Review of The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) by Ivan D — 14 Apr 2010

Very enjoyable and genuinely suspenseful, like watching a live top rate circus show, only this time, with a special pass in the backstage for some Hollywood drama. The only reason why it's one of the few best picture winners with a rotten rating in the tomatometer is because it has defeated more superior films for the Best Picture.

Now, forget about that Oscar notoriety for a while, and you still have great entertainment in its purest form, with good performances from Charlton Heston and especially James Stewart as Buttons. Maybe "The Greatest Show on Earth" is not art, but its not trying to be, because its mere target is to present the thrills and excitement of a live circus show, and merge it with the scope of cinema.