The Greatest Showman
| The Greatest Showman | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
| |
| Directed by | Michael Gracey |
| Produced by | |
| Screenplay by | |
| Story by | Jenny Bicks |
| Starring | |
| Music by |
|
| Cinematography | Seamus McGarvey |
| Edited by |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date
|
|
Running time
| 105 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $84 million[2] |
| Box office | $43 million[3] |
The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American period musical drama film directed by Michael Gracey, and written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. The film is inspired by the true story of P. T. Barnum's creation of the the Barnum & Bailey Circus, and the lives of its star attractions.
Principal photography on the film began in New York City in November 2016, and it premiered on December 8, 2017 aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2. It was theatrically released in the United States on December 20, 2017 by 20th Century Fox, seven months after the circus stopped operating for good, and has grossed $43 million worldwide.
The Greatest Showman received mixed reviews with praise for the cast, music, and production values, and criticism for the artistic license taken, with some reviewers calling it "faux-inspiring and shallow".[4][5] At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, the film received three nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor – Musical or Comedy(Jackman), and Best Original Song ("This Is Me").[6]
Contents
[hide]Plot[edit]
 |
This film's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (December 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
|
A young P. T. Barnum, and his father, a tailor work for the Hallett family. The young Barnum jokes with a young Charity Hallett, earning him a stern reprimand and her a grounding from her father. The two meet again later outside, where Charity tells Barnum that she is being sent to finishing school; Barnum reassures her that they will not be separated despite this. The two keep in touch throughout, through letters until they meet again in adulthood ("A Million Dreams"), eventually going on to elope and marry each other, raising two children ("A Million Dreams (Reprise)") in New York City. The family live a humble life in an apartment - while Charity is happy with their life, Barnum dreams of more, wanting to offer Charity a life of wealth and comfort.
Barnum is fired from his job as a clerk at a shipping company after the company goes bankrupt following the sinking of their trading ships in a typhoon. Taking a risky bet on an idea, he takes out a large loan from a bank, deceiving the bank into using the sunken trading ships of his former employer as collateral. He uses this loan to build Barnum's American Museum in downtown Manhattan, an attraction showcasing various wax models of subjects. Initially, sales are slow; on the suggestion of his children to showcase something "alive" rather than just models, he endeavors on a search for various "freaks" (people with various physical abnormalities or extraordinary abilities) to serve as performers for his museum ("Come Alive"). This venture succeeds, attracting a large audience and resulting in high ticket sales despite protests and poor reviews (one of which prompts Barnum to rename his venture to "Barnum’s Circus" out of spite).
Searching for ways to further his reputation and credibility amongst the upper class, he meets playwright Phillip Carlyle and convinces him to join his venture ("The Other Side") with promises of liberation from the pressures and various struggles of his life as well as a guarantee of ten percent of all earnings from the circus. Upon Carlyle’s arrival to the venture, he becomes enamored with one of the performers, Anne Wheeler, an acrobat and trapeze artist. Carlyle manages to arrange for Barnum and his troupe to meet Queen Victoria, who is amused by them – it is here that Barnum meets Jenny Lind, a famed European opera singer, who he convinces to perform in America, with Barnum serving as her marketer and manager. Her first performance ("Never Enough") is a success, receiving critical acclaim; Barnum decides to take her on tour across the U.S. In the process, however, he begins to neglect his original circus, to the dejection to Carlyle and the troupe’s performers, who begin to feel as if they are being ignored once more ("This Is Me"). Meanwhile, Carlyle and Wheeler struggle with their budding romance under pressure from societal norms. Carlyle arranges for the two to go to the theater together, but as the two are entering they run into Carlyle's parents, who insult Wheeler, causing her to run out of the building. Carlyle chases after her, desperately trying to prove that they can be together, but she pushes him away despite her feelings for him ("Rewrite the Stars"). Charity, too, is feeling increasingly isolated from her husband, who is now away on tour with Lind as she stays home to take care of their children ("Tightrope").
While on tour with Barnum, Lind becomes increasingly attached to Barnum, beginning to make advances towards him; when he declines, feeling betrayed, she calls off the tour in a fit of anger. During the following performance’s curtain call ("Never Enough (Reprise)"), she impulsively kisses him. Barnum returns home to find his circus on fire, a result of a fight between protesters and the troupe’s performers. In the chaos, Carlyle believes Wheeler to be stuck in the burning building and impulsively races in to rescue her. When Wheeler emerges unharmed on her own, Barnum decides to head into the burning building himself to save Carlyle. The building collapses; there are no fatalities, but most of the set and props have been destroyed and Carlyle has been gravely injured. To further Barnum’s struggles, word of the cancellation of Lind’s tour as well as his public intimacy with Lind reaches New York, resulting in not just further financial difficulties from the loss of income from the tour but also his eviction from his mansion and estrangement from his wife.
