The Simon of Cyrene role in the earlier DeMille production had contributed enormously to Boyd's film career. Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth is a lavish tribute to circuses, featuring three intertwining plotlines concerning romance and rivalry beneath the big top. By Posterize ANZ. Paulette Goddard also campaigned strongly for the role but was turned down owing to her reluctance to perform stunt scenes. for something like the greatest show on earth train-wreck, in which metal must crumple and parts splinter, and debris fly -- all in strategically-determined directions -- an extremely large model is needed (along with an exquisitely detailed miniature landscape that probably took up a half-acre); i'd be very surprised if the greatest show 's A barker, kept anonymous until the film's end, is seen in the closing moments of the film. This is because only a few years earlier, in 1944, 167 people were killed and hundreds more injured when a Ringling Brothers "big top" caught fire and burned to the ground in Hartford, CT. He later regretted this decision, considering it one of the worst mistakes in his career. L.E. DeMille's film includes spectacular action sequences, including a show-stopping train wreck. He also depicts the mesmerized, popcorn-chomping patrons, a few of whom are Hollywood stars (look for Bing Crosby and Bob Hope enraptured by their Roadfilms co-star Dorothy Lamour as she performs a song), and provides more than a taste of many of the thrilling and garish acts that perform in the iconic three rings under the gargantuan Big Top tent. The climactic trainwreck sequence remains one of the most revered set pieces in Hollywood history, primarily due to the emotional impact it provides, thanks to its sheer unexpectedness. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Watch Awards & Events EmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events Celebs Born Today Most Popular Celebs Community Help Center Contributor Zone Polls All Watchlist Sign In Sign In The cars were approximately six feet long, and highly detailed on the outside. When Mary Pickford presented the film's producer-director Cecil B. DeMille with the Oscar for Best Picture, not only was it the first time the Academy Awards ceremonies had ever been televised, it was also Pickford's very first television appearance. When the ACL steam engine pulled out, the was the real catholic pastor of St Martha's . L.E. The only Best Picture Oscar nominee of the year to be also nominated for Best Story. Phyllis: Why is it whenever he's around I'm all wet? Sebastian arrives, and is coldly greeted by two former lovers: Angel, who performs in the elephant act with the pathologically jealous Klaus, and Phyllis, who has a dual role as an iron jaw artist and a singer in one of the musical numbers. Privacy Policy In his inimitable style, Maltin also praises the actors, lauds the spectacle, and shares some fun behind-the-scenes anecdotes and trivia. L.E. Coming off two big hit movies with Bob Hope, 1949's "Sorrowful Jones" and 1950's "Fancy Pants," Lucy felt that those films along with an appearance in this one would raise her film profile and lead her to being offered bigger roles. It's demise marked the end of an era, and because it no longer exists, a wistful nostalgic air swirls about this colossal production that makes it more endearing and helps us forgive its myriad faults. With the Big Top about to hit rock bottom, Braden hires The Great Sebastian. would show, but the page had a tear on the page where the question mark belongs. I haven't seen those ugly blemishes in a classic movie Blu-ray transfer from any studio for years and years! Grahame looks incredibly comfortable coiled in an elephant's trunk and remains cool as a cucumber when she's forced to lie just an inch or two beneath one of the animal's raised legs for a few tense seconds (see photo below). As the tale progresses, romantic entanglements, raging jealousies, and festering resentments all come to a head and threaten not only the principals, but also the entire circus infrastructure. A guilt-ridden Holly professes her love for Sebastian over Brad. was brilliant, but with qualifications. . However, Lucy became pregnant with her first daughter Lucie Arnaz. All rights reserved. During one of the early takes, Wilde tore the ligaments in his shoulder. Smith driving 1 inch scale 4-8-4 Number 4203 at Griffith Park. The Greatest Show on Earth won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Story. It was Grahame's year. [7], The film earned $12.8 million[8] at the box office in the United States and