CIRCUS WORLD
aka The Magnificent Showman
DIRECTED BY HENRY HATHAWAY
PRODUCED BY SAMUEL BRONSTON/ MICHAL WASZYNSKI
MUSIC BY DIMITRI TIOMKIN
SAMUEL BRONSTON PRODUCTIONS
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Plot Summary
Circus owner Matt Masters is beset by disasters as he attempts
a European tour of his circus.
At the same time, he is caught in an emotional bind between
his adopted daughter and her mother.
Full Cast
John Wayne .... Matt Masters
Claudia Cardinale .... Toni Alfredo
Rita Hayworth .... Lili Alfredo
Lloyd Nolan .... Cap Carson
Richard Conte .... Aldo Alfredo
John Smith .... Steve McCabe
Katharyna .... Giovana
Katherine Kath .... Hilda
Wanda Rotha .... Mrs. Schuman
Margaret MacGrath .... Anna
Miles Malleson .... Billy Hennigan
José María Caffarel .... Barcelona´s Mayor (as Jose Maria Cafarell)
Kay Walsh .... Flo Hunt
Francois Calepides .... Ringmaster
Robert Cunningham .... Ringmaster
Hans Dantes .... Emile Schuman
Víctor Israel
Katherine Ellison .... Molly (uncredited)
Moustache .... Bartender (uncredited)
Sydna Scott .... Undetermined Role (uncredited)
George Tyne .... Madrid bartender (uncredited)
Writing Credits
Bernard Gordon (story) front Philip Yordan and
Nicholas Ray (story)
Ben Hecht (screenplay) and
Julian Zimet (screenplay) (as Julian Halevy) and
James Edward Grant (screenplay)
Philip Yordan (front for Bernard Gordon)
Original Music
Dimitri Tiomkin
Cinematography
Jack Hildyard
Stunts
Bob Terhune .... stunt double: John Wayne (uncredited)
Fred M. Waugh .... stunts (uncredited)
Trivia
While filming a scene where the main tent catches fire, 'John Wayne' was almost killed when the set collapsed. As he was "fighting" the fire, Wayne was to be cued by the assistant director when to leave before the set was to collapse in flames. Either Wayne didn't hear the cue, or the a.d. mistimed it (it was never determined which), but the flaming set began to collapse before Wayne got out. He escaped with just a few seconds to spare before the entire set would have fallen down on top of him.
Frank Capra began this project but left due to unhappiness with the script (Capra wanted to use his own script but 'John Wayne (I)' insisted that James Edward Grant be brought to rewrite it)
David Niven was originally cast as Cap Carson but left after one of the earlier script rewrites, complaining that it was becoming simply "a typical John Wayne film" and that his role had become smaller. Lloyd Nolan replaced him.
John Wayne was suffering from the early stages of lung cancer during filming (although he didn't know it at the time). After the near fatal fire scene accident he started having a chronic cough and that night started spitting up spots of blood (he continued to smoke still unaware of the real cause). The intense fire stunt seemed to inflame his condition.
Final movie written by Oscar winner Ben Hecht.
Goofs
* Anachronisms: While the film is taking place in 1901, there are several mistakes with the European flags. One example is the Finnish flag that is seen in the movie. Finland didn't achieved independence (and the flag) until 1918.
Filming Location
Aranjuez, Madrid, Spain
Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
Chinchón, Madrid, Spain
Liceu Opera House, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
London, England, UK
Madrid, Spain
Paris, France
Samuel Bronston Studios, Madrid, Spain
(studio)
Spain
Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Vicálvaro, Madrid, Spain
Watch this Trailer
Here is a link to earlier discussion:-
Circus World