The Big Show Reviews

Those interested in esoterica might recognize this film as sort of a remake of the western BROKEN LANCE, which was, in turn, the sagebrush remake of HOUSE OF STRANGERS, Joe Mankiewicz's version of Jerome Weidman's novel. In this case, it's not a ranch or a bank but a circus. Persoff is the cruel father and, although only five years older than Cliff Robertson in real life, manages to convince in the role. Vaughan is the rotten son who wants to take over the business. The picture is told in flashback for no apparent reason and uses lots of circus footage to fill out the time. Good, solid acts are seen, but the film is a bore despite the presence of Esther Williams, who does a fine job as a wealthy woman who falls in love with Robertson. It doesn't have the scope of THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH or the suspense of TRAPEZE and falls far short of being the circus epic the producers must have imagined.