← Back to Reviews
in
The Greatest Show on Earth
The Oscar winner for Best Picture of 1952, The Greatest Show on Earth is a pretentious and overblown spectacle that has not held up well over the years. Touted by many buffs as the worst film ever to win a Best Picture Oscar, I can definitely see an argument for that.
The legendary Cecil B. DeMille directed this melodramatic and corny circus soap opera that focuses primarily on two romantic triangles: Holly (Betty Hutton), the energetic trapeze artist is crazy about circus boss Brad (Charlton Heston) but finds her head turned by the Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde), the arrogant rival trapeze artist who somehow manages to take the center ring from Holly and make her fall in love with him at the same time. Angel (Gloria Grahame) is a showgirl who works with the elephants and is the obsession of their trainer, Klaus (Lyle Bettger). Angel not only has a crush on Brad but she also has a past with Sebastian. Oh, there's also a clown named Buttons (James Stewart) who never takes off his makeup.
Screenwriters Fredric M. Frank and Barre Lyndon actual won Oscars for their cliched screenplay, rich with unintentionally funny dialogue, including serious overuse of the phrase "you've got sawdust in your veins." The screenplay also includes a pretentious and completely unnecessary narration (provided by the director himself) that makes this circus seem like missionaries spreading the word of God. The primary story is interrupted every ten or fifteen minutes for this narration, touting the importance of the circus crew people. that brings the film to a screeching halt.
De Mille's direction is overly-detailed, spoon-feeding everything that happens to the audience with way too much of everything. Some of the circus scenes are fun, but they are dragged out by constant shots of extras in the audience covering their eyes or eating ice cream cones. DeMille clearly thinks every moment he put on the screen here is box office gold and they just aren't, the film is about 45 minutes too long.
DeMille should have spent more time on the performances of his cast than on the extras eating ice cream. I don't think Charlton Heston changes his facial expression during his entire performance and Betty Hutton is just shrill and annoying. Grahame has some fun moments, but the only completely satisfying performance in this film came from James Stewart as Buttons...charming and understated, not screaming every one of the emotions the character is feeling. Production values are top-notch, with standout cinematography and costumes. It may not be the worst film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, but it's certainly in the top five. This one is definitely beginning to creak and rust.
The Oscar winner for Best Picture of 1952, The Greatest Show on Earth is a pretentious and overblown spectacle that has not held up well over the years. Touted by many buffs as the worst film ever to win a Best Picture Oscar, I can definitely see an argument for that.
The legendary Cecil B. DeMille directed this melodramatic and corny circus soap opera that focuses primarily on two romantic triangles: Holly (Betty Hutton), the energetic trapeze artist is crazy about circus boss Brad (Charlton Heston) but finds her head turned by the Great Sebastian (Cornel Wilde), the arrogant rival trapeze artist who somehow manages to take the center ring from Holly and make her fall in love with him at the same time. Angel (Gloria Grahame) is a showgirl who works with the elephants and is the obsession of their trainer, Klaus (Lyle Bettger). Angel not only has a crush on Brad but she also has a past with Sebastian. Oh, there's also a clown named Buttons (James Stewart) who never takes off his makeup.
Screenwriters Fredric M. Frank and Barre Lyndon actual won Oscars for their cliched screenplay, rich with unintentionally funny dialogue, including serious overuse of the phrase "you've got sawdust in your veins." The screenplay also includes a pretentious and completely unnecessary narration (provided by the director himself) that makes this circus seem like missionaries spreading the word of God. The primary story is interrupted every ten or fifteen minutes for this narration, touting the importance of the circus crew people. that brings the film to a screeching halt.
De Mille's direction is overly-detailed, spoon-feeding everything that happens to the audience with way too much of everything. Some of the circus scenes are fun, but they are dragged out by constant shots of extras in the audience covering their eyes or eating ice cream cones. DeMille clearly thinks every moment he put on the screen here is box office gold and they just aren't, the film is about 45 minutes too long.
DeMille should have spent more time on the performances of his cast than on the extras eating ice cream. I don't think Charlton Heston changes his facial expression during his entire performance and Betty Hutton is just shrill and annoying. Grahame has some fun moments, but the only completely satisfying performance in this film came from James Stewart as Buttons...charming and understated, not screaming every one of the emotions the character is feeling. Production values are top-notch, with standout cinematography and costumes. It may not be the worst film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, but it's certainly in the top five. This one is definitely beginning to creak and rust.