Man on a Tightrope
- Fredric March: Karel Cernik
- Terry Moore: Tereza Cernik
- Gloria Grahame: Zama Cernik
- Cameron Mitchell: Joe Vosdek
- Adolphe Menjou: Fesker
- Robert Beatty: Barovic
- Alex D' Arcy: Rudolph
- Richard Boone: Krofta
- Pat Henning: Conradin
- Paul Hartman: Jaremir
- John Dehner: The Chief
A man on a Wire (Original Title: Man on a Tightrope ) is an American feature film from the year 1953.
Action
The film is set in Czechoslovakia in the early 1950s. Karel Cernik performs a circus, the family-owned is the Cernik for generations. But have taken power in Czechoslovakia since the Communists, it's the circus getting worse. Although the circus may continue to be run by independent owners of Cernik, but he is harassment by the authorities without any protection. Down is Cernik some point on the edge of ruin. Now Cernik is forced to pass the circus to the state, but to lead him on. The circus moves on to tour around the country. His freedom deprived, he must watch as his daughter Tereza away from him. She loves the lion tamer Joe Vosdek. Cernik young woman Zama keeps her husband a coward, the power of the state leans resistance. But Karel Cernik has a plan, which is, however, compromised by spies within the company. At first he thought that Joe Vosdek is the spy. Then it turns out that Krofta is the informant for the state police Fesker. When the circus comes to his tour near the German border, Cernik wants to implement his plan into action. From a circus parade out he leads the whole circus over a border bridge to freedom. Cernik but shot in the escape of Krofta, which in turn is shot by a circus dwarf as well. However, the circus comes under the leadership of Joe Vosdek to freedom and Cernik Zama woman needs to realize that her husband was a hero.
Background
The film was shot in 1952 in Munich and the production company 20th Century Fox hired for the Circus Brumbach. In small roles Peter Beauvais, Gert Frobe, Rolf von Nauckhoff, Dorothea Wieck and edelweiss Malchin are seen; uncredited they were not mentioned. The film was premiered in April 1953 in Los Angeles and came in May 1953 in the American cinema. Gloria Grahame stood in for Hildegard Knef, which was originally intended for the female lead.
Reviews
" From Elia Kazan based on a real case of staged entertainment film from the period of the Cold War. "
Awards
The film participated in the competition at the International Film Festival in Berlin in 1953 and was awarded by the Senate of Berlin with a special price.