Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Ben Hecht (play) and
Charles MacArthur (play) ...

Release Date:

21 December 1962 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Jump for joy it's jumbo!

Plot:

A Debt-ridden circus is saved by an well-meaning but inept publicity man Pop Wonder.

Plot Keywords:

Circus | Debt | Gambling | Carnival | Circus Elephant

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 8 nominations

Cast

Doris Day	...	Kitty Wonder
Stephen Boyd	...	Sam Rawlins
Jimmy Durante	...	Anthony ('Pop') Wonder
Martha Raye	...	Lulu
Dean Jagger	...	John Noble
Joseph Waring	...	Harry
Lynn Wood	...	Tina
Charles Watts	...	Ellis
James Chandler	...	Parsons
Robert Burton	...	Madison
Wilson Wood	...	Hank
Norman Leavitt	...	Eddie
Grady Sutton	...	Driver
Ron Henon	...	Circus Performer
The Carlisles	...	Circus Performers

Also Known As:

Jumbo (International: English title) (informal short title)

Runtime:

123 min | 127 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (magnetic prints) | Mono (optical prints)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:G | UK:U

Company:

Arwin Productions

Trivia:

This movie was based on Billy Rose's 1934 musical extravaganza and he insisted that the full title be used on the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Jumbo is alternately using his front feet/back feet between shots when he is dancing on the circus pedestal.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988)

Soundtrack:

My Romance

Musical Eden

JUMBO might be silly (actually very deliberately silly, therein much of the enjoyment) but it is genuinely beautiful to look at and easy to enjoy. I saw it on DVD in widescreen and with a superb 5.1 sound system. The orchestral score by MGM arranger Roger Edens with Rodgers and Hart songs is truly sensational and as such adds a jumbo sized level of thorough professional musical lushness. Clearly made on the MGM back-lot with some obvious budget constraints, JUMBO is still delivered with the MGM polish for screen spectacle and a hankering to 'really entertain the audience'. There is some very unkind animal scenes (especially the muzzled bear dressed in a bonnet which looks like Hannibal Lecter in a fur coat and Grandma Duck hat) which only emphasizes how public acceptance of entertainment has changed. The special effects in some high-wire scenes are very clever and the tightrope act supposedly with Jummy Durante is perfectly achieved. As big as it could be JUMBO is solid family entertainment. Other comments will rave about Doris Day and moan about Stephen Boyd and they are all very right. Since this was Boyd's next film after BEN HUR do you realize that an advertisement could actually say "Stephen Boyd star of BEN HUR now in his biggest film: JUMBO" and it would actually make sense that JUMBO was indeed bigger than BEN HUR.............!! Yes, I know......I just wanted to say that. (but it IS true!)