The Greatest Showman

The Greatest Showman
A film review

--7/01/2018

Today I watched The Greatest Showman at Event Cinemas, Pacific Fair. This musical drama is an autobiographical movie based on the 19th century entrepreneur and visionary who created the concept of the circus.

Born Phineas Thomas Barnum in dire poverty, he rises up the ranks to hoodwink the bank to grant him a loan to open his own museum. When his waxwork figures and stuffed animals does not bring in an audience, he has this brainwave about collecting "oddities" like a bearded woman singer, a full-bodied tattooed man, a dwarf etc. His show becomes a resounding success with the showman played by the inimitable Hugh Jackman who razzle-dazzles his way through the whole show with his black tails and top hat.

Even though he enjoys the giddy heights of success he still yearns to be part of high society who have not embraced this "freak show" formula. He engages the services of the Swedish nightingale, opera singer, Jenny Lind, and tours the great American concert halls thereby reconciling with the upper crust audience he craved.

I thoroughly enjoyed this wholesome, clean family movie that has no sex, swearing or violence (except for one early scene when little Phineas's face is slapped). It was a perfect movie for the start of the year with its affirmative albeit cliched themes about following your dream, being different does not mean being inferior, where there's a will, there's a way, being loyal and caring for family.

If you enjoyed the box office musical, La La Land from last year, then this is even better because with the CGI effects, this movie transcends into a Broadway show: it's scintillating, it's sizzling and it's slick. La La Land’s Benj Pasek and Justin Paul co-wrote the songs which are very commercial and catchy. Even I, (noted for humming the tune and not too fussed about the lyrics) could sing a few lines (with all the right words) of the memorable "This is Me". I have a strong feeling it's going to knock Frozen's "Let it Go" off its Unforgettable Movie Songs List.

This visually stunning good, old fashioned razzmatazz movie with its magnificent score, stellar cast and affirmative themes is a good excuse for a whole family outing. You must see it on the big screen because it is a show-stopping spectacle which will lose its appeal if viewed as a DVD or Tv feature film. It was PT Barnum who coined the phrase "There's a sucker born every minute!" and he is right because everyone comes out being positively pumped up by this feel-good story although somewhere in the back of our minds we are cautioned that this is a very sanitary retelling of the unscrupulous and money-driven businessman who raised to fame as Mr Circus.