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General

Full title:
The Greatest Show on Earth
Release date (first):
February 16, 1952
Director(s): Score:
60
Fair
Status:
Released
Runtime:
152 min
Budget:
$4,000,000
Revenue:
$36,000,000
Website:
N/A

The Greatest Show on Earth

February 16, 1952
237
ratings
1
reviews
0
video reviews
60 Fair

Overview

To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.

Best reviews More

I Can See How This Has Earned Its Notorious Title of Worst Best Picture Winner

This may not be the worst movie to ever win best picture but its up there. Well on second thought this is probably the worst film to ever win best picture. Still though you would expect it to be a worth while film. That in fact though if questionable as well. The film contains almost no depth and is just "fun" after "fun" if you want to call it that. At first its very interesting but it seems as if everything is exaggerated on so many levels.

The acting was not spectacular to watch but it was quite interesting seeing Charlton Heston in his first lead role. I found many of the characters like the tone of the movie annoying after awhile. Who I did like a lot was James Stewart as the philosophical clown. He to me saved the film in that he gave it a much needed extra layer. Sadly though after Stewart there was not much else.

The directing of the much respected Cecil DeMille was non existent to me. I found the movie corny at times and his use of Betty Hutton was a mistake. The look of the movie was very good at times but it did not generate that magical feeling that classics need to have. The writing was actually pretty good considering how shallow much of the movie was.

From movies like this did the term "Hollywood Trash" come up. There is no depth, no valid attempt at drawing emotions out of the audience and simply no artistic value to the film. Then of course the many holes in the plot throughout. This movie was consistently annoying and frustrating. I even had a sense through this film that much of what I was watching was not only and inaccurate depiction of circus life but instead the opposite of how it really is. Why this won best picture is beyond me but its not like the first or the last time the Oscars will and have made a mistake.

40
Bad
Review by CinemaLover Link to review

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Cast & Crew

Cornel Wilde
The Great Sebastian
Charlton Heston
Brad Braden
See full Cast & Crew

Genres

DramaRomance