Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)

A debt-ridden circus is saved by a well-meaning but inept publicity man.

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Ben Hecht (book), Charles MacArthur (book)

Stars:

Doris Day, Jimmy Durante, Stephen Boyd

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

It's the early 1900's. The Wonder Circus is a traveling circus owned and operated by Anthony Wonder - who performs as a clown - and his daughter Kitty Wonder - who performs as an aerialist and trick rider. Although Kitty loves her Pop as she and all the other circus performers call her father, she hates his gambling addiction which is placing the circus deep in debt. They and their employees treat the circus like one big family, especially Lulu the fortune teller who wants to be Mrs. Wonder, but the employees may only be so loyal if they aren't getting paid. As such, many of the performers leave or threaten to leave to join the Wonder Circus' main competitor, the Noble Circus owned by the power and money hungry John Noble. Although Pop and Kitty don't want anyone to leave their employ, the only act that they will never let go is Jumbo, their trained elephant, who Noble had tried to buy in the past. As many performers leave, into their midst comes circus Jack-of-all-trades Sam Rawlins....

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Plot Keywords:

deception | circus animal | dice game | fortuneteller | master of ceremonies | 

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Taglines:

Jump for joy it's jumbo!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1962 (UK)

Also Known As:

Billy Rose's Jumbo

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,256,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,500,000, 31 December 1963

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,000,000, 31 December 1963

Company Credits

Production Co:

Euterpe, Arwin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min 127 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nominated for an Oscar for scoring of music-adaptation or treatment.

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Goofs

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

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Connections

Referenced in The Big Bang Theory: The Tesla Recoil (2017)

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Soundtracks

My Romance
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Performed by Doris Day

User Reviews

Doris and Martha's Big Moment

I saw this as a teenager, and fell in love. Doris Day was one of the most popular and yet one of the most underrated movie stars of her generation. Her reputation hasn't survived into our modern era as other film icons of the time, including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Shirley MacLaine and Elizabeth Taylor.

She was an excellent singer, actress, film personality, and she shines in this less-than-perfect screen adaptation of Billy Rose's Broadway extravaganza. Doris was 38 when she made this film, and she looks a tad too old. But she had one of Hollywood's greatest bodies and looks sensational in the many period costumes. She sings this glorious Rodgers and Hart score magnificently, particularly "My Romance," and "Little Girl Blue." The highlight in the movie is the "Why Can't I" duet between Doris and Martha Raye. Raye, a wonderful singer in her own right, and Doris simply shine in this small scene, harmonizing beautifully.

Jimmy Durante is also superb as her charming scamp of a father and head of the family circus. His asides to Jumbo, the elephant are wonderfully comic. Stephen Boyd has been criticized, but I think he's the classic leading man here and doesn't spoil any scene he's in.

This JUMBO was the end of the classic movie musical era, and you can hear it wheezing a bit. But anachronistic as it is, you have Busby Berkeley overseeing the musical numbers, and you would be hard-pressed to find two hours as heart-warmingly delightful as this movie is. Brava to Doris Day--long may she be remembered for the class act she was.