Greatest Show on Earth, The (1952)

Paramount Pictures
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Starring: Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston

Honors:
Academy Award for Best Picture
Academy Award for Best Story
Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama

Cecil B. DeMille transports audiences to the spectacle under the big top, providing all the excitement and romance of the famed American circus along with the struggle and drama of life behind the scenes. In a deal with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus DeMille produced one of the most exciting motion picture events for movie audiences of 1952, featuring countless actual acts and performers from the show that would have been worth the price of admission alone for many. Along with a cast of some of the brightest Paramount stars, a promising Hollywood newcomer, and series of quick cameos, the picture promised to be a sight, earning top box office numbers of the year and the industry’s greatest prize, perhaps with the aid of a little unseen politicking.

 

The Greatest Show on Earth is the drama of a show manager who vies with an arrogant trapeze artist for the affection of his beautiful acrobat performer, set to the background of a circus spectacular. Manager of the largest traveling circus in the world, no-nonsense Brad Braden (Charlton Heston) works hard to keep the show operating. The addition of a new center ring trapeze act, the egotistical Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde), proves problematic for Brad. Brad must break the heart of his love interest, highflyer Holly (Betty Hutton), informing her that she is being demoted in the show, which creates a dangerous competitiveness it creates between the two aerialists. Correspondingly, Sebastian’s ladies’ man ways create a romantic rivalry between he and Brad for the lovely Holly.

 

Over-arrogance ensues in a tragic accident for Sebastian, resulting in him crippling his arm, concluding his ability to perform, but in a kind gesture Brad keeps him employed as a member of his crew. Greater issue arise soon after as a number of saboteurs cause a massive train wreck for the travel operation, severely injuring Brad and damaging much of the traveling big top presumably ending the entire tour. However, the dedication of Holly, Sebastian, and all the performers and crew members come together to save Brad’s life and rally together operations that keeps the Greatest Show on Earth continuing as Brad and Holly finally declare their love for each other.

 

The feature is a work of two movie ideas mixed together. The first is a spectacular encapsulation of the then modern traveling circus, its construction and operational processes to the parades and performances that made many a child and child at heart excited when visiting big top. The second is the melodrama constructed by Cecil B. DeMille creating the stories and interactions that are shared between those behind the scenes. Like we have observed before, Hollywood loves a good movie about show business, and this was yet another form of just that. Despite not being about theater or movie making the idea remains in the realm of putting on a show, the trial and tribulations of bringing it together, and the joy that it delivers. Altogether the film is strong with a good cast, wonderfully captured visuals, and a decent story, but the real star is the circus itself, capturing the grand extravaganza in such a fashion by one of the great filmmakers for the period.

 

Initial interest of a circus-centered picture arose in the spring of 1948 with the announcement by David O. Selznick to produce a film around Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus. Selznick’s proposed idea dried up and was dropped soon thereafter before being picked up by Cecil B. DeMille who brokered a $250,000 deal with the famed circus to feature its show, operation, and performing acts, capturing the tour, its big top construction, and their Sarasota, FL winter home within the picture. Spending time traveling with the circus for a time on their tour of America DeMille found inspiration for stories and moments to capture coming together in the final production we see today.

 

Filming took place primarily at the Sarasota location and back in Hollywood while DeMille and his crew also captured the circus tour as they constructed, performed, and struck sets at stops in Washington DC and Philadelphia. Actors remained primarily in Hollywood with soundstages easily recreating big top locations when needed. Early photochemical effects were used to put actors filmed in Hollywood with backgrounds shot at the circus locations. Extensive use of miniatures recreated the massive train crash for one of the film’s climactic scenes, an old movie trick that remains effective all these years later.

 

For a film about the circus this picture’s cast is rather remarkable. A young Charlton Heston makes his first big splash in the motion pictures after being lured away from New York. Even at 28 years-old one can tell Heston has a presence that will make him a dominating star in Hollywood. Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde trained and molded their bodies to resemble the aerialist they portrayed in the feature. Wilde made himself in a physical specimen to look the part and match actual performer that did the actual stunts, but Hutton really dedicated herself to the craft building the muscle to actual perform many of the aerobatics in the film. Despite her acting being overly dramatic, her dedication is manifested as she became quite proficient to performing 40 feet in the air, while Wilde performed closer to the ground due to his fear of heights.

 

Decent Hollywood names filled the supporting cast as well. The usually sultry Dorothy Lamour plays against type as a sharp tongued and jealous circus performer. Gloria Grahame appears as an elephant performer, training long to look natural for the role alongside the pachyderm. Most surprising of the supporting cast is that of usual top leading man James Stewart as Buttons, a fun, yet wise clown never seen out of make-up. His backstory revealed him to be of a doctor on the lam with a tragic tale as a fugitive for mercy killing his wife and hiding under the paint to remain hidden before sacrificing himself to save Brad’s life. Stewart’s appearance here is by many hailed as one of Stewart’s finer performances of his career. Several Paramount talents would make uncredited cameos throughout the picture as patrons of the circus, including Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Danny Thomas, Van Heffin to pad the appeal of the picture as surprises to the delight of 1952 audiences.

 

The Greatest Show on Earth, whose title was also part of that agreed on partnership with the circus for use of their official slogan, would premiere in Sarasota, FL before playing at New York’s Radio City Music Hall for a record tying 11 weeks. The picture played initially as a traveling show manifesting the high esteem Paramount had for the feature which helped drum up interest and guaranteeing high ticket sales during the run. Thereafter it would see a nationwide release to reach the far corners of the nation and overseas becoming easily the highest grossing film of 1952.

 

Generally, audiences and critics were enchanted with the picture and its ability to capture the spectacle of the circus, but did little to hide the fact the film is overly melodramatic, episodic, and rather thin in plot. However, the film received some of the highest honors of the year, including the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Picture. Since receiving the Oscar the feature has been considered one of the worst movies ever to win the top prize. The feature lacks great punch from a historical sense and the lasting impact other like awards winner typically receive. Unlike most Best Picture winners, The Greatest Show on Earth made very little splash in any other categories, only winning for the since abandoned Best Story category.

 

Two theories arose as to how The Greatest Show on Earth received the top prize for 1952 against the field that including all-time classic High Noon (1952). One theory is it was believed at the time this was DeMille final feature and academy voters elected it Best Picture to honor the filmmaker’s legacy. Of course, DeMille would go on to make The Ten Commandments (1955) which was arguably a far superior. A second theory arises from the political climate of the Red Scare within the USA of the 1950s. Other nominated features had key members connected to recently blacklisted people of Hollywood while The Greatest Show on Earth did not, helping to guide the votes to the picture and ultimately winning. The later theory tends to be one that has more foundation to it historically.

 

In any case The Greatest Show on Earth is an enjoyable film, but not the best film for either 1952 or even for DeMille. It is a pretty Technicolor picture and a gem for fans of Hollywood history for its performances and cameos. It captures the romance of the old American circus that although has not aged well, can deliver for many classic movie fans.