IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
A debt-ridden circus is saved by a well-meaning but inept publicity man.A debt-ridden circus is saved by a well-meaning but inept publicity man.A debt-ridden circus is saved by a well-meaning but inept publicity man.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Ben Hecht(book)
- Charles MacArthur(book)
- Sidney Sheldon(screenplay)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Ben Hecht(book)
- Charles MacArthur(book)
- Sidney Sheldon(screenplay)
- Stars
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 9 nominations total
Videos1
Wazzan Troupe
- Circus Performersas Circus Performers
- (as The Wazzans)
Poodles Hanneford
- Circus Performersas Circus Performers
- (as The Hannefords)
- Director
- Writers
- Ben Hecht(book)
- Charles MacArthur(book)
- Sidney Sheldon(screenplay)
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
Storyline
It's the early 1900's. The Wonder Circus is a traveling circus owned and operated by Anthony Wonder - who performs as a clown - and his daughter Kitty Wonder - who performs as an aerialist and trick rider. Although Kitty loves her Pop as she and all the other circus performers call her father, she hates his gambling addiction which is placing the circus deep in debt. They and their employees treat the circus like one big family, especially Lulu the fortune teller who wants to be Mrs. Wonder, but the employees may only be so loyal if they aren't getting paid. As such, many of the performers leave or threaten to leave to join the Wonder Circus' main competitor, the Noble Circus owned by the power and money hungry John Noble. Although Pop and Kitty don't want anyone to leave their employ, the only act that they will never let go is Jumbo, their trained elephant, who Noble had tried to buy in the past. As many performers leave, into their midst comes circus Jack-of-all-trades Sam Rawlins. Kitty is reluctant to hire Sam because she wants loyal people working for them instead of someone like Sam who she sees as a "sunshiner", a career circus employee who moves from gig to gig. Pop has no such reservation and hires him. Despite still being somewhat suspicious of Sam's motivations since she figures he could get more money working for Noble with his vast array of circus skills, Kitty starts to fall in love with Sam, and he with her, despite his attempts to feign disinterest. Indeed, Sam is hiding a secret about himself and his reason for being with the show. That secret may jeopardize his standing with the Wonders if they ever found out - even if Sam begins to have second thoughts about his reasons for joining them - and jeopardize the entire Wonder Circus itself which includes Jumbo's life. —Huggo
- Taglines
- The Wonderful Songs of Rodgers and Hart
- Genres
- Certificate
- Approved
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie was based on Billy Rose's 1935 Hippodrome extravaganza and one of Rose's stipulations in negotiating the screen rights was that his name be featured in the title.
- GoofsLulu somehow manages to come out of the cannon backwards - the opposite way to how she entered.
- Quotes
Kitty Wonder: [When fortune teller Lulu is reading her palm] Do you really see somebody?
Lulu: Yes! He's tall, dark...
Kitty Wonder: ...and handsome? You are such a faker! Do you ever see someone short, fat and ugly?
Lulu: Yep... in the mirror!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (1982)
Top review
MGM's Last Big Musical
In 1962, Doris Day was the top box office star (male or female) in the world. "Billy Rose's Jumbo" opened in New York at Radio City Music Hall during a newspaper strike and a snow storm which made the film suffer at the box office.
It is a wonderful film with great music, good acting and some exciting circus acts. Steven Boyd was the latest actor/wanna-be star to utilize Miss Day as a stepping stone to fame. He was handsome and a good choice to play opposite Doris Day.
The story is secondary to the rest of the film. Simply, Doris' father, Jimmy Durante, owner of the Wonder Circus, was in deep financial trouble and about to lose his business. Boyd played the son of the owner of a rival circus who wants to take over the Durante organization including the main attraction, Jumbo, the wonder elephant.
Day, of course, falls in love with Boyd and the rest is music. Doris Day had some wonderful moments. She showed her mettle as a comedienne in a scene where she takes over a crap game from her father to win back the money he has lost.
Her singing of "My Romance" was very beautiful and I loved the part when she turns, with Boyd, and starts to walk as she sings. Her rendition of "Little Girl Blue" was dramatic and poinant.
Martha Raye, was, well, Martha Raye and Jimmy Durante was, err, Jimmy Durante!
The picture looks like they spent a lot of money on it, the color was sharp and the camera work superb. I also enjoyed the final, "Sawdust, Spangles and Dreams". Day and Raye were very funny as clowns.
This picture is often dismissed as being a flop, the only film which failed during Miss Day's run of box office bonanza. That's unfair because the New York Critics' reviews were not available to inform the public. Their words set the tone for the success or failure of a film. That was especially true in 1962.
It is a wonderful film with great music, good acting and some exciting circus acts. Steven Boyd was the latest actor/wanna-be star to utilize Miss Day as a stepping stone to fame. He was handsome and a good choice to play opposite Doris Day.
The story is secondary to the rest of the film. Simply, Doris' father, Jimmy Durante, owner of the Wonder Circus, was in deep financial trouble and about to lose his business. Boyd played the son of the owner of a rival circus who wants to take over the Durante organization including the main attraction, Jumbo, the wonder elephant.
Day, of course, falls in love with Boyd and the rest is music. Doris Day had some wonderful moments. She showed her mettle as a comedienne in a scene where she takes over a crap game from her father to win back the money he has lost.
Her singing of "My Romance" was very beautiful and I loved the part when she turns, with Boyd, and starts to walk as she sings. Her rendition of "Little Girl Blue" was dramatic and poinant.
Martha Raye, was, well, Martha Raye and Jimmy Durante was, err, Jimmy Durante!
The picture looks like they spent a lot of money on it, the color was sharp and the camera work superb. I also enjoyed the final, "Sawdust, Spangles and Dreams". Day and Raye were very funny as clowns.
This picture is often dismissed as being a flop, the only film which failed during Miss Day's run of box office bonanza. That's unfair because the New York Critics' reviews were not available to inform the public. Their words set the tone for the success or failure of a film. That was especially true in 1962.
helpful•272
- Ralph McKnight
- Nov 30, 1998
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $5,256,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 3 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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