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Poster for The Greatest Show on Earth

The Greatest Show on Earth

The Heartbeat Story of Circus People, Filmed with the Cooperation of Ringling Bros. - Barnum and Bailey Circus!

1952 · 2h 32m · NOT RATED Drama, Romance
Directed by Cecil B. DeMille

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Overview

To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
44%
Tomatometer
Fresh

This is the circus with more entertainment, more thrills, more spangles and as much Big Top atmosphere as RB-B&B itself can offer. It's a smash certainty for high-wire grosses.

Herb Golden, Variety
Rotten

It won best-picture Oscar for 1952, but God (De Mille's favorite walk-on, strangely absent here) only knows why.

Pat Graham, Chicago Reader
Fresh

Characteristically elephantine Big Top epic from DeMille, thumped across with a winning brashness and garnering the veteran showman his first Best Picture Oscar.

Paul Taylor, Time Out
Fresh

The great showman of the movies has packed everything into this one picture. It has comedy, drama, thrills, melodrama, tragedy and great heart appeal.

Kate Cameron, New York Daily News
Fresh

Two American institutions have combined to put out a piece of entertainment that will delight movie audiences for years.

Bosley Crowther, New York Times

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