This is the third feature film made by the later acclaimed Norwegian film maker Arne Skouen, and this was the first film's of his which was selected to the main programme of the Cannes Film Festival, something he would copy three times more in only 8 years.
This film is made upon his own script, and interestingly enough is got the circus manager of Circus Arnardo, Arne Arnardo himself to play the circus boss. The idea to this movie was born after a meeting between Arne Arnardo and Arne Skouen in the spring of 1952. Arne Skouen became a part of the circus to study the circus environment. It's a film about living on the road, with a very diverse crew which depends on each other to make success, about pride of the trade and being faithful to your work and way of life.
The film starts off with a circus show, where a young man, Jannik, tries to get a job, running around backstage. PJannik is played by Toralv Maustad, later one of Skouens favorite actors. We're taken behind the curtains of a traditional circus with all their strange artists and workers, their life, love and everyday work, where the old clown still ends up as lonely.
The film is both charming, entertaining, funny and exciting, and feels true to the bone. Probably the same the nominating jury of the Cannes Festival saw. But you probably both have to like circus as well as comedy to enjoy the film. That is the main problem of the film. I don't particularly like circus at all. Still this is not a bads movie. Great camera work and an O.K. story, but not enough to catch me as a viewer. If you on the other hand is a lover of circus, you'll probably enjoy this.
The film is greatly remastered on the great Arne Skouen DVD-box released upon the film maker's 100 years birth anniversary, containing 16 of his 17 feature films, and two documentaries, all subtitled in English.
