Trapeze (1956)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Carol Reed

Writers:

Max Catto (novel)
Liam O'Brien (adaptation)

Release Date:

30 May 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

High...High...High...Above Them All! - in excitement! - in spectacle! - in fire, flesh and fury!

Plot:

Mike Ribble was once a great trapeze artist - and the only to have completed a triple somersault - before his accident...

Plot Keywords:

Trapeze | Circus | Trapeze Artist | One Word Title | Giraffe

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Mike Ribble
Tony Curtis	...	Tino Orsini
Gina Lollobrigida	...	Lola
Katy Jurado	...	Rosa
Thomas Gomez	...	Bouglione
Johnny Puleo	...	Max (dwarf) (as John Puleo)
Minor Watson	...	John Ringling North
Gérard Landry	...	Chikki (as Gerard Landry)
Jean-Pierre Kérien	...	Otto (as Jean-Pierre Kerien)
Sid James	...	Snake Charmer (as Sidney James)
Gimma Boys	...	Circus family children
Los Arriolas	...	Specialty Act
Gamil Ratib	...	Stefan
Pierre Tabard	...	Paul
Edward Hagopian

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording) (optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording) (magnetic prints)

Certification:

Norway:16 | USA:Approved (certificate #17783) | UK:U | West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Cirque d'Hiver - 110 rue Amelot, Paris 11, Paris, France

Company:

Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions

Trivia:

Burt Lancaster performed all of the trapeze stunts himself, having worked in a circus before entering films. He insisted on doing the climactic triple flip, but technical adviser Eddie Ward initially was hesitant on Lancaster performing the stunt, so Ward doubled for Lancaster during the first weeks of shooting, but Lancaster told director Carol Reed that he knew how to do the stunt from the get-go so it is Lancaster you see in the final cut of the film.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Cheers: Peterson Crusoe (#3.11)" (1984)

Soundtrack:

Entry of the Gladiators

Bravo Lancaster!

What can we say about the big guy? He did his own stunts and this little film with Tony "Yonder's m'fadda's castle" Curtis [né Schwartz] and the lovely Ms. Lollobrigida, along with vet character actor Tom Gomez, delivers. Lots of fun. Lots of stunts. A reminder of a long gone era when movies had something to say. I remember seeing this one in San Francisco when it first aired. My date that evening was beautiful El Salvadorian who looked (nearly) as gorgeous as Gina. But, the film was so good, I stayed on my best behavior, much to her (and my) surprise. Ah, those were the days and this was a fun film to watch. The scene where Curtis and Lancaster walk home on their hands alone was worth the price of admission-- for both of us.