When her circus-performer parents die in an accident, Christine, a young girl, is raised by other circus-performers, including Hagan, a balloon-vender, and Pete Barman as her guardians. When she grows up, she asks to also become a performer, and Barman agrees.
Should you seek out this nearly century-old circus drama today? Short answer: yes, but only if you appreciate the gritty, unpolished textures of silent-era melodrama over modern spectacle. This film is for the historian and the lover of character-driven tension; it is certainly not for those who demand high-octane acti...
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Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.
Archie Mayo
Alexander Butler
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"Should you seek out this nearly century-old circus drama today? Short answer: yes, but only if you appreciate the gritty, unpolished textures of silent-era melodrama over modern spectacle. This film is for the historian and the lover of character-driven tension; it is certainly not for those who demand high-octane action or contemporary pacing. Christine of the Big Tops is a film that breathes through its atmosphere. While many circus films of the era focused on the wonder of the performance, th..."
Sonya Levien
United States
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