Film Perfection

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

While it's hard to imagine, spectacular Circus films are often some of the dullest pictures. I would say that about "The Greatest Show on Earth" (despite its Oscar) and "Circus World"...and I would certainly say that about "Billy Rose's Jumbo". Now I am not saying any of these films are bad, they aren't, but they are awfully colorful but empty...sort of like giant balls of cotton candy!"Billy Rose's Jumbo" is about a circus that is constantly one step away from insolvency. Trying to keep it afloat are Kitty Wonder (Doris Day) and her father 'Pop' Wonder. In between running from creditors and solving little problems as they come up, Kitty also takes time for romance with a handsome rogue, Sam (Stephen Boyd). All of which is set to music...lots and lots of music. The music is actually one of the biggest problem with the picture as there are just too many songs and the plot takes a back seat to a lot of mostly pleasant but VERY forgettable songs. "The Most Beautiful Girl" is one exception....it's more timeless and enjoyable than most but still not enough. So what you end up with, apart from MANY songs is a giant confection of colors and pageantry...but not a whole lot else. It's not a bad film by any stretch but it's also rather tedious and forgettable as well. I say tedious because the film just never seems to know when to end...and ending it sooner would have made for a better film.If you do want to see a circus film, you might do better with a comedy such as Chaplin's "The Circus", Martin & Lewis' "3 Ring Circus" or Joe E. Brown's "The Circus Clown". It seems that humor somehow works better than music and pageantry.

I will admit that there seems to be an audience for this musical, based on the fact that it managed to get a release on the Blu-ray format. But to be honest, the movie left this viewer somewhat cold. For starters, the title is kind of odd, seeing how the elephant Jumbo only makes sporadic and brief appearances throughout the movie. But there are further problems with the screenplay. At over two hours in length, the thin story is extended way past the breaking point. As for the songs, while they are not awful, they are not very memorable (though the song "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" has its moments.) And you'd never figure that the great Busby Berkeley staged the musical numbers, because they sorely lack the punch of his earlier musicals. While the cast is bright and likable, and the movie boasts some pretty good production values and circus acts, these things don't raise the movie much from the level of being instantly forgettable. It's no wonder that the movie was a box office failure, and was one of the final nails in the coffin of the Hollywood musical until "The Sound Of Music" temporarily revived the genre a few years later.

The story isn't much here: boy meets girl, they fall in love etc. BUT what is terrific are the performances, singing, and acting by all of the main actors. Especially good is Jimmy Durante: he has some really funny lines (like, "Elephant? What elephant?") and more and he and Martha Raye are a great comic team. He also shows he can dance and sing (kind of, once you get used to the snozola's voice).Doris Day is Doris Day; she's lovely here. Some people on these reviews think she was too old. Actually, she looks about right for S. Boyd, the heartthrob of the movie. She's divine in that pink outfit she wears when he sings, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." He by the way is very virile and sings fairly well (it does sound like HIS voice and not dubbing). Day was the biggest star of her time and she delivers in this movie. Especially touching is her rendition of "Little Girl Blue".I've seen this movie at least 3 times on Turner Classic Movies and the color and sound are spectacular. I also think the story moves along fairly briskly and the music is well integrated into the action. What is remarkable about this movie is that it doesn't seem dated, or have lost its charm (in contrast, for instance, to many musicals like "Meet me in St. Louis). Because of the elemental themes involved: love/hate; struggles between father and son; struggles for a circus to make it economically etc. it's message is timeless. The ending, about a 7 minute collage of music, is also fantastic and centers around the song, "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." I think this movie never made it, oddly enough because of its cumbersome name. "Billie Rose's Jumbo"? Billie Rose was involved in the play and stipulated that if this was ever made into a musical, his name had to appear in the titles. I think this hurt the movie. It's well worth watching and if you see it, you'll want to see it again and again.

This is a great piece of professional entertainment.A good romantic-comedy story well told and well-acted. Wonderful cast,all at their very best and well directed. Martha Raye and Jimmy Durante amaze with physical comedy and warmth. In fact, the strong personal warmth of all the actors shines through in their performances creating a believable truth in a script, while, though good for its genre and time,could be a pitfall for actors bent on delivering truthful performances. Masterful, professional and touching. Steven Boyd and Doris Day impress with truth of emotion and give each other the strength of their specialties; Boyd with his digging for truth in a character and a deep connection to his fellow actors and Day with her dazzling professionalism and respect for the musical comedy genre. Impressive work. The generous budget allows creative designers and musicians to bloom with joyful creativity. Countless surprises for the eye and ear. The clown sequence finale for the 4 leads is priceless! Enjoy. I sure did!