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Trapeze

Play trailer Poster for Trapeze 1956 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Mike Ribble (Burt Lancaster) is a hard-drinking tent pitcher. His career as a famous trapeze artist ended years ago after attempting a triple somersault gave him a permanent limp. Young acrobat Tino (Tony Curtis) tracks Mike down and asks him to teach him the dangerous stunt. Mike first refuses but is convinced by his ex-lover, Rosa (Katy Jurado). Mike and Tino have a shot at the big time, but the two men are driven apart by the scheming of Lola (Gina Lollobrigida), an Italian trampolinist.
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Trapeze

Critics Reviews

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Pat Pinkerton Orlando Sentinel 10/08/2021
The Hecht-Lancaster production moves deep into the color and sweat of circus life and its myriad characters. Go to Full Review Tom Parkinson Billboard 03/28/2023
An insistence for accuracy --presumably by Lancaster-- is evident. Go to Full Review Raquel Stecher Out of the Past 09/25/2018
enjoyable film Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/19/2009
C+
Enjoyable trash: Carol Reed's circus melodrama is one of his most commercially successful but artistically weakest film; there's more erotic tension between Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis than between either man and love interest Gina Lillobrigida. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 04/25/2008
C+
Tacky circus thriller and overwrought love triangle melodrama. Go to Full Review Daniel M. Kimmel Worcester Telegram & Gazette 01/30/2004
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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Will G @Kingofthepixies 05/03/2025 One of the greats. To all the nay sayers, let's watch the movie you made next. See more Steve D @RT35616104 04/08/2024 Fine but unmemorable. See more 04/30/2022 Gina Lollobrigida was hot, Lancaster is a bad actor, and the story is cliche. See more william d @acsdoug 04/27/2021 Okay, it ain't Gone With the Wind, but I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. See more Robbie K @RT50853010 08/02/2017 Lancaster,Curtis and Lollobrigida as a trio of trapeze flyers.Young Curtis wants to learn the famous triple somersault from old vet Lancaster,who's crippled from a fatal fall.In comes Lollobrigida making trouble for the two flyers both on the ground and in the air. One of the most enjoyable films about life under the big top.The trio of stars deliver sock performances worthy of their star status.Carol Reed's direction of the triple somersault is breathtakingly staged.Don't miss this one. See more 07/07/2015 A colorful, melodramatic love triangle set against the backdrop of a prestigious Paris Circus. Although rather predictable & very Hollywood in its nature the color is beautiful & striking. The story basically revolves around the greatest trapeze artist not long after his near fatal blow trying to perform the coveted triple flip. He takes on a young with much promise before the lady comes on the scene & tensions mount. Nothing original story wise but the backdrop of the circus is great. It's fun & exciting film. See more Read all reviews
Trapeze

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Cast & Crew

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Carol Reed

Director

Burt Lancaster

Mike Ribble

Gina Lollobrigida

Lola

Tony Curtis

Tino Orsini

Katy Jurado

Rosa

Thomas Gomez

Bouglione

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Trapeze

Trapeze (1956) Trapeze (1956) Trapeze (1956) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Mike Ribble (Burt Lancaster) is a hard-drinking tent pitcher. His career as a famous trapeze artist ended years ago after attempting a triple somersault gave him a permanent limp. Young acrobat Tino (Tony Curtis) tracks Mike down and asks him to teach him the dangerous stunt. Mike first refuses but is convinced by his ex-lover, Rosa (Katy Jurado). Mike and Tino have a shot at the big time, but the two men are driven apart by the scheming of Lola (Gina Lollobrigida), an Italian trampolinist.
Director
Carol Reed
Producer
Harold Hecht, James Hill, Burt Lancaster
Screenwriter
Max Catto, Liam O'Brien, James R. Webb, Ben Hecht, Wolf Mankowitz
Distributor
United Artists, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 30, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)