TRAPEZE
US, 1956, 105 minutes, Colour.
Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Gina Lollobrigida, Katy Jurado, Thomas Gomez, Sid James.
Directed by Carol Reed.
Trapeze is a serious circus film. There have been a number of circus films, generally spectacular films like The Greatest Show on Earth by Cecil B. de Mille, Circus World with John Wayne and Rita Hayworth and Billy Rose’s Jumbo with Doris Day.
This film is about talent, achievement, accidents, passions and rivalry. Burt Lancaster, in his forties, portrays a trapeze artist who has had an accident. Tony Curtis is the next generation who wants the older man to coach him and teach him his star events. Gina Lollobrigida, of course, is the romantic interest.
The film has some spectacular scenes – but, with Carol Reed as director, tends to be more serious than expected. Reed had begun his career in the UK with such films at Kipps and The Stars Looked Down. In the late 1940s he made the classics The Third Man and The Fallen Idol from Graham Greene stories (and was soon to make Our Man in Havana). He also made gentler films like A Kid for Two Farthings. His career lessened during the 1960s until, unexpectedly, he received an Oscar for his direction of Oliver in 1968.
Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis were soon to appear together in the satiric drama, Sweet Smell of Success.
1. Was this an enjoyable circus film? Why? It presented itself as a significant human drama. Was it enjoyable here? Successful? Why?
2. Why is the circus world so attractive to audiences? What response do audiences have to the circus itself, the performers, the skill and danger, the humour and glamour? Was this in evidence in this film in its presentation of the circus world? Why?
3. How important is the trapeze for a circus? What does it symbolize and represent in terms of skill and danger and spectacle? How do audiences respond to the trapeze and the artists? Why? How well was this presented in this film, the details of the photography? The background of training, sense of achievement?
4. How was the trapeze used as a symbol in the film? Its meaning to Mike, to Tino, to Lola? To the manager of the circus, to Ringling North? Draw out the implications of the trapeze, its danger and achievement as a symbol.
5. How was Mike the central character? The initial Impact of his fall during the somersault? The effect of his failure on his character? his physical disability? His change of work, the challenge that Tino made, the growing alertness in training Tino? How Tino's success become an obsession? How did he use Tino for his own change in development? Why did Lola’s intervention cause such a change in Mike? His resentment of Lola and her methods, his realization that she loved him, what made him realize that be loved her? His behaviour towards Tino? His decision to stand in and taunt Tino into success? How Important was this development of his character? Was Mike's character well-drawn and interesting?
6. How well was the character of Tino drawn? As an ambitious young man, his background and his father's background of working with Mike? His begging Mike to train him, the details of his training? How was he affected by Lola? How was he used by Lola? The reaction of this on his feelings towards Lola and towards Mike? His anger when Mike stepped in to help him? What made him decide to be successful with the somersault? The effect on him of his success? What did he represent as regards youth and ambition?
7. How interesting was the character of Lola? Her ordinary act and her pushing herself with her companions? Her taking the limelight? Why was she so ambitious to succeed on the trapeze? Her lack of scruples in using people, was her explanation of her background sufficient to explain this? Her playing with Tino's affections, her obsession with Mike, his rejection of her, her realization of love at the end? Was this convincing?
8. What did the minor characters contribute to the film? Rosa and her helping of Mike? Her husband? Otto waiting to take over in the background? The manager and his ambitions and forcefulness? Ringling North and the possibilities of greater achievement in circuses? Sid James's humour as the stake man?
9. Were the human conflicts in the film real? How dramatically were they filmed?
10. Comment on the camera techniques for communicating the world of the circus. Was the ending satisfactory? What future would the main characters have?