Canada, making it the highest-grossing film of 1952, as well as Paramount's most successful film to that time. The all-star circus extravaganza, "The Greatest Show on Earth." DeMille offered Cornel Wilde the part of Joshua in his next production, The Ten Commandments (1956). and the The Greatest Show on Earthmay not stand as DeMille's greatest film, but it's quite a show and a glowing salute to what sadly has become a bygone art form. It is discovered he has a very rare blood type (AB negative), but it just so happens that a potential donor, the Great Sebastian, is right there at the scene. Qualifying purchases could enjoy no Interest if paid in full in 6 months on purchases of $99+. Video A Hollywood legend, DeMille's best work had been done during the silent film era, before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was established. The unsolved crime Buttons the clown was wanted for, was for killing his ailing wife. Login. The film's storyline is supported by lavish production values, actual circus acts and documentary-style views into the complex logistics behind big-top circuses. Given the film's mammoth structure and episodic nature, one element that is often overlooked is the caustic performance by Gloria Grahame in her first comic role. "Paramount will hit its greatest production stride since the war in the first two months of 1951, with seven films slated to go before the cameras in a sixty-day period. Faint grain preserves the feel of celluloid, superior contrast enhances depth levels, and oh that Technicolor! Emmet Kelly was famous for his act as the forever sad clown. The rivalry sequences between Holly (Betty Hutton) and Sebastian (Cornel Wilde) use doubles only in the long shots, while Hutton and Wilde are clearly performing the myriad stunts on their respective wires in close-ups, albeit only several feet off the ground. Buttons tends to him before the ambulance comes, impressing the circus' doctor. The original story won an Oscar, too, but it's far less interesting than the real-life footage. "[14] Variety wrote that the film "effectively serve[s] the purpose of a framework for all the atmosphere and excitement of the circus on both sides of the big canvas. By Sierra Bailey Luke. 1. Shop The Greatest Show On Earth [DVD] [1952]. Despite his made-to-order background as a real-life circus acrobat, Burt Lancaster declined the role of The Great Sebastian, a fact Cecil B. DeMille doubly regretted when he learned that Cornel Wilde was afraid of heights. DeMille was not only a long-time industry insider and Hollywood pioneer who was long overdue for some sort of Oscar recognition, he was also a staunch anti-Communist who reportedly outed some of his colleagues during Senator Joseph McCarthy's reign of terror. Brad, who runs a clean show, catches crooked midway concessionaire Harry cheating the customers. T he Greatest Show on Ea rth won Academy Awards . For the climax Meanwhile, the competition between the two aerialists becomes increasingly dangerous; the duel ends when Sebastian removes his safety net, then suffers a serious fall when a stunt goes wrong. A true restoration not only yields a sharp, balanced picture that bursts with brilliant hues, it also boasts an image that's free of any age-related wear-and-tear. It would mark Grahame's only performance in a musical. A few animals escaped, but all were quickly hunted down, a few were captured and most killed. James Stewart also stars as a mysterious clown who never removes his makeup, and Dorothy Lamour and Gloria Grahame also play supporting roles. James Stewart plays the entire movie in his clown makeup. The specifications of this wonderful little locomotive are: My son Robert is seen at the controls of the engine when he was 7 years old. When The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) took off at the box office and copped the Best Picture Oscar, RCA Victor issued the original soundtrack recording on a long playing 10-inch LP, still a collector's item today. A newspaper headline reads: "He Killed the Thing He Loved". It is possible that the members of the Academy who were veterans of the silent era felt that he, as an elder statesman of Hollywood and one of the founders of the Academy, deserved the honor even if the other nominees for Best Picture were in some ways better than The Greatest Show On Earth. Holly takes command of the show, mounting a parade that leads the whole nearby town to an open-air performance. Answers. [Phyllis is having her hair washed by Birdie as heart-throb Sebastian approaches;]. Renowned to that point for her portrayals of sultry, serious