Man on a Tightrope

Released Apr 1, 1953

1h 45m

Drama

List

Reviews

78%

Audience Score

50+ Ratings

Karel Cernik (Fredric March) is the owner of a small Czech circus that's been in his family for generations. When the Communists take over, officials begin to dictate almost every aspect of how the tight-knit group can operate. Karel's wife, Zama (Gloria Grahame), becomes increasingly frustrated with the restricted situation, and Karel must struggle to find a way to to escape Communist rule by fleeing the country so that the circus can thrive again.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Man on a Tightrope is a rare attraction a movie with a message that is entertaining as well.

Jun 24, 2019

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Director Elia Kazan limns his characters with proper mood and shade, as the red-tape of the Reds becomes mountingly obstructive.

Feb 23, 2012

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

The efforts of a Czech circus owner and his discontented wife to escape through the Iron Curtain are the basis of an intelligent thriller.

Jan 8, 2020

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Writer Robert E. Sherwood never gets the screenplay to gracefully walk across the tightrope.

Rated: C+

Oct 12, 2011

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nick s

An entertaining watch with some great set pieces. Acting was excellent. It was based on a real event in East Germany, but I'm sure it was spiced up a lot with the action sequences. From a storytelling perspective I wished the characters had explained their plans a little better.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/14/24

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Anthony J

Dated and hokey, but nonetheless entertaining despite the heavy-handed 'message' that Communism is bad and kills even the joy a circus can bring.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

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Douglas P

Not a ' Masterpiece' but Tightly-made and worth a Watch by Students of the PostWar period in Eastern Europe...the Cast under Kazan have done a Sterling job...a Great Director.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/21/22

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huck d

Just off the chart. This completely unknown Elia Kazan masterpiece takes us behind the Iron Curtain when your every thought was monitored and controlled by a soulless inhuman apparatachik who demanded your obedience --- even if you were just a circus performer. Fredrick March gives a multidimensional and inspirational performance as he plays the once circus owner, before it was confiscated by the state. The state has so much fear of a good man, an honest man, that they need to control him, his thoughts, right down to his clown performance. Every second on that screen was a harrowing reminder of what life was like behind the Iron Curtain, and what could be again. Amazingly, this is filmed on location, and the actual Cernik Circus performers play their parts in the movie. Without a doubt, a must-watch for anyone who understand the value of freedom and those who love a superbly crafted story brought to life as only Elia Kazan could.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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jim b

Outdated, boring as hell. Almost fell asleep watching it.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Compelling screenplay, but several of the performances are stilted and stagey.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Elia Kazan

Director

Fredric March

Karel Cernik

Terry Moore

Tereza Cernik

Gloria Grahame

Zama Cernik

Cameron Mitchell

Joe Vosdek

Adolphe Menjou

Fesker

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Synopsis

Karel Cernik (Fredric March) is the owner of a small Czech circus that's been in his family for generations. When the Communists take over, officials begin to dictate almost every aspect of how the tight-knit group can operate. Karel's wife, Zama (Gloria Grahame), becomes increasingly frustrated with the restricted situation, and Karel must struggle to find a way to to escape Communist rule by fleeing the country so that the circus can thrive again.

Director: Elia Kazan
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox, Bavaria Film
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 1, 1953, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 18, 2012
Runtime: 1h 45m

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