Parable (1964)

The story begins as an old fashioned circus parade is traveling through the countryside. In the back of the parade is a simple clown dressed in white almost like a harlequin, riding atop a ... See full summary »

Directors:

Rolf Forsberg, Tom Rook

Writer:

Rolf Forsberg

Stars:

Tom Erhart, Madhur Jaffrey, Saeed Jaffrey

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Tom Erhart	...	Punch
Madhur Jaffrey	...	The Magician's Assistant
Saeed Jaffrey	...	Circus Worker
Clarence Mitchell	...	The Clown
Gordon Oarsheim	...	Magnus

Storyline

The story begins as an old fashioned circus parade is traveling through the countryside. In the back of the parade is a simple clown dressed in white almost like a harlequin, riding atop a donkey. There are no words, just music and pantomime like action, giving the film the feel of an old time Punch and Judy show. The circus is inhabited by typical characters, all seeming to have hardship in their lives. And at the top of the food-chain is Magnus, the grand puppeteer, performing his diabolical shows where he strings up human beings as living marionettes and controls their every move. In this bizarre world comes the clown, a character of good will. He helps each person with their individual hardships, taking their place and carrying their burdens for them. And from his goodness he gains followers; a wondering batch of misfits who cannot help but be moved by the clowns good heart. But the final encounter is with Magnus, who is filled with hate. The clown takes the place of Magnus's ...

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Plot Keywords:

clown | circus | christ | devil | religious

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

1 September 1964 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Fred Niles Productions Studio, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fred A. Niles Communications Centers Inc. of Chicago

Technical Specs

Runtime:

20 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Revealing of human quality even for non Christians

I came to know this movie during my teaching years in a Jesuit high school during 1968. Then I used it without making any reference to Jesus Christ in secular lectures. It is a parable similar to Christ's mission and worthy of imitation even outside of any religious context, it has an universal message useful to teach values to young people. It was a great surprise to me finding this title among the IMDb, in your fine database today, March 30, 2006. I organized a youth movement in the city of El Progreso, Honduras. The students had to "do something for someone everyday" but as a secret kept by the members of the groups of 3. In the initiation rites, they had to clean each others's shoes, with a rag. Then we watched the movie "Parable". Everyone got the message. Now, those students have become Civil Engineers, Medical Doctors, Politicians, Parents, etc. Some tell me how they keep on "doing something for someone", every now and then. A couple of them are congressmen, and one of them became an editor of a large newspaper in the U.S.A.