exotics, this film was the first to display her comic skills, which she approached with gusto. A couple of exterior scenes appear a bit overexposed and some shots look either soft or slightly fuzzy, but that's to be expected from a film of this vintage that relies so heavily on special effects. The Greatest Show on Earth. Engine No. When Buttons tells Brad that Sebastian has feeling in his injured hand - a sign that his disability is not permanent - Brad makes the connection. Thus Cohn offered her the lead role in a terrible B picture called "The Magic Carpet", which co-starred John Agar. DeMille's film is an over-the-top piece of entertainment, boasting hammy performances, exaggerated clich and spectacular action sequences, including a show-stopping train wreck.The Greatest Show on Earth won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Story. While primitive and crude compared with modern special effects, the electrifying scene amazed audiences and influenced an entire generation of movie magic. While filming this movie, Cecil B. DeMille presented Betty Hutton with the Photoplay Award for favorite actress of 1950 for Annie Get Your Gun (1950). The film features about 85 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus acts, including clowns Emmett Kelly and Lou Jacobs, midget Cucciola, bandmaster Merle Evans, foot juggler Miss Loni and aerialist Antoinette Concello. Ensemble Dark Horse: The German sisters with the head balancing act who keep swooning over Sebastian have little plot prominence or dialogue but are pretty popular performers. Cecil B. DeMille advised the writers to view the German film Variety (1925) as a model for the type of story he wanted. DeMille showing an actual view of the big top being erected were filmed in South Philadelphia where it is now the site of the stadium's and arena for all four of the city's professional sports teams known as the "Sports Complex". On 14 January 2017, Feld Entertainment -- the owner of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus -- announced that they were ceasing operations of the circus after 146 years, due to declining attendance. The movie was filmed in Sarasota at the winter home of the circus. Some reviewers consider The Greatest Show on Earth among the weakest selections for the Academy Award for Best Picture, as it defeated highly rated films such as High Noon, The Quiet Man, Ivanhoe and the unnominated Singin' in the Rain. THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, orig 1952 LC #5 [train wreck] - Cecille B deMille Condition: -- Price: US $35.00 Buy It Now Add to cart Add to Watchlist Free shipping and returns Ships from United States Shipping: FREEExpedited Shipping | See details Located in: Oxford, Ohio, United States Delivery: Estimated between Thu, Dec 29 and Tue, Jan 3 to 98837 The Greatest Show on Earthstands as a prime example of his style, vision, and - most of all - showmanship, and as one of the last remaining Best Picture winners to see a Blu-ray release, it's high time this high-flying blockbuster received the high definition treatment it has long deserved. The hunky Wilde, who spends much of the film bare-chested, flexes his pecs and flashes his movie-star smile with equal enthusiasm and regularity, and Lamour adds some sass in a wisecracking role that reportedly was slated for Lucille Ball. There's also some distracting green noise around Hutton's hair during the scene when she chats with Buttons early in the film. Later upon meeting DeMille at a party Desi was told by the famed producer that congratulations was in order as Desi had, as DeMille put it, "screwed his wife, Harry Cohn and Columbia Pictures and Cecil B. DeMille all in one shot.". Holly is heartbroken, and claims that Brad has no feelings. Hutton became quite proficient with the single bar. All rights reserved. . The film was shot in Sarasota, Florida, where locals were paid 75 cents per hour as extras.[5]. Knowing that she would want to do the role and thus ask him to be loaned out to DeMille, Cohn would be responsible for paying part of her fee for a film that did not benefit Columbia. Even by 1952 standards The Greatest Show on Earth was nailed as a big-old can of corny nonsense, which audiences ate up, making Greatest Show a box-office smash, winner of the Best Picture Academy Award, and generator of imitations for a decade to come.Greatest Show proved to have legs through re-releases in 1960 and 1967, and Steven . Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth is a lavish tribute to circuses, featuring three intertwining plotlines concerning romance and rivalry beneath the big top. A brand new 4K restoration yields spectacular color and wonderful clarity, but too much print damage mars an otherwise impressive presentation. Greatest show on earth boyband Classic T-Shirt. Watch on YouTube Greatest Show On Earth Drama 1952 2 hr 32 min English audio CC Buy or rent In Cecil B. DeMille's Academy Award-winning film, we step behind the scenes of the circusin. So yes, C.B. Floor Jansen The Greatest Show On Earth Sticker. Merrill Reese: Circus spectator. Trouble is also brewing for beloved Buttons the Clown, who never appears without his makeup and seems to possess medical knowledge. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Heston says that the late-arriving actors then got the message. Lucy collected her $80,000 fee which helped support the couple as they embarked on a newly presented opportunity to do a weekly television situation comedy they developed for CBS called "I Love Lucy." In a day of skintight budgets and rigid shooting schedules, Cecil B. This was especially true for Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde. DeMillie had originally offered Lucille Ball the role of Angel. Cecil B. DeMille considered Marlene Dietrich and Hedy Lamarr for the lead but ultimately settled on Betty Hutton when the actress sent him an enormous 1,000 dollar floral piece featuring a replica of herself swinging from a trapeze. It's just a shame Paramount didn't deem the source material worthy of a meticulous cleaning. DeMille's film includes spectacular action sequences, including a show-stopping train wreck. This offers an explanation as to why the marvelous Jean Hagen went home empty-handed, despite her iconic performance as the hilariously doomed Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain (1952). Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This engine was my creation, being built from the tracks up, through the paper work of the design through my own patterns and castings poured from metal melted in a furnace made from an old hot water tank lined with fire brick and using an old vacuum cleaner for the air blast. Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-rayThe Greatest Show on Earthat long last arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a clear case inside a fold-out sleeve that reveals a reproduction of the movie's poster art. Here is a little story about a 1 inch scale Hudson that made the movies at the age of 13 years in "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952). The Greatest Show on Earth is testament to DeMille not only as a great storyteller, but as a great showman. The offending marks and scratches vary in intensity, but rarely vanish completely, and that's a big disappointment, especially when you compare The Greatest Show on Earthto all the antiseptically clean, all-around fantastic Golden Age transfers Warner Archive has been churning out lately. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Edit The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Cecil B. DeMille Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Music by Victor Young . Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Greatest Show on Earth (DVD, 2004) at the best online prices at eBay! In an early scene in Spielberg's 2005 remake of War of the Worlds, the train-wreck sequence from The Greatest Show on Earth is briefly shown on a television. A television series with the same title was inspired by the film, with Jack Palance in the role of Charlton Heston's character. The deceased wife of Buttons the Clown is named Florence. Leon Ames is seen and heard in the train wreck sequence. The snarls, roars, and squeals of the animals are crisp, all the human dialogue is easy to comprehend . Your Selected Format. Directed by: Cecil B. DeMille: Cast: Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, James Stewart, Charlton Heston, Dorothy Lamour, Lawrence Tierney, Gloria Grahame: Touch of God, The Creation of Adam, (close up), Michelangelo, 1510, Genesis, Ceiling, Sistine Chapel, Rome, on BLACK Sticker. Hammond Circus Train Wreck; Mighty Haag Railroad Shows toured the US and Canada by rail from 1909 to 1915. Betty Hutton and Wilde had to learn how to fly on the trapeze for their scenes. Nominated for 2 Academy . Founded in April 2006, High-Def Digest is the ultimate guide for High-Def enthusiasts who demand only the best that money can buy. The train wreck is obviously done with models but it is so well done, it rates mention. The Smith Hudson, pulling the second section passenger train, collides with the caboose of the first section freight train. A newspaper page, that Ruth the elephant nearly ate, reveals it as (in red letters & in a 2 line title) Top line: "He Killed the Thing He Loved". Cecil B. DeMille's 1952 spectacular "The Greatest Show on Earth" was one of several films that included wreck footage filmed in Phillips' basement. If you look very closely at the bottom left-hand portion of the screen during a brief long-shot of the Grand Parade, you can see Cecil B. DeMille's camera unit in a corner of the Hippodrome where the parade takes a turn around the ring, along with Mr. DeMille himself standing next to the camera. Made by movie fans, for movie fans.