Main Cast: John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale, Rita Hayworth, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte
Release Year: 1964
Country: US
Run Time: 132 minutes
Plot
Filmed in Cinerama and Technicolor, Circus World may have drawn the crowds for various reasons -- not the least, perhaps, for the big names. John Wayne stars as circus owner Matt Masters, who takes his show to Europe hoping to save it from financial ruin. Accompanying Matt, is young Toni (Claudia Cardinale), whom Matt had raised since her aerialist mother Lili (Rita Hayworth) left them years before. Just before he departs from New York, Matt is reminded that Lili may be somewhere in Germany. Upon their arrival in Europe, much of the equipment is lost when their ship sinks in a Spanish port. Matt doesn't let that get the best of them, and he is soon up and running with the show, becoming a hit throughout Europe. Against Matt's wishes, Toni trains to become an aerialist like her mother. A quiet figure in the shadows proudly watches Toni rehearse her daring routines. The writing team of Ben Hecht, James Edward Grant and Julian Halevy adapted their screenplay from a story by Philip Yordan and Nicholas Ray. Though this was not a gunslinger role for Wayne, Matt Masters was not a far stretch. This could have been due to the fact that Wayne had previously worked on several projects with director Henry Hathaway and writers Hecht and Grant -- and the part was altered to suit him. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
Review
There's as much schmaltz and soap as there is sawdust in Circus World, a film that was unfavorably compared to The Greatest Show on Earth when originally released. In fact, World is almost as entertaining as Show, even if it lacks the same degree of visual splendor that Cecil B. De Mille brought to the latter. If director Henry Hathaway is not quite De Mille's equal, he still knows his way around an epic, and World is filled with spectacular moments, especially when viewed on the big screen. Hathaway lavished a great deal of care and attention of the two most notable sequences, the capsizing of the ship and the tent fire, and the results are breathtaking. He also handles his cast well. John Wayne's performance reveals no new depths, but he's effective and does what is called for, and Rita Hayworth turns in a moving and well modulated performance; her "reunion" scene after she has "washed her face" is especially good. The script never rises above the level of soap opera, but it provides a very workable frame upon which to hang the spectacle, and the production values are impressive. As usual, Dimitri Tiomkin's exciting score helps to effectively intensify the theatrics. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
John Smith - Steve McCabe; Henri Dantes - Emile Schuman; Wanda Rotha - Mrs. Schuman; Katharyna - Giovanna; Kay Walsh - Flo Hunt; Margaret MacGrath - Anna Hunt; Katherine Ellison - Molly; Miles Malleson - Billy Hennigan; Katherine Kath - Hilda; Moustache - Bartender; Bob Cunningham; George Tyne - Madrid bartender
At the turn of the twentieth century, circus owner Matt Masters (John Wayne) takes his circus on a tour to Europe in search of his long-lost love, Lili Alfredo (Rita Hayworth). With him are Lili's daughter, Toni (Claudia Cardinale) whom she abandoned years earlier and whom he has raised as his own, and his faithful friend, Cap Carson (Lloyd Nolan). The circus is lost in a sinking ship, but Masters manages to salvage part of it and with the help of some European acts puts together a new show. He ultimately finds Lili and so mother and daughter are reunited.
Trivia
This was Wayne's last film before his lung cancer operation.
It was speculated that at the time this film was made, Rita Hayworth may have already been suffering the early stages of Alzhiemer's disease. She was often late and had trouble remembering her lines and it was reported she was often drunk and abusive to those on the set. John Wayne had previously looked forward to working with her, but it was said he came to despise her behavior.
David Niven was originally cast as Cap Carson, but withdrew from the film.
The film was the basis for a novel by the Spanish author Juan Miñana which was originally published in 1999 with the Spanish title Noticias del mundo real. It is about two young Spanish law students who search the city of Barcelona for main actor John Wayne who has not returned to the hotel for another day of shooting.
Frank Capra was originally going to direct, but quit during pre-production over disagreements with Wayne's favored screenwriter, James Edward Grant.
