Circus

Plot

Marion Dixon, a talented American circus performer, flees the United States with her mixed-race baby after facing persecution and racism. She joins a Soviet circus in Moscow, where she becomes a star performer but lives in constant fear that her secret will be discovered. When her secret is eventually revealed during a performance, Marion expects the same prejudice she faced in America, but instead receives overwhelming support and acceptance from the Soviet audience and her colleagues. The film culminates in a spectacular musical number where people of all Soviet nationalities celebrate together, holding Marion's baby and singing about international brotherhood. Marion finds true happiness, love with the circus director Martynov, and a new home in the USSR where she and her child are embraced without prejudice.

Historical Background

Circus was produced in 1936, during a critical period in Soviet history. Stalin's Great Purge was beginning, and the Soviet Union was aggressively promoting its cultural superiority over capitalist nations. The film emerged during the height of the Socialist Realism doctrine, which required all art to be realistic in form and socialist in content. Internationally, 1936 saw the rise of fascism in Europe, with Nazi Germany implementing increasingly racist policies, and racial segregation remaining firmly entrenched in the United States through Jim Crow laws. The Soviet Union used films like Circus to position itself as a progressive alternative to both Western capitalism and European fascism, emphasizing themes of international solidarity and racial equality. The film's release coincided with the Spanish Civil War, further highlighting the ideological battle between fascism and communism. Circus served as powerful propaganda, showcasing the Soviet Union as a multicultural paradise where all peoples could live in harmony, contrasting sharply with the racial tensions in America and the racial theories of Nazi Germany.

Making Of

The making of 'Circus' was a major cultural event in the Soviet Union. Director Grigori Aleksandrov had recently returned from a trip to Hollywood where he studied American filmmaking techniques, particularly musical comedies. He was determined to create a Soviet film that could compete with Hollywood productions while promoting communist values. The casting of Lyubov Orlova was significant - she was Aleksandrov's wife and had been discovered by director Eisenstein. Her transformation from a provincial actress to a glamorous movie star was carefully managed by Soviet cultural authorities. The film's production involved extensive cooperation with real circus performers, and many of the stunt sequences were performed by professional circus artists rather than stunt doubles. The controversial casting of James Patterson, an African American child living in the USSR, as Marion's baby was a bold statement for its time, as the Soviet Union wanted to contrast its supposed racial harmony with American segregation. The musical numbers were choreographed by combining Soviet folk dance traditions with American Broadway-style choreography.

Visual Style

The cinematography of Circus, handled by Vladimir Nilsson and Boris Petrov, was groundbreaking for Soviet cinema. The film employed innovative camera techniques learned from Hollywood, including complex tracking shots during musical numbers and dramatic lighting that created a glamorous atmosphere unusual for Soviet films of the period. The circus sequences featured dynamic camera movements that captured the excitement and danger of the performances, using multiple camera setups and innovative angles. The film's visual style contrasted the dark, shadowy scenes of Marion's life in America with bright, vibrant colors (in the original color sequences) and lighting in the Soviet portions. The famous finale scene was shot with a wide-angle lens to capture the massive scale of the production, with hundreds of performers in traditional costumes. The cinematography successfully blended the spectacle of American musical films with Soviet realism, creating a unique visual language that influenced subsequent Soviet productions. The film also featured some of the first use of montage sequences in Soviet musical comedy, cutting between different performers and reactions to create rhythmic energy.

Innovations

Circus featured several technical innovations for Soviet cinema of the 1930s. The film employed sophisticated sound recording techniques that allowed for clearer dialogue and music than was typical in Soviet productions of the era. The circus sequences required innovative camera rigs and safety equipment to capture the dangerous performances up close. The film included some early experiments with color photography in certain sequences, though most of the film was in black and white. The complex musical numbers required precise synchronization between sound and image, challenging the technical capabilities of Soviet film studios. The film's production design, led by Ivan Stepanov, created elaborate sets that could accommodate both the circus performances and the musical numbers, requiring innovative construction techniques. The lighting design was particularly advanced for its time, using multiple light sources to create the glamorous atmosphere of the circus while maintaining visibility during complex action sequences. The film's editing, supervised by Esfir Tobak, employed rapid cutting techniques learned from American films to create dynamic energy during musical numbers. These technical achievements helped establish Soviet cinema as capable of producing films that could compete with Hollywood productions in terms of technical sophistication.

Music

The soundtrack of Circus was composed by Isaak Dunayevsky, who became one of the Soviet Union's most celebrated composers through his work on this film. The music brilliantly blended American jazz and swing influences with Russian folk melodies and Soviet patriotic themes. The most famous song, 'Wide is My Motherland' (Широка страна моя родная), with lyrics by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach, became an instant classic and remains one of the most recognized Russian songs of all time. Other notable musical numbers include 'Laughter and Tears' and the various circus performance pieces. The film's score was innovative in its use of leitmotifs to represent different characters and themes, particularly the contrast between American and Soviet musical styles. The soundtrack was recorded using the most advanced sound equipment available in the USSR at the time, resulting in unusually clear audio for the period. The musical numbers were carefully choreographed to complement the cinematography, creating seamless integration of sound and image. Dunayevsky's work on Circus established him as the preeminent composer of Soviet film music, and his approach to blending popular and classical elements influenced generations of Soviet composers.

Memorable Scenes

• The climactic finale where representatives of all Soviet nationalities pass Marion's baby from hand to hand while singing 'Wide is My Motherland', creating a powerful visual metaphor for international solidarity and acceptance
• Marion's death-defying trapeze performance where she almost falls but is saved by Martynov, symbolizing her transition from American individualism to Soviet collective support
• The opening sequence showing Marion's persecution in America, filmed in dark, shadowy tones contrasting with the bright Soviet scenes that follow
• The musical number 'Laughter and Tears' where Marion performs with the circus, showcasing her talent and the joy she finds in her new Soviet home
• The scene where Marion's secret is revealed and instead of rejection, she receives overwhelming support from the Soviet audience, representing the film's core message

What Critics Said

Upon its release, Circus received overwhelmingly positive reviews from Soviet critics, who praised its perfect embodiment of Socialist Realism principles. Pravda, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, called it 'a triumph of Soviet art' and 'a model for all future Soviet films.' Western critics were more divided; some praised its technical sophistication and entertainment value, while others criticized its obvious propaganda elements. American reviewers in the 1930s noted the film's bold stance on racial issues but questioned its portrayal of Soviet life. Modern critics reevaluate Circus as a complex cultural artifact, acknowledging its propagandistic elements while recognizing its artistic merits and historical importance. Film scholars today praise its innovative blend of Hollywood musical conventions with Soviet themes, its sophisticated cinematography, and Orlova's charismatic performance. The film is now studied in cinema courses worldwide as an example of how popular entertainment can serve political purposes without entirely sacrificing artistic quality.

What Audiences Thought

Circus was a phenomenal success with Soviet audiences, becoming one of the most popular films of the 1930s. Movie theaters across the USSR were packed for months, and the film was shown in even the most remote regions of the vast country. Audiences particularly loved Lyubov Orlova's performance and the film's musical numbers. The emotional climax where the Soviet audience accepts Marion and her child reportedly moved many viewers to tears. The film's themes of acceptance and international solidarity resonated deeply with a population that included dozens of different ethnic groups and nationalities. In later years, Circus became a nostalgic favorite for those who grew up in the Soviet era, with many remembering it as one of the first films they saw as children. The film continued to be shown on Soviet television for decades, introducing new generations to its story and songs. International audiences, when they could see the film, were often surprised by its sophisticated production values and emotional power, though some found the propaganda elements heavy-handed.

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