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MOVIE CHANNELS:MOVIECLIPS: http://bit.ly/1u2yaWdComingSoon: http://bit.ly/1DVpgtRIndie \u0026 Film Festivals: http://bit.ly/1wbkfYgHero Central: http://bit.ly/1AMUZwvExtras: http://bit.ly/1u431frClassic Trailers: http://bit.ly/1u43jDePop-Up Trailers: http://bit.ly/1z7EtZRMovie News: http://bit.ly/1C3Ncd2Movie Games: http://bit.ly/1ygDV13Fandango: http://bit.ly/1Bl79yeFandango FrontRunners: http://bit.ly/1CggQfCHIT US UP:Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1y8M8axTwitter: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmtPinterest: http://bit.ly/14wL9DeTumblr: http://bit.ly/1vUwhH7 This was only Heston's third film and it skyrocketed him to fame. [26] He identifies the film's train crash scene as a major influence, reflected in the science-fiction film Super 8 (2011), which he produced. The music for the song "Lovely Luawana Lady" was written by John Ringling North, who appears briefly as himself during the discussion about whether the show would play the road rather than have a short ten-week season. Brad promotes the idea of hiring top-flight French trapeze artist The Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde) to boost ticket sales, but that means bumping his aerialist girlfriend Holly (Betty Hutton) out of the coveted center ring. [19] MSNBC's Erik Lundegaard called Crash the "worst Best Picture winner since the 'dull, bloated' film The Greatest Show on Earth. Cecil B. DeMille's loving, lengthy, and oh-so-grandiose ode to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus fittingly honors its aerialists, clowns, animal acts, and pageantry, but the melodramatic story and hammy performances drag the movie down. It's not until the thwarted Klaus (Lyle Bettger) realizes to his horror that Angel (Gloria Grahame) is on board the train that the audience can begin to intuit what's about to occur. This film is listed among The 100 Most Amusingly Bad Moves Ever Made in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book THE OFFICIAL RAZZIE MOVIE GUIDE. L.E. See also Release Dates|Official Sites|Company Credits|Filming & Production|Technical Specs The Greatest Show on Earth Details Full Cast and Crew Release Dates . Believing Lucy would refuse the film do to its substandard production, Cohn would be able to cancel her contract and thus be relieved from paying her her $80,000 fee. North was a nephew of the five Ringling brothers who founded Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and was its owner at the time. The Greatest Show on Earth won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Story. January 10, 2019 6:34am. This was no gimmick. Look for many small guest appearances from circus stars and celebrities, including . At the time Lucy was under contract to Harry Cohn at Columbia Pictures where she had a three picture deal which yielded her $80,000 per film. Sebastian's former flames, Angel (Gloria Grahame) and Phyllis (Lamour), supply additional friction, and there's some mystery surrounding the troupe's primary clown Buttons (James Stewart), who strangely never takes off his makeup. A leaflet containing a digital copy code is tucked inside the front cover. The Greatest Show on Earth Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release It's action, romance, laughs and treachery all under the big top, culminating in an. The sequence remains a technical marvel and shows the heroics and resilience of the circus personnel, who adopt an inspiring "the-show-must-go-on" attitude despite the destruction, injury, and mayhem.). Paramount heralds this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer as "newly restored from a 4K scan of the original negative,"and the lush, vibrant color, exceptional clarity and contrast, and glorious film-like appearance reflect the care that went into it, butif you're going to restore an almost 70-year-old classic, you need to go the whole nine yards.

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