Spikeopath The Big Circus is directed by Joseph M. Newman and jointly written by Irwin Allen (who also produces) and Charles Bennett. It stars Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming, Kathryn Grant, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre. Plot sees Mature as Hank Whirling, the owner of The Whirling Circus, where, having seen his partner break away to form his own show, he finds he has to beg a loan off the bank to keep the Whirling show going. The bank agree to the loan but on condition that their financial whizz Randolph Sherman (Buttons) travels along with the show to keep an eye on the finances. He in turn hires publicity agent Helen Harrison (Fleming) to professionally sell the product, but both of them are not wanted by Whirling. However, there are more pressing concerns for the show, there is a saboteur at large and it seems whoever it is will stop at nothing to finish off the Circus.Looking for a Sunday afternoon time filler full of colour, vibrancy and delightful circus sequences? Then look no further than Irwin Allen's The Big Circus, an entertaining and tidy picture that seems to have been forgotten in the wake (fall out) of The Greatest Show On Earth. Making no bones about it, Allen follows the formula of the Cecil B. DeMille behemoth pretty much all the way, only the budget is considerably smaller so it obviously isn't as gargantuan as the 1952 Best Picture Winner. Fair to say there's some overacting, notably from Mature, but the mystery element is played close to the chest, with pretty much everyone under suspicion, and the high wire/trapeze antics are joyous. Nice cast, nice film and easy to recommend to the undemanding crowd. 6.5/10

TheLittleSongbird The Big Circus I found a decent movie. It is a worthy attempt, but it isn't quite the masterpiece it yearned to be. No matter how many flaws there are, it is an entertaining and undervalued movie. While it is hindered by the fact that it is rather low budget, so the sets and technical aspects(ie. sound) weren't as up to scratch as they could have been, however, the costumes and photography are very nice and extraordinarily colourful. The plot, like a whodunit at a circus, while slow to start with, is clever and reaches to a tense ending where I admit I was surprised at the identity of the culprit. The trapeze scenes were very well choreographed, and the highlight was the tightrope walking scene with Zach, I really felt the desperation and anguish in his face. The music is wonderful too,the script is acceptable and the performances are above decent. Victor Mature, who I think can act, is a little world-weary and is disappointingly one note at times but wonderfully over the top in other parts of the film. Rhonda Fleming is lovely as the female lead. However they are both overshadowed by a brilliant supporting cast including Red Buttons, Gilbert Roland, Kathryn Grant, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre. All in all, not a masterpiece, but I do think despite its flaws that the Big Circus is undervalued. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Albert Mazeika OK, OK, so it's NOT a classic, but it IS entertaining. I take GREAT exception to SINGLE BLACK MALE's assessment of Victor Mature as an actor, a criticism I can only describe as...IMMATURE (LOL). Victor Mature turned in some EXCELLENT portrayals, notably in MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, KISS OF DEATH and THE ROBE. Also, let me clarify a couple of other comments posted for this film: The train wreck here is NOT the climactic set piece that the one in GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH was and ZACH's (Gilbert Roland) attempt to walk Niagara falls is not this film's climax. As for why Vincent Price was in the cast, here comes my spoiler: The saboteur in the circus' troop turns out NOT to be the often-cast-as-villain, Price, but rather the young, clean cut, all-American boy, fresh from the OZZIE AND HARRIET show, David Nelson. A nice "red herring" to throw the audience off the scent of the real villain. I also thought Peter Lorre's "Skeeter the Clown" was just fine, especially when he is asked what bank watchdog/accountant, Red Buttons' "act" is: "He's a juggler. Juggles figures". Plus, Kathryn Grant (eventually Mrs. Bing Crosby) and Adele Mara both look great in tights!

StuOz Irwin Allen's take on circus life.Not really the sort of film I review.Footage of out-of-control wild animals upsetting folks in the circus does bring to mind later episodes of Lost In Space, Land Of The Giants and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea when wild animals/monsters would threaten the stars of these shows.Big Circus might not be the greatest show on earth but it is a taste of things to come, in the 1960s, from producer Irwin Allen!