THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH (1957, UK, 80m, U) ***½
Comedy
dist. British Lion Film Corporation (UK), Times Film Corporation (USA); pr co. British Lion Films; d. Basil Dearden; w. William Rose, John Eldridge (based on a story by William Rose); pr. Michael Relph; ph. Douglas Slocombe (B&W | 1.66:1); m. William Alwyn; ed. Oswald Hafenrichter; ad. Allan Harris.
cast: Virginia McKenna (Jean Spenser), Bill Travers (Matt Spenser), Margaret Rutherford (Mrs. Fazackalee), Peter Sellers (Percy Quill), Bernard Miles (Old Tom), Francis De Wolff (Albert Hardcastle), Leslie Phillips (Robin Carter), June Cunningham (Marlene Hogg), Sidney James (Mr. Hogg), George Cross (Commissionaire), George Cormack (Sam Bell), Stringer Davis (Fred Emmett), Michael Corcoran (Taxi Driver), Liz Fraser (Girl in Cinema (uncredited)).
In this slight, but entertaining, comedy Matt Spenser (Travers) and his wife, Jean (McKenna), inherit a small cinema, the Bijou, from a distant relative, they are shocked to find a decrepit building that comes with a group of ageing and eccentric employees (Sellers, Rutherford and Miles). Matt and Jean try to sell the Bijou to Albert Hardcastle (De Wolff), the owner of a large nearby cinema, but he gives them a lowball offer. Instead, they decide to open the theatre, using a few clever marketing schemes to gain viewers at the expense of Hardcastle. The film’s now familiar theme of the underdog taking on the giant chain coasts on the wackiness of the supporting characters and some incidental comedy created by the ancient equipment the cinema relies on, run by boozed-up projectionist Sellers. the strong cast also features Phillips and James in small roles as a solicitor and outraged father respectively. Technical attributes are excellent from Slocombe’s handsome photography to Harris’ rickety sets for the Bijou cinema. Dearden directs proceeding with gusto.
