I certainly love the circus as much as the next guy. I used to go all the time as a kid. Unfortunately, like most forms of entertainment nowadays, the prices have sky-rocketed so much you almost have to get that second mortgage on the house in order to take the kids AND be able to buy hot dogs and cotton candy. I really miss the days when the circuses, county fairs and concerts were affordable enough to more than once every two – three years. Even the acts seem for slick today compared to what you could see years ago. I mean, I really enjoy the ‘Cirque de Soleil’, but give me some old-fashioned clowns, lion tamers and trapeze artists any day. Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” offers us the opportunity to travel back to the days when Barnum and Bailey’s was the premiere act to see when it came in to town. Being that as a director, DeMille was the granddaddy of ‘spectacular’ films, he gives us a circus ripe with romance and intrigue.

Made in 1952, the film stars Charlton Heston in his pre-Moses days as Marc Braden, the manager of the immense circus. He becomes involved in a love triangle with trapeze artists The Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde) and Holly (Betty Hutton), which of course leads to no good. And if that wasn’t enough story for you, DeMille mixes in some racketeers trying to muscle in on the concession business (and by the looks of today’s prices, I think they eventually won…).

As I mentioned before I like clowns, and it’s a real treat to see the great Jimmy Stewart as a clown with a past. It’s interesting to note that you never actually see him without makeup for the entire movie. I’ve also always been a fan of the late Emmet Kelly, Jr. Perhaps one the most famous clown performers ever, he performed several different characters, but he is best remembered as Weary Willie the hobo. I guarantee if you don’t recognize the name, you’d certainly recognize the face. This particular character has been the subject of more paintings, statues and ornaments than any other clown.

Paramount’s new DVD of “The Greatest Show on Earth” is pretty much a bare-bones release, which is my only real disappointment. There are no extras at all to speak of. I was also surprised to see that it wasn’t presented in a Widescreen format. Much is lost on the sidelines of this otherwise huge film.

“The Greatest Show on Earth” was certainly not the ‘greatest story ever told’, but it was good enough to claim an Oscar as Best Picture in 1952. It gives us a look at what goes on behind the scenes under the big top, or at least Hollywood’s version.

Directed by: Cecil B DeMille
Starring: Charlton Heston, James Stewart, Cornel Wilde, Betty Hutton
Extras: None
Specifications: Full Screen, Dolby Digital
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 4/6/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give The Greatest Show on Earth a C+.