Review of Smallest Show On Earth, The

Introduction

Disc four of Momentum`s "Peter Sellers Collection" is a reminder of Peter Sellers at his earliest and best. Made in 1957 and known in the US as "Big Time Operators", the film stars Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna as a young married couple who inherit a run-down fleapit cinema called the Bijou, operated by three ancient misfits - Margaret Rutherford as the cashier, Sellers as the projectionist and Bernard Miles as the commissionaire/ sweeper-up. A sentimental movie towards old cinemas, there is little meat to the storyline, but the viewer is carried along by the dotty charm of the piece.

Written by William Rose (Genevieve, It`s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World) and John Eldridge, and directed by Basil Dearden.

Video

This is another movie that has suffered from not being looked after properly for years. Presented in 1.33:1 (very probably the original ratio) and shot in black and white by Douglas Slocombe, the film is very definitely post-war British film making. There is a fair amount of dirt and scratching on the film, which hopefully may be eradicated by future remastering (although I wouldn`t hold my breath). As a document of its time, the movie is fascinating for its comedic reflection of the fate befalling so many small cinemas in the post-war period as public entertainment tastes changed.

Audio

The sound is, as one would expect, a plain mono. The score of the film was by William Alwyn who scored many of the great British movies of the 1950`s including "Carve Her name With Pride" (also starring Virginia McKenna).

Features

Extras - absolutely nothing. Rien. Nada.

Conclusion

This was the first film Sellers made after "The LadyKillers", which got him noticed as an actor. Although two years before his first real breakthrough role (Fred Kite in "I`m All Right, Jack"), Sellers` performance as the ancient projectionist is completely assured, although reminiscent of a certain Henry Crun. A feelgood movie of the old school.