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The Devil's Circus

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The Devil's Circus
Lobby card
Directed byBenjamin Christensen
Written byBenjamin Christensen
H.H. Caldwell (titles)
Katherine Hilliker (titles)
StarringNorma Shearer
Charles Emmett Mack
CinematographyBen F. Reynolds
Edited byBen Lewis
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • February 15, 1926 (1926-02-15)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
The Devil's Circus advertisement in The Film Daily (1926)

The Devil's Circus is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Danish director Benjamin Christensen, based upon his screenplay. The film stars Norma Shearer and Charles Emmett Mack. It was the first of seven films directed by Christensen in the United States, and one of only four of those films that have not been lost. The film involves a young female trapeze artist who is in love with a pickpocket.

The film's sets were designed by the art director James Basevi.

Plot

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As described in a film magazine review,[1] Mary, a young country woman, is befriended by Carl, a pickpocket. She obtains employment in a circus. Carl is arrested for robbery but promises Mary to go straight thereafter. Hugo, a lion-tamer who is infatuated with Mary, assaults her. Jealousy impels Yonna, Hugo's mistress, to tamper with the ropes while Mary is doing her trapeze act. She falls among the enraged lions and is crippled. War breaks out, and many circus men leave to serve in the military. When peace comes, Carl searches and finds Mary. He goes to kill Hugo, but, after discovering that he is blind, he relents. Carl and Mary face a happy future together.

Cast

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Reception

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From users of IMDb, the film has received a score of 6.8 out 10 from 62 votes.

Preservation status

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Thought to have been lost,[2] a print of The Devil's Circus was rediscovered and has been preserved by the George Eastman Museum.[3] Funding for the film's restoration was provided by The Film Foundation.

References

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  1. ^ Pardy, George T. (April 10, 1926), "Pre-Release Review of Features: The Devil's Circus", Motion Picture News, 33 (15), New York City, New York: Motion Picture News, Inc.: 1616, retrieved April 17, 2023 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Museum of Modern Art press release/book review of Lost Films" (PDF). Museum of Modern Art. August 24, 1970. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  3. ^ "Archival Film Prints Available From George Eastman House" (PDF). George Eastman House (eastmanhouse.org). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
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