the audience applauded

Such a frustrating disappointment

Simply A Masterpiece

Pretty Good

Other IMDb reviewers miss a subtle point. This manages to simultaneously savage communist oppression and anti-communists from the House Un-American Activities Committee. SPOILER: When the secret police question the circus owner, he explains that he has no politics, that circus is his politics, his religion, his life. For the interrogator, all must submit to the primacy of the political. I imagine Kazan felt the same about the theater and his movies, and HUAC certainly demanded the same submission. Watching this on TV today, I thought it was a European film. And no other film from this period that is anti-communist has this degree of sophistication or subtlety. I would love to hear Milos Forman's opinion of this film.

I am commenting on the comments I have just read and I salute all of them. This modest movie stirred my heart and soul. It has been a very long time since I saw it for perhaps the third time and I have looked in vain for a VHS never mind DVD (although that would be great).Of course, this is purely sentimental (I suppose) but the most rending moments are when this little rag-tag circus is approaching the guard house on the border, announcing themselves, "This is the Circus Cernik This is the Circus Cernik" while the few musicians play the "Moldau." The film is well done with a perfect cast and a satisfying conclusion.Judging by the small number of comments, I can only guess that not too many people have seen this wonderful film. I think I will write to TurnerClassicMovies and see if they won't find a way to get this movie on their TV view-list.

This is an interesting movie about the members of a circus troupe trying to flee Communist domination while battling amongst themselves. Adolphe Menjou is spectacular as a down-on-his-luck government functionary. Gloria Grahame is chilling in her scenes. Richard Boone and Cameron Mitchell lend professional support.

I've seen this movie several times over the years, usually on American Movie Classics or as a commercialized network movie. To me, the movie is a real classic, with wonderful acting and a most interesting plot and story. It would be very easy to imagine such an event taking place under those less than ideal times in the Eastern Bloc. I am surprised, and disappointed, that this movie classic is not out on video. If it should ever be released to video, I would prefer that it be issued on DVD (hint,hint in case a studio should look in).