''Funniest Show on Earth'' () is a 1953 Italian

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comed ...

and starring

May Britt May Britt (born May Britt Wilkens; 22 March 1934) is a Swedish former actress who had a brief career in the 1950s in Italy and later in the United States. She was married to American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. from 1960 to 1968. Career Bri ...

. It is the first Italian film in 3D. It was filmed with a three-dimensional shooting system patented by

Carlo Ponti Carlo Fortunato Pietro Ponti Sr. (11 December 1912 – 10 January 2007) was an Italian film producer with more than 140 productions to his credit. Along with Dino De Laurentiis, he is credited with reinvigorating and popularizing Italian cin ...

and

Dino De Laurentiis Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian film producer and businessman who held both Italian and American citizenship. Following a brief acting career in the late 1930s and early 1940s, he moved into f ...

and called "PoDelVision" (from the initials of their surnames), which prescribed the simultaneous use of more cameras and then the printing of two identical copies of films: one for the left eye and one for the right eye. The film is an explicit parody of

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

's '' The Greatest Show on Earth''.

Plot

In the circus a clown named Tottons Togni (Totò), forced to never remove his make-up to avoid revealing his real identity, is constantly haunted by the jealousy of three women (a lion tamer, a fantasist, a trapeze artist) and also by the investigations of a police officer.

Cast

Totò Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi De Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il principe della risat ...

as Tottons, il clown / Una signora del pubblico *

as Brigitte, la domatrice *

Mario Castellani Mario Castellani (24 November 190625 April 1978) was an Italian comic actor, best known as the sidekick of famous comic actor Antonio De Curtis (Totò). He appeared with the latter in all his major movies, as well as many of Totò's theatre prod ...

as Il domatore *

Peppino De Filippo Giuseppe "Peppino" De Filippo (24 August 1903 – 27 January 1980) was an Italian actor. De Filippo was born in Naples, brother of actor and dramatist Eduardo De Filippo and of Titina De Filippo. He made his stage debut at the age of six. ...

as Uno spettatore * Bianca Maria Fabbri * Franca Faldini as Yvonne, la soubrette *

Enzo Garinei Enzo Garinei (4 May 1926 – 25 August 2022) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in nearly 80 films since 1949. He was also a professional voice artist, best remembered as the Italian voice of Sherman Hemsley in the American sitcom ''The Je ...

as Altro presentatore *

Fanny Landini Fanny may refer to: Given name * Fanny (name), a feminine given name or a nickname, often for Frances In slang * A term for the vulva, in Britain and many other parts of the English-speaking world * A term for the buttocks, in the United States ...

Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence (born Max Goldsmith; February 17, 1910 – November 28, 2005) was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence. Early life Lawrence w ...

as Il proprietario del circo *

Salvo Libassi A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute. As a tactic in warfare, the intent is to cripple an enemy in many blows at once and prevent them from fig ...

Alberto Sorrentino Alberto Sorrentino (16 February 1916 – 31 January 1994) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 89 films between 1943 and 1988. Selected filmography * '' The Last Wagon'' (1943) - Un passante * '' I cadetti di Guascogna'' (1950) - Il c ...

as Bastian *

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known as Anthony Quinn, was an American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental virility" in over 100 ...

as Spettatore *

Silvana Mangano Silvana Mangano (; 21 April 1930 – 16 December 1989) was an Italian film actress. She was one of a generation of thespians who arose from the neorealist movement, and went on to become a major female star, regarded as a sex symbol for the 19 ...

as Spettatrice

References

External links

* 1953 films 1953 3D films 1953 comedy films 1950s parody films 1950s Italian-language films Italian parody films Italian 3D films Films directed by Mario Mattoli Circus films Lux Film films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub