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IMDbPro

Man on a Tightrope

  • 19531953
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Cameron Mitchell and Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer3:09
1 Video
99+ Photos
DramaThriller
A Czech circus owner/clown and his entire troupe employ a daring stratagem in order to escape en masse from behind the iron curtain.A Czech circus owner/clown and his entire troupe employ a daring stratagem in order to escape en masse from behind the iron curtain.A Czech circus owner/clown and his entire troupe employ a daring stratagem in order to escape en masse from behind the iron curtain.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
    • Elia Kazan
    • Robert E. Sherwood(screenplay)
    • Neil Paterson(story "International Incident")
  • Stars
    • Fredric March
    • Terry Moore
    • Gloria Grahame
    • Elia Kazan
    • Robert E. Sherwood(screenplay)
    • Neil Paterson(story "International Incident")
  • Stars
    • Fredric March
    • Terry Moore
    • Gloria Grahame
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 44User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:09
    Watch Trailer

    Photos102

    Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Terry Moore and Dorothea Wieck in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Paul Hartman and Fredric March in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Paul Hartman and Fredric March in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Cameron Mitchell and Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Cameron Mitchell and Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Richard Boone and Fredric March in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Cameron Mitchell and Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Fredric March and Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)
    Fredric March and Terry Moore in Man on a Tightrope (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Fredric March
    Fredric March
    • Karel Cernik
    Terry Moore
    Terry Moore
    • Tereza Cernik
    Gloria Grahame
    Gloria Grahame
    • Zama Cernik
    Cameron Mitchell
    Cameron Mitchell
    • Joe Vosdek
    Adolphe Menjou
    Adolphe Menjou
    • Fesker
    Robert Beatty
    Robert Beatty
    • Barovic
    Alexander D'Arcy
    Alexander D'Arcy
    • Rudolph
    • (as Alex D'Arcy)
    Richard Boone
    Richard Boone
    • Krofta
    Pat Henning
    Pat Henning
    • Konradin
    Paul Hartman
    Paul Hartman
    • Jaremir
    John Dehner
    John Dehner
    • The Chief
    Peter Beauvais
    • Secret Police Captain
    • (uncredited)
    Mme. Brumbach
    • Mme. Cernik
    • (uncredited)
    Willy Castello
    Willy Castello
    • Captain
    • (uncredited)
    Gert Fröbe
    Gert Fröbe
    • Police Agent
    • (uncredited)
    Hansi
    • Kalka
    • (uncredited)
    Philip Kenneally
    Philip Kenneally
    • The Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    Edelweiß Malchin
    • Konradine
    • (uncredited)
      • Elia Kazan
      • Robert E. Sherwood(screenplay)
      • Neil Paterson(story "International Incident")
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Hildegard Knef was supposed to play the female lead, but shortly before filming began, Elia Kazan cast Gloria Grahame instead.
    • Goofs
      When Fredric March is being interrogated, the inkwell in front of him is uncovered, when the camera switches between him & his interrogator, the inkwell's cover is on.
    • Quotes

      Rudolph: [to Cernik] The curse of my life is that I'm a handsome man.

    • Connections
      Referenced in American Masters: None Without Sin (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      The Moldau
      (uncredited)

      from "Ma Vlast (My Country)"

      Music by Bedrich Smetana

      Arranged by Franz Waxman and Earle Hagen

      Played during circus sequences by a band and as background music by the orchestra several times

    User reviews44

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    This Is What Communism Was All About...
    This is a particularly fine film, but the other users missed an item that I would like to mention.

    Namely, communism or, rather, the specific type of communism which was practiced within the old Soviet Empire, was a subtle poison to the human spirit.

    In a critical scene, just before the fatal run across the border, the Circus manager questions a roustabout about his betrayal of his community(the Circus) and everyone whom he ever knew there. This man, with a straight face, announces that he and the other manual laborers are the heart and essence of the circus. Along with the movie audience, the manager(played by veteran actor Frederick March) is shocked that anyone could convince himself that people come to see him and his fellows, not the aerialists, not the lion tamer nor even the clowns.

    There are no paranoid political rants here, but that form of communism is "busted" for its "divide and conquer" tactics. People took appalling risks to flee communism and this film gives the viewer part of why they were willing to take them. I couldn't imagine then and I can't imagine now that "a higher standard of living" was the reason for this.
    helpful•29
    14
    • supershaman
    • Feb 9, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 29, 1953 (West Germany)
      • United States
      • West Germany
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Bavaria Studios, Bavariafilmplatz 7, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Bavaria Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 45 minutes
      • Black and White

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