A man on the tightrope
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | A man on the tightrope |
| Original title | Man on a tightrope |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1953 |
| length | 105 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Elia Kazan |
| script | Robert E. Sherwood |
| production | Robert L. Jacks |
| music | Franz Waxman |
| camera | Georg Krause |
| cut | Dorothy Spencer |
| occupation | |
| |
A man on a tightrope (original title: Man on a Tightrope , alternative title: The man on the tightrope ) is an American feature film from 1953.
action
The film is set in Czechoslovakia in the early 1950s. Karel Cernik runs a circus that has been owned by the Cerniks for generations. But since the communists took power in Czechoslovakia, the circus has got worse and worse. Although the circus may continue to be run privately by Cernik, he is defenseless against the harassment of those in power. Run down, Cernik is on the verge of ruin at some point. Now Cernik is forced to hand over the circus to the state, but to continue running it. The circus continues to tour the country. Robbed of his freedom, he has to watch as his daughter Tereza also moves away from him. She loves the lion tamer Joe Vosdek. Cernik's young wife, Zama, thinks her husband is a coward who gives in to the power of the state without resistance. But Karel Cernik has a plan that is endangered by spies within the company. At first he suspects that Joe Vosdek is the spy. Then it turns out that Krofta is the informant for the state police officer Fesker. When the circus comes near the German border on its tour , Cernik wants to put his plan into action. From a circus parade, he leads the entire circus over a border bridge to freedom. During the escape, however, Cernik is shot by Krofta, who in turn is also shot by a circus dwarf. However, the circus is freed under the leadership of Joe Vosdek and Cernik's wife Zama realizes that her husband was a hero.
background
The film was shot in 1952 near Munich , in Alt Fall (today Sylvensteinsee ) and in Lenggrieser Land. The production company 20th Century Fox rented the Brumbach Circus for this. Peter Beauvais , Gert Fröbe , Rolf von Nauckhoff , Reinhard Lentz, Dorothea Wieck and Edelweiß Malchin play small roles ; however, they were not mentioned in the credits. The film was premiered in Los Angeles in April 1953 and was released in US cinemas in May 1953. Gloria Grahame stepped in for Hildegard Knef , who was originally intended for the female lead.
Reviews
" Cold War- era entertainment film directed by Elia Kazan based on an authentic case ."
Awards
The film took part in the competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1953 and was awarded a special prize by the Berlin Senate .
Web links
- A man on a wire in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ A man on a tightrope. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .