The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

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Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth - DVD - Betty Hutton - Charleton Heston - and James Stewart - Emmett Kelly

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I have to admit to being a fan of The Greatest Show on Earth on several levels. First, it’s simply a good, enjoyable film, with some very good performances by Charleton Heston, Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde and James Stewart - who shines through his makeup as Buttons the Clown. Secondly, it serves as a wonderful snapshot of what the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus was like in its’ prime, complete with performances by circus greats such as Emmett Kelly, Otto Griebling, and many more.

Are there any negatives? Sure. The great train wreck, towards the end of the film, looks truly unrealistic by today’s standards—not quite as bad as Godzilla eating Tokyo, but in that general vicinity. The plot resembles a soap opera, but that’s okay—it gives us an excuse to see more of the various circus performers behind the scenes.

Overall, it’s a very good movie that I enjoyed when I was younger, enjoyed again now that I’m not quite so young, and held my four youngest children spellbound the first time that they saw it as well.

Editorial Review of The Greatest Show on Earth, courtesy of Amazon.com essential video

The Greatest Show on Earth is a heaping helping of flapdoodle served up by one of Hollywood’s canniest entertainers: producer-director Cecil B. DeMille. This overripe melodrama purports to be life inside the Ringling Brothers Circus; maybe it’s not, but the circus ought to be like this. The actors wrestling with the purple dialogue are: early-career Charlton Heston, as the tough-as-nails circus manager; Cornel Wilde and Betty Hutton as trapeze artistes; and Gloria Grahame (who won an Oscar), dangling from elephants. Best of all, James Stewart plays a clown who--for mysterious reasons--never removes his makeup. (Stewart took the supporting role simply because he’d always wanted to play a clown.) This is a fried-baloney sandwich of a movie: it ain’t sophisticated, and probably isn’t good for you, but once you start you can’t stop. It was the box-office champ of 1952, and it shocked everybody by winning the best picture Oscar. --Robert Horton

Trivia for The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Cecil B. DeMille was demanding of his actors and actresses and insisted that everyone truly learn to perform the circus roles they were supposed to be "acting." This meant that Betty Hutton really did have to learn the trapeze and Gloria Grahame had to let an elephant rest its foot an inch from her face. Cornel Wilde probably had it the worst, as he was portraying a high-wire artist--and he was seriously afraid of heights.
Lucille Ball was Cecil B. DeMille’s first choice for "Angel", but she became pregnant and was replaced by ‘Gloria Grahame (I)’ .
Cameo: Bob Hope as circus spectator
Cameo Diana Lynn as circus spectator
Cameo: Bing Crosby as circus spectator
Special effects produced a green halo around Gloria Grahame and Betty Hutton in the "Grand Parade" scene, so a shot was added of green floodlights turning on above them.
Rights to use of the title motto, and of Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey’s facilities and performances, were purchased for $250,000. DeMille advised the writers to view the German film Varieté (1925) as a model for the type of story he wanted. DeMille toured the midwest for 2 months with the circus, collecting anecdotes, slang, and behind-the-scenes ideas. Publicity resulting from his involvement drew sellout crowds to the performances.
Charlton Heston was driving through the Paramount studio when he spotted Cecil B. DeMille (whom he had never met) and waved at him. DeMille was so impressed by Heston’s "wave" he made inquires that ultimately led to Heston being cast as Brad in this film. This was only Heston’s third film which skyrocketed him to fame. One fan wrote a letter to DeMille on how much she enjoyed the movie and commented, "And I’m surprised how well the circus manager (Heston) worked with the real actors." Heston thought it was one of the best reviews he ever received.
The first movie Steven Spielberg ever saw. His dad took him to the theater, promising him a trip to the circus. He was four years old at the time.
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 presentation was filmed and shown on a newsreel.