Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Berserk Indeed!, 14 Jul 2001
By A Customer
Joan Crawford returned to England to make this very strange coda to her illustrious career. Did she know what she was letting herself in for?The circus is the setting of this very simple story. There's a murderer under the Big Top but who and more importantly why? It doesn't really matter as we get to enjoy some great performances along the way from the lions, the elephants, the horses and a high wire act. There is also the quite extraordinary 'Wanda and her Intelligent Poodles', certainly a highlight of the film but over far to quickly. Ringmistress Monica Rivers (Joan Crawford) looks great every time she appears, resplendent in her own clothes that seem just made for Technicolor. Other characters don't really get a chance to shine with the exception of the great Diana Dors who trades insults with Joan just before she's finally dispatched by a circular saw. Robert Hardy is the Scotland Yard Detective sent to investigate and Judy Geeson is the hard done by daughter with a grievance.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Big Top blood letting, 28 Nov 2008
Monica Rivers(Joan Crawford) is the owner of a large circus touring Britain. When the trapeze artist is killed during his act, Rivers decides that the show must go on, and soon suspicion falls on her as more people start to die. Of course theres plenty of other suspects. Scheming trapeze artist the Magnificent Hawkins(Ty Hardin), jealous business partner Doraldo(Michael Gough), bitchy hothead Matilda(Diana Dors) to name but three. Soon Scotland Yard are on the case, and things take a worse turn for Rivers when her daughter Angela(Judy Geeson) is expelled from school and returns to her circus home.
This one has it all. A troupe of performing poodles, exciting acts(this was filmed at Billy Smart's Circus), a bearded lady dancing with a dwarf, some of the cast even perform a music number halfway through. Of course its all a load of camp nonsense really, but expertly done, and its a very entertaining affair, and it does feel at times that you really are at the circus.
The performances are all fine. Crawford of course is a commanding prescence, Diana Dors gives her all as usual, and the young Geeson is very impressive as Angela(she was soon to become a staple scream queen in many British horrors)
So a very enjoyable film, long overdue a DVD release. 4 out of 5
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great 60s classic starring Diana Dors & Joan Crawford!, 5 April 2007
Joan Crawford was so desperate to make a British movie by the end of the sixties, she offered to pay for her own wardrobe in this - and did! She also wanted to work alongside some of Britain's finest talent - she was to get her wish. (though somehow it is hard to imagine Ms. Crawford driving around in a small car along some of the narrow roads of Liverpool!) This is a gruesome but entertaining thriller - not least because of its very genuine circus acts - Billy Smart's Circus was hired for the job. This was Crawford's last major movie, and so it seemed fitting that the film should be centred around her character.
Some viewers might find parts of the film's dialogue incredulous, for example; when Ty Hardin utters those immortal words to Crawford; 'you know I'm crazy about you'; hardly credible in the real world, and so begs the question: what virile thirty-six year old man would have preferred Joan Crawford over Diana Dors!? Well, a great movie does not necessarily require great dialogue - or even credibility! Crawford's daughter for instance, is played by the fabulous Judy Geeson and is far too young to be the daughter of a woman so old... (Judy looking great by the way, and making a somewhat late appearance, but with one of her biggest performances, and so well worth anticipating!)
Diana Dors gets joint top billing here - still looking glamorous and fabulous, and there are some Great British supporting talent as well. There's an enjoyable cat fight between Dors and famous character actress Marianne Stone. (an actress who's made more films than anyone can count!) From the moment Dors enters, she gives one of her strongest and most powerful performances in terms of 'presence', and is more than a match for any Hollywood great! Ambrosine Phillpotts (Room At The Top) has a marvellous time talking down to Crawford too!
One of the high points with regards to entertainment value, has to be the performing poodles; you only have to note the camera scanning the very genuine audience to see the very real delight upon the children's faces watching these cute little dogs do their tricks! A close second would be the catchy little number performed by some of the circus people.
This film has been deleted on video for some time, and is long overdue on DVD.
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