Sunday Pause: Teaching Myself to Enjoy Visiting as Much as Watching DeMile's The Greatest Show on Earth ...

How many times can you see a movie before getting burnout?  Some people watch favorite films countless times, and never stop watching.

I have come to think of this wonderful circus movie as a familiar place, a world of people and things I may always find new surprises among.  And I have found a renewal of desire to watch it by knowing that I will watch it in two sittings.  Last night I watched the first hour and a half, stopping just as they were going into the song on the trampoline, Be a Jumping Jack.  Now, after I write this, I will take my seat and watch the last part of the movie.

 

I'll admit I am a hopeless John Ringling North fan. Why? When I was barely in my teens, I learned of a movie being made, this one,  in which he appeared as the big boss, a movie that swept me away.  Soon, I subscribed to The White Tops and was reading The Billboard every week, following his exciting and controversial creative moves in designing and staging the shows, and the whole look of the circus on the lot.  

Even though I once was lucky to meet and interview him, there is still about him that mystical quality, mainly I think because he was a hand's off showman, giving others from various creative realms the freedom to create. On came, via Art Concello, the seat wagons, and other dazzling innovations.  There was talk of putting up a tent for dancing on the midway, with one of the Dorsey brothers leading the band.  There was talk of a Ringling theme park. Of a pole-less  big top designed by Norman Bell Geddes.

Back to the movie: The train wreck has, increasingly over the years, struck me as excessive, as it did a few otherwise impressed critics.  But since it comes around two hours into the film, this works good for my viewing, for it arrives after my taking a break, returning to the film the next day.

Last night, during Sebastian's build up to his reckless trick resulting in a fall, I sat back and gave more attention to  the lean flyer who makes those big reckless arcs, moving from one trap bar to another, rather than to a catcher. He is really good!

There he is, John Ringling North in the hat, with brother Henry to his left, and could that be Art Concello, to his right, in the other hat?

We are lucky to have this wonderful film, rich in so many ways.  And, yes, maybe only a circus fan can feel this way.  On rotten tomatoes, it hits a high of around 45%. But when it opened in 1952, Variety and a few other big shots gave it full out raves.  Know what?  I think they were right.  And so were those Hollywood insiders who gave it the Oscar for Best Picture of the year.

Looking for photos, I landed a great treasure trove of images in rich black and white, largely featuring John Ringling North, because they were posted in a story about him in New York Social Diary.  Great discovery!  A few brought on here.

Saxing it up in the M'Toto Room at the old John Ringling Hotel.  I see his good musician friend Rudy Bundy, lower right.

There's Bette Davis with John, to her right, and Henry, lower right.  

A juggler of sorts.

 

North and press agent Frank Braden at Madison Square Garden, 1950.  I was in awe of Braden's writing style in the roue books.

You can view all the photos at:

 https://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/john-ringling-north-circus-king/