Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

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.

Blistering performances.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The producing team of William Howard Pine and William C. Thomas could be said to have been in charge of Paramount's "B" unit. They were known around Hollywood as "the two dollar Bills". The reason for this nickname can be found in the low budget of many (though not all) of their offerings. In this one, the circus background provides plenty of opportunities for its hoary script to enliven proceedings by inserting loads of painfully obvious stock footage.Fortunately, Mary Beth Hughes is in this movie and does what she can to save the day, although it is Buster Crabbe as the charismatic Smiley who benefits most from the attentions of director and photographer. The other players are quite flat.