大马戏团

IrememberseeingthisfilmasaladonafamilyoutinginManhattan,toppedoffbymyinsistencethatwehavedinneratJackDempsey'sRestaurantinManhattan.Toobadtheoldchampwasn'ttherethatdayoritwouldhavebeenaperfectSunday.                                   SeeingitnowonaformattedVHStheawesomenessofthespectacleduringthescenesofthecircusfiresandthecapsizedshipintheharborisreallylost.It'squiteaneyefulandshouldonlybesceneintheaters.                                   Andthefilmwouldberevived,butwehaveasubduedJohnWaynehereandit'snotforthebetter.                                   ThiswasoriginallytobeaFrankCaprafilmandCaprabowedoutaftercreativedifferenceswiththeDukeandsomeoftheDuke'spersonalentourage.ReadtheCapraautobiographytofindoutexactlywhattheywere,buttheyweren'tfullyfixedinthefinalproductbydirectorHenryHathawaywholaterpilotedtheDuketohisOscarinTrueGrit.                                   JohnWaynewasaguywhowasusuallyverycarefultogivethepublictheDuketheyexpected.Evenwhenhestretchedhisabilitiesitwasdonewithafirmdirectorialhand.                                   We'reaskedtoaccepttheDukeasamanwhohadanadulterousaffairhere.HealsodoesnotthrowonepunchinthisentirefilmorfireaweaponinotherthanitbeingpartofhisWildWestShow.ThepeoplewenttoseeJohnWayne,buttheydidn'tgettheirmoney'sworth.                                   PitybecauseitwouldhavebeengreattoseeJohnWaynewithRitaHayworthinagreatfilm.Thatcouldn'thavehappenedwhentheywereyoungerbecauseofRita'scontractwithColumbiapicturesandWayne'spersonalboycottingofthatstudiobecauseofhisdislikeforHarryCohn.ThatstoryIwon'tgointo.                                   RitaHayworthwhodoesn'tenterintothefilmuntilalmosthalfwaythroughisfineasWayne'slostlove.SheandClaudiaCardinalelookedjustfineintightsastrapezeartists.LloydNolanasWayne'ssidekickisalwaysgood.                                   RichardConteisHayworth'sbrother-in-lawandCardinale'suncle.Thisfineactoriswastedhereinapartthateitherwasbadlywrittenorleftonthecuttingroomfloor.                                   JohnSmithwasaWayneprotégéofsorts,WaynegavehimanearlybreakinTheHighandtheMightywhichheproduced.SmithwentontostarintheLaramieTVseriesandoncompletionofthathewascastoppositeCardinale,probablyatWayne'sinsistence.Irememberalwayswonderingwhathappenedtohimbecauseheleftshowbusinessshortlyafterwards.ThenbackintheNinetiesIreadhehaddiedofcirrhosisoftheliver.Iguessyoucanfillintheblanks.                                   AtthetimeCircusWorldcameout,therewasontelevisionaprimetimeseriescalledInternationalShowtime.ItwasonFridaysat8pm.anditwassetinadifferentcityinEuropeeveryweek.HostedbyDonAmecheitfeaturedtheverybestcircusactsintheworld.SodidCircusWorld,butitcertainlywasnoincentiveforpeopletocomeouttoseethiswhentheycouldseethesamethingathome.AlsoParamountre-releasedCecilB.DeMille'sTheGreatestShowonEarthtoabriskboxofficebusinessatthesametimeCircusWorldcameout.                                   SoforallthesereasonsCircusWorldfloppedandbankruptedproducerSamuelBronstein.Neverthelessifyou'reacircusfanyouwillenjoyseeingthis.Butit'snottheDukehisfanshavecometoexpecteee