Dejected and hopeless, Barnum turns to alcohol. However, he is confronted by his troupe of performers, who persuade him to continue and rebuild the circus. He resolves to, in future, keep himself down-to-earth rather than being carried away by reputation and wealth ("From Now On"). Meanwhile, the injured Carlyle wakes in hospital with Wheeler by his side, the two sharing a tender moment and resolving to continue their relationship despite whatever struggles they may face.
Barnum visits his estranged wife, the two also resolving to rebuild a mutually trusting, open relationship. After considerable difficulty finding a bank willing to loan money in order to to rebuild the circus, the recovering Carlyle steps in, offering to use his shared earnings from the show to rebuild it.
However, as rebuilding the circus in its original location would be too expensive due to land costs, Barnum decides to rebuild it as an open-air tent circus by the harbor. The new, rebuilt circus is a great success; Barnum decides to hand over the reins of the show to Carlyle, himself deciding to retire so as to focus more on his family ("The Greatest Show").
Cast[edit]
- Hugh Jackman as P. T. Barnum, an ambitious showman and entrepreneur.
- Ellis Rubin as Young P. T. Barnum
- Ziv Zaifman provides Young P. T. Barnum's singing voice
- Ellis Rubin as Young P. T. Barnum
- Zac Efron as Phillip Carlyle, a playwright who becomes Barnum's partner. A composite character partly based on James Anthony Bailey.
- Michelle Williams as Charity Barnum, the wife of P.T. Barnum.
- Skylar Dunn as Young Charity
- Rebecca Ferguson as Jenny Lind, a famous Swedish singer.
- Loren Allred provides Lind’s singing voice.[7]
- Zendaya as Anne Wheeler, an acrobat, trapeze artist, and W.D.'s sister.
- Keala Settle as Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady.
- Sam Humphrey as Charles Stratton, a dwarf performer who is also known by his stage name of General Tom Thumb.
- Austyn Johnson as Caroline Barnum, the daughter of P.T. Barnum.
- Cameron Seely as Helen Barnum, the daughter of P.T. Barnum.
- Paul Sparks as James Gordon Bennett, the founder, editor and publisher of the New York Herald.
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as W. D. Wheeler, an acrobat and Anne’s brother.
- Eric Anderson as Mr. O’Malley.
- Daniel Everidge as The Lord of Leeds.
- Shannon Holtzapffel as Prince Constantine, The Tattooed Man.
- Gayle Rankin as Queen Victoria.
- Will Swenson as Philo Barnum, a tailor who is the father of P. T. Barnum.
- Fredric Lehne as Benjamin Hallett, father of Charity and father-in-law of Barnum.
- Kathryn Meisle as Hannah Hallett, mother of Charity and mother-in-law of Barnum.
Production[edit]
The project was first announced in 2009, with Jackman already set for the title role.[8] In August 2011, Michael Gracey was chosen to direct.[9] In 2013, Fox hired songwriters Pasek and Paul to write the songs.[10] According to Jackman, the seven year development process was, in part, due to studios unwilling to take a risk on an original musical.[11]
On June 15, 2016, Zac Efron began negotiations to star in the film,[12] and in July 2016, Michelle Williams was cast.
Filming[edit]
Rehearsals on the film began in October 2016 in New York City, and principal photography began on November 22, 2016.[13][14]
Post-production[edit]
In December 2017, it was reported that James Mangold, who had worked with Jackman on several projects (including 2017's Logan), had been brought in to oversee the film's reshoots and post-production. This was due to the studio's concern that Gracey, a first-time director, was overwhelmed with the scope of the film and struggling with the pressure of an $84 million budget. Mangold was eventually given an executive producer credit.[15]
Music[edit]
Musical numbers[edit]
- "The Greatest Show" – Hugh Jackman, Keala Settle, Zac Efron, Zendaya
- "A Million Dreams" – Ziv Zaifman, Jackman, Michelle Williams
- "A Million Dreams (Reprise)" – Austyn Johnson, Cameron Seely
- "Come Alive" – Jackman, Settle, Daniel Everidge, Zendaya
- "The Other Side" – Jackman & Efron
- "Never Enough" – Loren Allred
- "This Is Me" – Settle
- "Rewrite the Stars" – Efron & Zendaya
- "Tightrope" – Williams
- "Never Enough (Reprise)" – Allred
- "From Now On" – Hugh Jackman & Cast
Soundtrack[edit]
The soundtrack album features ten tracks performed by the cast.
