Before "The Greatest Showman", there was "Trapeze", okay, and "The Greatest Show On Earth" but this three-hander, starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida more than wipes the sawdust with its better-known rivals.
Sure it too employs every big top cliche going and for good measure throws in a scarcely credible love triangle covering every angle among the three principals, i.e. Burt's character clearly loves Tony's character in a tough-love fatherly way, which is reciprocated adoringly by the new young protege, until Gina comes between the two men, not only threatening to break their bond of masculine friendship but also their professional relationship, just when they're on the verge of completing an almost legendary triple somersault trick which could see them recruited by a big-name circus for better big-top fame and fortune.
Evocatively and colourfully set in Paris, director Carol Reed does a good job managing the silly to-ing and fro-ing plot and especially the filming of the highwire stunts. Of course it helps that Lancaster worked as a circus acrobat in his youth but with clever editing and camera-positioning, you almost believe Curtis and Lollobrigida were trapezists too.
Lancaster dominates the screen as the central character Mike Ribble, around whom the whole film revolves and unsurprisingly he carries off this responsibility with no little aplomb or panache. Curtis is fit and handsome as the adoring but still ambitious protege and while Lollobrigida is typecast as the feisty Latino heartbreaker, she does at least convince the viewer of her ability to bewitch any man she meets.
So roll up roll up and hurry hurry to watch this wonderfully daft and over-the-big-top feature, a splendid time is guaranteed for all.
Sure it too employs every big top cliche going and for good measure throws in a scarcely credible love triangle covering every angle among the three principals, i.e. Burt's character clearly loves Tony's character in a tough-love fatherly way, which is reciprocated adoringly by the new young protege, until Gina comes between the two men, not only threatening to break their bond of masculine friendship but also their professional relationship, just when they're on the verge of completing an almost legendary triple somersault trick which could see them recruited by a big-name circus for better big-top fame and fortune.
Evocatively and colourfully set in Paris, director Carol Reed does a good job managing the silly to-ing and fro-ing plot and especially the filming of the highwire stunts. Of course it helps that Lancaster worked as a circus acrobat in his youth but with clever editing and camera-positioning, you almost believe Curtis and Lollobrigida were trapezists too.
Lancaster dominates the screen as the central character Mike Ribble, around whom the whole film revolves and unsurprisingly he carries off this responsibility with no little aplomb or panache. Curtis is fit and handsome as the adoring but still ambitious protege and while Lollobrigida is typecast as the feisty Latino heartbreaker, she does at least convince the viewer of her ability to bewitch any man she meets.
So roll up roll up and hurry hurry to watch this wonderfully daft and over-the-big-top feature, a splendid time is guaranteed for all.