Review of The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) by Ryan D — 04 Mar 2010

I don't see why people hate this so much worldwide. I mean, it's not really THE greatest show on earth, but were does all this hate come from?

Maybe because it won a not so deserved oscar for best picture, (perhaps one of the least deserved winners ever?) but if you see it as a movie and not as a winner for best picture I think it's at least worth 60%. It's entertaining, yes, but if I would describe this I would say it's about 10% acting and the rest just circus. If I was so crazy about circus I would rather watch it live then watching a 2 and a half hours long movie with it.

It has quite some nice actors; Betty Hutton (this is my first Betty Hutton-movie by the way!), Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, Charlton Heston, Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame, and James Stewart (though he plays a clown, so he's face is covered with through the entire movie). Thin story (like most circus-movies) but high entertaining value, if you're ready to watch a circus-show 2 and a half hours.

Don't be too hard The Greatest Show On Earth, people. I wasn't it's fault that it won for best picture!