Release[edit]
The Greatest Showman held its premiere on December 8, 2017 aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2, while it was docked in New York City. The film was theatrically released in the United States on December 20, 2017.[16][17]
Marketing[edit]
On June 28, 2017, 20th Century Fox released the first international trailer to promote the film. On November 13, 2017, the second trailer was released.[18]
On December 17, 2017, Fox televised a live performance of "Come Alive" from Warner Bros. Studios during its live musical special A Christmas Story Live! (which was based on fellow Pasek and Paul work A Christmas Story: The Musical). The number featured the film's stars and a cast of 150 dancers.[19][20]
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
As of December 25, 2017, The Greatest Showman has grossed $38.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $4.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $42.9 million, against a production budget of $84 million.[3]
In the United States and Canada, The Greatest Showman was released alongside Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, on a Wednesday, and was projected to gross around $21 million from 3,006 theaters over its first six days.[21][22] It took in $2.5 million on its first day and $2.1 million on its second. Over the three day weekend, it grossed $8.6 million (for a six-day total of $18.6 million), finishing fourth at the box office, behind Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Pitch Perfect 3.[23]
Critical response[edit]
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 55% based on 171 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Greatest Showman tries hard to dazzle the audience with a Barnum-style sense of wonder -- but at the expense of its complex subject's far more intriguing real-life story."[24] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[25]Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[23]
Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a positive review, writing, "The Greatest Showman is a concoction, the kind of film where all the pieces click into place, yet at an hour and 45 minutes it flies by, and the link it draws between P.T. Barnum and the spirit of today is more than hype."[26] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3/4 stars, saying, "With all that corn and cheese and old-timey sentiment, The Greatest Showman ends up scoring some very timely social arguments. P.T. Barnum himself would have approved the dramatic sleight of hand."[27] Steve Persall of Tampa Bay Times gave the film an 'A', and said, "The Greatest Showman is the feel-good movie the holiday season needs,"[28] while William Bibbiani of IGN gave The Greatest Showman a score of 7.9/10, and called the film, "wildly entertaining."[29]
Britton Peele of The Dallas Morning News said, "The story is interesting and the beats are well-acted, but it's the musical numbers that make The Greatest Showman."[30] Jackie K Cooper of Huffington Post gave the film a score of 10/10 and wrote, "You will be overwhelmed by the music and magic that explode on the screen. The film has a message that should resonate with today’s world concerning acceptance and courage."[31] Hugh Armitage of Digital Spy said, "The Greatest Showman is a broad and solid crowd-pleaser. An undemanding spectacle for all the family."[32] Alan Jones of Radio Times called it "A joyously uplifting potpourii of visual resplendence, stylish choreography and solid gold magic, one engineered to approximate the lavish spectacle the movie musical once offered."[33]
Sheila O'Malley of RogerEbert.com gave it 3.5/4, stating "The Greatest Showman is an unabashed piece of pure entertainment punctuated by memorable songs."[34]Douglas Davidson of CLTure called the film, "An undeniable spectacle with a infectious soundtrack, a movie that dazzles and delights."[35] James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film a 3/4 score, and said, "The film has show-stopping well-choreographed numbers with catchy tunes,"[36] and Calvin Wilson of St. Louis Post-Dispatch called the film "highly enjoyable."[37]
Carl Kozlowski of Pasadena Weekly gave the film an 'A', calling it "Groundbreaking & grandly innovative."[38] Sean P. Means of The Salt Lake Tribune gave The Greatest Showman 3.5/4 stars, stating, "A strong cast give emotional power to this romanticized, tune-filled biography."[39] Manuela Lazic of Little White Lies gave it 4/5, saying, "The Greatest Showman deserves to become a Christmas classic. the film's severe romanticism and ridiculous but affecting enthusiasm make it irresistibly life-affirming."[40] Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and called it, "A fantasia of song and dance, a joyous exercise in pure entertainment that is made for the holiday crowd."[41]
Conversely, Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the film a negative review, criticizing the songs and characters and saying "There’s idiotic, and there’s magnificent, but The Greatest Showman is that special thing that happens sometimes. It’s magnificently idiotic. It’s an awful mess, but it’s flashy. The temptation is to cover your face and watch it through your fingers, because it’s so earnest and embarrassing and misguided — and yet it’s well-made."[42] In a negative review for The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney wrote "This ersatz portrait of American big-top tent impresario P.T. Barnum is all smoke and mirrors, no substance. It hammers pedestrian themes of family, friendship and inclusivity while neglecting the fundaments of character and story."[43]
Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, saying, "How do you cast a virtuoso Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, spare no expense in production values, add a score by Oscar and Tony winners Ben Pasek and Justin Paul and still end up with the shrill blast of nothing that is The Greatest Showman? Ask first-time director Michael Gracey, who cut his teeth on commercials and music videos without ever mastering the crucial knack of building snippets of musical comedy and drama into a satisfying whole."[44] Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film's failures "are rooted in something deeper: a dispiriting lack of faith in the audience’s intelligence, and a dawning awareness of its own aesthetic hypocrisy. You’ve rarely seen a more straight-laced musical about the joys of letting your freak flag fly."[45]
No comments:
Post a Comment