Man on a Tightrope (1953)
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- Approved
- 1h 45min
- Drama, Thriller
- 29 Jun 1953 (West Germany)
- Movie
- 1 win.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Fredric March | ... |
Karel Cernik
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| Terry Moore | ... |
Tereza Cernik
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| Gloria Grahame | ... |
Zama Cernik
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| Cameron Mitchell | ... |
Joe Vosdek
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| Adolphe Menjou | ... |
Fesker
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| Robert Beatty | ... |
Barovic
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| Alexander D'Arcy | ... |
Rudolph
(as Alex D'Arcy)
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| Richard Boone | ... |
Krofta
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| Pat Henning | ... |
Konradin
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| Paul Hartman | ... |
Jaremir
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| John Dehner | ... |
The Chief
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Peter Beauvais | ... |
Secret Police Captain (uncredited)
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Mme. Brumbach | ... |
Mme. Cernik (uncredited)
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| Willy Castello | ... |
Captain (uncredited)
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| Gert Fröbe | ... |
Police Agent (uncredited)
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Hansi | ... |
Kalka (uncredited)
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| Philip Kenneally | ... |
The Sergeant (uncredited)
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Edelweiß Malchin | ... |
Konradine (uncredited)
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| Fess Parker | ... |
Checkpoint Soldier (uncredited)
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| Margarete Slezak | ... |
Mrs. Jaromir (uncredited)
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Rolf von Nauckhoff | ... |
Police Agent (uncredited)
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| Dorothea Wieck | ... |
Duchess (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Elia Kazan | ||
Written by
| Robert E. Sherwood | ... | (screenplay) |
| Neil Paterson | ... | (story "International Incident") |
Produced by
| Robert L. Jacks | ... | producer |
| Gerd Oswald | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Franz Waxman | ||
Cinematography by
| Georg Krause | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Dorothy Spencer | ||
Art Direction by
| Hans Kuhnert | ||
| Theo Zwierski | ... | (as Theo Zwirsky) |
Costume Design by
| Ursula Maes | ||
Makeup Department
| Arthur Schramm | ... | makeup artist |
| Fritz Seyfried | ... | makeup artist |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Hans Tost | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Don B. Greenwood | ... | property master (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Carl Becker | ... | sound |
| Roger Heman Sr. | ... | sound |
| Martin Müller | ... | sound |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Charles Le Maire | ... | wardrobe director |
Music Department
| Earle Hagen | ... | orchestrator |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1953) (United States) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1953) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century-Fox (1953) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- Filmex (1954) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1961) (United States) (tv) (original airing)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In 1950s Czechoslovakia circus manager Karel Cernik is planning an escape from Communism to freedom. His idea is to force his way across the guarded border using his entire circus. Three years in the making, his idea is ready to be tested when he's suddenly summoned to a routine questioning about his circus' program by the secret police. To Cernik it's clear that he has an informer among his staff who reports his activities and private conversations to the secret police. The Americans are just across the river in a nearby border village, but Cernik needs a special permit from the secret police to allow his circus freedom of movement in the border areas to perform its shows. This permit is difficult to obtain and vital to his escape plan. To make matters worse, his wife is being unfaithful, his daughter has fallen in love with the new stable boy, his circus is falling apart, and his longtime rival, Barovik, wants to take over Cernik's circus. Written by nufs68 |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The headline-hot drama of how a whole circus escaped the hand of terror ! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $1,200,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Karel Cernik mentions the train that broke through the Czech border into West Germany. That happened on September 11, 1951. See more » |
| Goofs | When Fredric March is being interrogated, the inkwell in front of him is uncovered, when the camera switches between him and his interrogator, the inkwell's cover is on. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Dana Delaney (2021). See more » |
| Soundtracks | The Moldau See more » |
| Quotes |
Rudolph:
[to Cernik]
The curse of my life is that I'm a handsome man. See more » |