!