The Greatest Show on Earth

We bring you the circus.

The pied Piper, whose magic tunes lead children of all ages, from 6 to 60,

into a tinsel and spun-candy world of reckless beauty

and mounting laughter, whirling thrills,

the rhythm, excitement and grace

of daring and blaring and dance,

of high-stepping horses and high-flying stars.

But behind all this,

the circus is a massive machine

whose very life depends on discipline, motion and speed.

A mechanized army on wheels

that rolls over any obstacle in its path,

that meets calamity again and again,

but always comes up smiling.

A place where disaster and tragedy stalk the big top,

haunt the backyard and ride the circus train,

where death is constantly watching

for one frayed rope, one weak link,

or one trace of fear.

A fierce, primitive fighting force

that smashes relentlessly forward against impossible odds,

that is the circus.

And this is the story of the biggest of the big tops

and of the men and women who fight fo make it the greatest show on earth.

- Morning, Mr. Braden. - Morning, Nick.

- When's the new horse arriving, Brad? - Tomorrow, Chuck.

Don't rub them thin, Jimmy. Those bells are 60 years old.

They've rung in some good shows.

- Hi. - Hi, Mr. Braden.

How are the kids?

Oh, just fine, except they were playing with Randy concello a few days ago.

That's nice.

Yes, but Randy came down with the mumps this morning.

What? No. Any signs?

No, not yet, but baby gorillas do get the mumps.

I'll have Higgins give them a shot of immune serum

and double their COD liver oll. Give them plenty of spinach.

You stay healthy now, boy, you hear?

Say, is it true we're only gonna play a short season this year?

Don't believe all you hear.

- See? - Go back to mama now.

I told you there was nothing to it.

- How's myrtle? - Stomach.

Give her some gin and ginger.

- Any news about a full season? - You'll get a full season.

Be sure myrtle gets all the gin.

Same old trouble? Yeah. Sore throat. All of it.

Better feed your bird, Lou.

Hey, Brad, Betty in the cookhouse said

we're only gonna play the big cities this year.

And then close up like a miser's heart.

Well, if they're giving odds, bet a buck for me.

Why the rehearsal just for makeup, Brad?

Because you left off your eyelashes last performance last season.

You're gonna need an extra shoe walking back from kalamazoo.

I'm supposed to be looking for you, Brad.

Well, are you supposed to find me?

Big brass hollering for you up front.

You found me.

Hey, Brad, this might help.

Too small.

Skim off the cream.

Let the little shows scramble for the thin milk.

Don't forget what circus day means to a small town.

John north, you're just soft about the circus.

It's suicide to play this whole tour this year.

You gonna tell that to Brad? Yes.

A good circus boss carries out orders.

My vote is 10 weeks and back to sarasota.

But for 80 years...

That order about keeping the grounds clean goes for the top brass, too.

- Hi, Brad. I'm sorry about that. - Good morning.

I've seen happier heads on canes.

We sent for you, Brad, to tell you

we've got to pass up the small cities and towns.

- Times have changed. - Kids haven't.

- Prices have. - We'll stay in the black.

You hope.

Look, Brad, here's the tour for this season.

That's only 10 weeks.

Sixty percent of our money comes from the big cities in the first 10 weeks.

The world's upside down, Brad. We can't take the risk...

Our people risk their necks twice a day.

We'll have a short season, no red ink and no trouble.

Trouble's part of the circus.

They said barnum was in trouble when he lost Tom thumb.

They said he was through when jumbo died.

We're the greatest show on earth, and you can't put 1,400 people out of work

because the world has a stomach ache.

And you can't risk $25,000 a day on a sentimental journey, either.

If you'll play only the big cities,

you'll cut the heart right out of this show.

In two seasons, you'll destroy what it took his family 80 years to build.

I might vote a few weeks more if we had a bigger headline.

- Holly isn't known. - Well, we've got one.

- Didn't you tell him, John? - Not yet.

Who is it, Johnny?

Have you brought gargantua back to life?

The great Sebastian.

- What? - Oh, no!

Obviously, you're crazy.

Sebastian's wrecked every show he's been with.

- But he draws like sugar in fly time. - Nobody can handle him.

- He's never worked for Brad. - You're buying trouble, Johnny.

I'm buying the best trapeze act in the air.

Well, he may be a god in the air, but he's a devil on the ground.

You mean with women?

Do you know how many women this show carries?

He's not that good, no matter what you've heard.

- Things are bad enough as it is. - No, Brad, it's too big a gamble.

You haven't sold me. I'm still against going under canvas.

Are you for Sebastian? Yes.

Because the only way we could get him was to sign him for the full season.

I knew there was a trick in il.

You can't get good acts for a 10-week season!

Cool off, Brad.

We're going to stay out as long as we're in the black.

Agreed?

- As long as we make money, yes. - If you say so, John.

Well, I don't like it, John.

Thank you, gentlemen. That's it.

And you'd better start worrying about Sebastian.

- Let me show you... - You try to give...

I can't believe it.

Hey, lucky, keep those cats covered when you move them.

Okay, Mr. Braden.

Brad? Yeah?

You know Sebastian only works in the center ring.

I know it.

I'd rather crawl in that cage of cats

than have to tell Holly she's out of the center ring.

So would I.

You can blame me if you want to.

Thanks, but it's my medicine. I'll take it.

Come on, boy. Come on.

Hey, tuffy, off your back and on your toes.

And give me a little more slack this time.

You got ample rope now for a hanging.

One more and I'm going to do without the mechanic.

No deal. I'll put up a net.

What do you think I am, a fish?

You better use a net for this one, or you'll break your neck,

and Brad will break mine.

Now don't get sentimental, tuffy. Come on, let's go.

If Brad sees this, he'll chew your ears off.

Snap your legs now.

All the way together, Lena.

Point your toes, Janet. A little more curve.

Relax, relax.

- Any news? - Nope.

Come on, now. Let's get over it.

Faster, loni, faster.

What gives, buttons?

Holly's hatched up a new hair-raiser for that center spot.

Quiet around the center ring!

Everybody, still a minute, please!

Time...

Terrific, Holly!

Pretty good.

Hi, Brad. Do you like it?

You try it again and I'll ground you.

It's the finish on my new act.

It'll finish you and your act.

Don't you want to see it once more?

No. Come on down.

Okay, you're the boss. Watch it, tuffy. Here I come.

- Oh, brother. - Hey, look it.

- Down in seconds. - Put it in the act, Holly.

That ankle drop is out. I want you all in one piece.

That's for making the big brass give us a full season.

You got that trapeze wired for sound, pigeon?

But you're the kind of fellow who could talk anybody into anything.

You did, didn't you? Yeah.

Hey, kids, Brad fixed it.

We're gonna play the full season! Come on!

Did you hear that, Klaus? The full season!

Down, Ruth, down. Make her put me down, Klaus.

Why?

Do I have to have an excuse to leave the room?

You know, I think it is the trousers.

Wherever there are trousers, you go.

- Full season, loni. - Oh! He filled it.

The full season will buy me a sable-dyed rabbit coat.

What you have on, I like.

Well, sugar, like it a little farther away.

- No layoff, buzzy! - Tell him, Daisy.

We're hitting the sticks.

Terrific.

Okay...

A full season, isn't that swell?

You're wonderful!

All right, quiet down, everybody. Quiet down!

Now, listen, and get this, all of you.

We only stay out as long as we're in the black.

We'll be in the black, right?

You mean we all got to play in blackface?

- And Sebastian, too! - Sebastian?

Sebastian? Sebastian?

- Oh, no, he's not. - Lock up the girls.

Ain't he in Europe?