Trapeze (1956)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

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 Artist | Midget | Juggling | Love Triangle | Trapeze Training

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

Also Known As:

Trapecio (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Trapez (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Trapéz (Hungary) [hu]
Trapézio (Portugal) [pt]
Trapets (Sweden) [sv]
Trapetsi (Finland) [fi]
Trapez (Denmark) [da]
Trapezio (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Sally Marlowe was cast as Gina Lollobrigida's stunt double until Marlowe broke her nose on set. Willy Krause, a close personal friend of Burt Lancaster, was asked to fill in as Ms. Lollobrigida's stunt double. He accepted the role.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Waltz Op. 64 No. 1 in D flat major (Minute Waltz)

Almost a great circus movie

Almost a great circus movie, (if such a thing could exist), "Trapeze" comes closer than most to capturing the tawdry excitement of the milieu. While most circus pictures are aimed at kids this is aimed, if not quite at adults, then at least at older kids. It's sexy and it makes the whole business of being a trapeze artist seem like the sexiest, most exciting thing in the world.

It's about the rivalry that can develop, both professionally and romantically, between artists and the director, Carol Reed, gives the film a charge that his more famous and infinitely more civilized films don't have. As the trio of artists who are almost consumed by their passions Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lolobrigida have an instinctive rapport. Lancaster and Curtis' performances here seem like a dry run for their work a year later in "Sweet Smell of Success" and Lolobrigida never looked or acted better. Although Lancaster wasn't young when he made this, he's like the biggest kid in the playground and seems to be having a hell of a time while Lolobrigida is a dynamic tease.