Review of The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) by Richard D — 22 Jul 2016

This is often cited as the worst Best Picture winner. I don't think it's that bad, but it's a hugely bloated film with a very thin plot. It's difficult to see why anyone would have thought this was a better film than .

.. to pick an example ... "Singin' in the Rain". At an hour and a half, this would have made a sleek if inconsequential little melodrama. The additional hour of parades and circus acts is excruciating.

I also detest Betty Hutton, so there's that, but Lawrence Tierney as a mobster shaking down Heston over the side show games almost makes up for her abrasive presence.