Trapezoid (film)

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Movie
German title Trapezoid
Original title Trapezoids
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1956
length 102 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Sir Carol Reed
script Liam O'Brien
James R. Webb
Ben Hecht
Wolf Mankowitz
production Harold Hecht
James Hill
Burt Lancaster
music Malcolm Arnold
camera Robert Krasker
cut Bert Bates
occupation

Trapeze (original title: Trapeze ) is an American drama film by British director Carol Reed from 1956. The circus melodrama, which is based on the 1950 novel Irrevocable ( The Killing Frost ) by Max Catto , features two high wire artist friends (played by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis ) take center stage. An ambitious woman ( Gina Lollobrigida ) presses between them . The film was produced by the Hecht-Hill-Lancaster production company founded by Harold Hecht , Lancaster and James Hills and premiered in the United States on May 30, 1956.

action

In Paris , Tino Orsini, son of an unfortunate colleague, visits the former world-class artist Mike Ribble. Ribble has given up his career years ago since a failed attempt to demonstrate the triple somersault on the circus trapeze . Devoted to alcohol and suffering from a permanent injury to his leg, he only works as a rigging master . The circus owner and Ribbles' former lover Rosa, an art rider, persuaded him to train the brisk American and work towards a common trapeze number and triple somersault. Ribble gives up drinking and serves Orsini as a tutor and catcher for the following weeks.

The attractive trampoline jumper Lola would also like to be included in the trapeze number. Not accepted by Ribble, Lola is able to convince with a few tricks on the rope during an incident in the ring. Still ignored by Ribble, she begins to seduce the young Tino, which leads to discord between him and his mentor. Lola then becomes part of Mike and Tino's trapeze number, which regains his concentration and old self-confidence. If successful, you have the chance to be signed by the well-known entrepreneur Ringling North for the US market.

In the following time Lola has to realize that she is really in love with Mike Ribble. Ribble also admits his feelings for the Italian after he was nearly killed in an incident involving a runaway lion. Before they can inform Tino about the emerging relationship, Tino discovers the two of them at a familiar rendezvous. Tino then declares their partnership ended. During the following evening performance, at which Ringling North is also present, Ribble, who has now been fired, manages to regain his old place as a catcher on the trapeze. Although Bouglione dismantle the safety net and perform a dance number in the ring (a ballet), Ribble persuades Tino to try the triple somersault, which he finally succeeds. A contract awaits Ribble and Tino in New York , but Ribble leaves his place to someone else (namely Otto). He then leaves the circus, a little later Lola follows him, they both embrace and disappear into the fog of the street.

History of origin

The shooting took place with an international ensemble from June 1955 in the off-season of the Cirque d'hiver in Versailles and in the film studios Billancourt in Paris. Montgomery Clift was originally considered for the role of Tino Orsini, but was then replaced by Tony Curtis, on loan from the Universal film studio. Leading actor Burt Lancaster, on the other hand, began his career as a high wire artist. For British film director Carol Reed and Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida , the film marked their debut in American cinema.

Eddie Ward of the Ringling Brothers Circus , who also worked with Lollobrigida and Curtis to reduce the use of doubles, was consulted as technical advisor on the high wire scenes .

reception

Trapez became the third most successful film of the 1956 cinema year, which was launched, among other things, by a two million US dollar advertising campaign by Harold Hecht and Burt Lancaster.

Thilo Koch ( Die Zeit ) praised Reed's directorial work as a “masterpiece” during the Berlinale and referred to the three main actors, the artistic photography and the densely composed shots. “The 'trapeze' can swing through the whole big top here and the camera doesn't let it out of sight. The love story, however, requires a lot of persuasiveness from all three. But their inner credibility becomes clear. "

In its contemporary criticism, the film-dienst complained about trapeze for a circus film as “neither new nor exciting”. However, the view of the circus milieu is excitingly staged, the rehearsal scenes without an audience are "gorgeous staged and photographed". "Seldom since the invention of the cinemascope process has this technology been used so sensibly and so skilfully as here by Carol Reed and his cameraman Robert Krasker."

Bosley Crowther ( The New York Times ) described the script as pathetic and monotonous ("dismally obvious and monotonous"), the direction as no better, the characters as bleakly two-dimensional ("bleakly two-dimensional") and the dialogues as dreary and trite ("dull and hackneyed"). Gina Lollobrigida would look no more than good. Burt Lancaster described Crowther as colorless ("bleary"), Tony Curtis as simply youthful ("simply juvenile").

The Times of London described the film as "conventional drama", only occasionally Trapeze was "more than a good film for the box office". Reed's feeling for space and atmosphere is particularly noticeable when looking behind the scenes. However, Reed would fail to bring the supporting characters to life. Burt Lancaster would give more than his usual harsh effective performances. Gina Lollobrigida demonstrate her skills both as an actress and as a decorative personality.

Awards

Director Carol Reed competed with his film in the competition at the 1956 Berlinale . There he won the Bronze Bear by audience vote, while actor Burt Lancaster in the role of Mike Ribble was honored with the Silver Bear as the best actor of the festival. Months later, Reed received a nomination for the Directors Guild of America Award , but it was bestowed on eventual Oscar winner George Stevens ( Giants ).

literature

  • Max Catto : Irrevocable. Novel (Original title: The Killing Frost ). German by Dorothea Gotfurt . S. Mohn, Gütersloh 1960, 248 pp.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for trapeze . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , January 2014 (PDF; test number: 12 501-a V).
  2. ↑ cf. relase dates in the Internet Movie Database (accessed September 5, 2010)
  3. ↑ cf. Sir Carol Reed's Circus Film . In: The Times , Mar 5, 1955, No. 53182, p. 8
  4. ↑ a b cf. Trapeze at tcm.com (accessed April 6, 2019)
  5. ↑ cf. Jeff Stafford: Trapeze at tcm.com (accessed April 6, 2019)
  6. ^ Film, flags, festival . In: Die Zeit , No. 26/1956, criticism.
  7. ↑ cf. Review in film-dienst 02/1957 (accessed via Munzinger Online )
  8. ↑ cf. Crowther, Bosley: Screen: Greatest of Ease; Monotonous 'Trapeze' Swings Into Capitol . In: The New York Times , June 5, 1956
  9. ↑ cf. Sir Carol Reed's Circus Film: Behind The Scenes . In: The Times , June 30, 1956, No. 53571, p. 8