The Devil's Circus

Last updated

The Devil's Circus
Devil's Circus lobby card.jpg
Lobby card
Directed by Benjamin Christensen
Written byBenjamin Christensen
H.H. Caldwell (titles)
Katherine Hilliker (titles)
Starring Norma Shearer
Charles Emmett Mack
CinematographyBen F. Reynolds
Edited by Ben Lewis
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • February 15, 1926 (1926-02-15)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)
The Devil's Circus advertisement in The Film Daily (1926) The Devil's Circus advertisement in The Film Daily, Jan-Jun 1926 (page 1019 crop).jpg
The Devil's Circus advertisement in The Film Daily (1926)

The Devil's Circus is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Danish director Benjamin Christensen, based upon his screenplay. The film stars Norma Shearer and Charles Emmett Mack. It was the first of seven films directed by Christensen in the United States, and one of only four of those films that have not been lost. The film involves a young female trapeze artist who is in love with a pickpocket.

Contents

The film's sets were designed by the art director James Basevi.

Plot

As described in a film magazine review, [1] Mary, a young country woman, is befriended by Carl, a pickpocket. She obtains employment in a circus. Carl is arrested for robbery but promises Mary to go straight thereafter. Hugo, a lion-tamer who is infatuated with Mary, assaults her. Jealousy impels Yonna, Hugo's mistress, to tamper with the ropes while Mary is doing her trapeze act. She falls among the enraged lions and is crippled. War breaks out, and many circus men leave to serve in the military. When peace comes, Carl searches and finds Mary. He goes to kill Hugo, but, after discovering that he is blind, he relents. Carl and Mary face a happy future together.

Cast

Reception

From users of IMDb, the film has received a score of 6.8 out 10 from 62 votes.

Preservation status

Thought to have been lost, [2] a print of The Devil's Circus was rediscovered and has been preserved by the George Eastman Museum. [3] Funding for the film's restoration was provided by The Film Foundation.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Divorcee</i> 1930 film

The Divorcee is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film written by Nick Grindé, John Meehan, and Zelda Sears, based on the 1929 novel Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, and won Best Actress for its star Norma Shearer.

<i>Their Own Desire</i> 1929 American pre-Code romantic drama film by E. Mason Hopper

Their Own Desire is a 1929 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Norma Shearer, Belle Bennett, Lewis Stone, Robert Montgomery, and Helene Millard. The film was adapted by James Forbes and Frances Marion from the novel by Sarita Fuller; Lucille Newmark wrote the titles. It is also the last MGM film in the 1920s. Shearer was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, but lost to herself for The Divorcee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Christensen</span> Danish film director, writer and actor

Benjamin Christensen was a Danish film director, screenwriter and an actor, both in film and on the stage. As a director, he was best known for his 1922 film Häxan. His most memorable and acclaimed acting performance was in the film Michael (1924), where he played Claude Zoret, the male lover of the film's title character in a landmark gay film.

<i>The Rough Riders</i> (film) 1927 film by Victor Fleming

The Rough Riders is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Victor Fleming, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Noah Beery, Sr., Charles Farrell, George Bancroft, and Mary Astor. Due to the public apathy towards silent films, a sound version was also prepared early in 1928. While the sound version has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using both the sound-on-disc and sound-on-film process. The picture is fictional account of Theodore Roosevelt's military unit in Cuba. This film had an alternate release title, The Trumpet Call. The cinematography was by James Wong Howe and E. Burton Steene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (song)</span> Song performed by Eddie Cantor

"The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze", originally published under the title "The Flying Trapeze" and also known as "The Man on the Flying Trapeze", is a 19th-century popular song about a flying trapeze circus performer, Jules Léotard. The refrain states:

<i>The Stolen Jools</i> 1931 film

The Stolen Jools is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy short produced by the Masquers Club of Hollywood, featuring many cameo appearances by film stars of the day. The stars appeared in the film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, to raise funds for the National Vaudeville Artists Tuberculosis Sanitarium. The UCLA Film and Television Archive entry for this film says—as do the credits—that the film was co-sponsored by Chesterfield cigarettes to support the "fine work" of the NVA sanitarium.

<i>4 Devils</i> 1928 film by F. W. Murnau

4 Devils is a lost 1928 American synchronized sound drama film directed by German director F. W. Murnau and starring Janet Gaynor. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the sound-on-film movietone process.

<i>The Noose</i> (film) 1928 film

The Noose is an American silent drama film adaptation of the Willard Mack play The Noose, which was released in 1928 by First National Pictures. It stars Richard Barthelmess, Montagu Love, Robert Emmett O'Connor, and Thelma Todd. It was directed by John Francis Dillon and Richard Barthelmess's performance was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. The movie was adapted by Garrett Graham and James T. O'Donohoe from the play. The play was also the basis of the Paramount Pictures film I'd Give My Life (1936).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Murray (American actor)</span> American actor

Charles Albert Murray, was an American film actor of the silent era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Carr</span> American actress (1874–1973)

Mary Carr, was an American film actress and was married to the actor William Carr. She appeared in more than 140 films from 1915 to 1956. She was given some of filmdoms plum mother roles in silent pictures, especially Fox's 1920 Over the Hill to the Poorhouse, which was a great success. She was interred in Calvary Cemetery. Carr bore a strong resemblance to Lucy Beaumont, another famous character actress of the time who specialized in mother roles. As older actresses such as Mary Maurice and Anna Townsend passed on, Carr, still in her forties, seem to inherit all the matriarchal roles in silent films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Emmett Mack</span> American actor

Charles Emmett Mack, was an American film actor during the silent film era. He appeared in seventeen films between 1916 and 1927.

<i>The Woman for Joe</i> 1955 British drama film

The Woman for Joe is a 1955 British drama film directed by George More O'Ferrall and starring Diane Cilento, George Baker, Jimmy Karoubi and David Kossoff. The screenplay concerns the owner of a circus sideshow and his prize attraction, who become romantically involved with the same woman. The film was made at Pinewood Studios. The sets were designed by the art director Maurice Carter.

<i>Barbara Frietchie</i> (1924 film) 1924 film

Barbara Frietchie is a 1924 American silent war drama film about an old woman who helps out soldiers during the American Civil War. It is based on the play of the same name by Clyde Fitch that had starred Julia Marlowe at the turn of the century which in turn was taken from the real-life story of Barbara Fritchie. There were two silent film versions, a 1915 version and 1924 version. The 1915 version, directed by Herbert Blaché, starred Mary Miles Minter and Anna Q. Nilsson. The 1924 version, directed by Lambert Hillyer, starred Florence Vidor and Edmund Lowe.

<i>The Waning Sex</i> 1926 film by Robert Zigler Leonard

The Waning Sex is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Based on the 1923 play of the same name by Fanny and Frederic Hatton, the film starred Norma Shearer and Conrad Nagel.

<i>Upstage</i> (film) 1926 film by Monta Bell

Upstage is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Monta Bell, starring Norma Shearer and New York musical comedy star Oscar Shaw.

<i>Mockery</i> (1927 film) 1927 film by Benjamin Christensen

Mockery (1927) is an American silent film about the Russian Revolution starring Lon Chaney. The movie was the second film made in Hollywood by Danish director Benjamin Christensen and stars Chaney as a Siberian peasant who aids a countess who is threatened by the encroaching insurgency. The screenplay was written by Bradley King, based on a story by Benjamin Christensen, which in turn was adapted from a short story by Stig Esbern. The sets were designed by Cedric Gibbons and Alexander Toluboff.

<i>Old San Francisco</i> 1927 film by Alan Crosland

Old San Francisco is a 1927 American synchronized sound historical drama film starring Dolores Costello and featuring Warner Oland. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. The film, which was produced and distributed by Warner Bros., was directed by Alan Crosland.

The George Eastman Award for distinguished contribution to the art of film was established by the George Eastman Museum in 1955 as the first film award given by an American archive and museum to honor artistic work of enduring value.

Spangles is a 1926 American silent drama film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Frank O'Connor and starred Marian Nixon, Pat O'Malley, and Hobart Bosworth.

<i>The Girl from Montmartre</i> 1926 film by Alfred E. Green

The Girl from Montmartre is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Barbara La Marr in her last film role. It was distributed through First National on the day after La Marr died.

References

  1. Pardy, George T. (April 10, 1926), "Pre-Release Review of Features: The Devil's Circus", Motion Picture News, 33 (15), New York City, New York: Motion Picture News, Inc.: 1616, retrieved April 17, 2023PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  2. "Museum of Modern Art press release/book review of Lost Films" (PDF). Museum of Modern Art. August 24, 1970. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  3. "Archival Film Prints Available From George Eastman House" (PDF). George Eastman House (eastmanhouse.org). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.