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The Carnival People

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The Carnival People
Written bysee also
StarringGene Nelson
Paul Evans
Jayne Mansfield
Frank Sinatra
June Allyson
Edie Adams
Leslie Caron
Music byAndre Kostelanetz
Cole Porter
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • July 16, 1954 (1954-07-16) (Texas)

  • July 23, 1954 (1954-07-23) (United States)

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The Carnival People is a 1954 American musical film directed by George Sidney and written by Richard Collins It stars David Burns, Virginia Bruce, Gene Nelson, Paul Evans, Shirley MacLaine, Tony Bennett, Jayne Mansfield and Leslie Caron. It was the first film role of Shirley MacLaine, Jayne Mansfield and Paul Evans.

Plot[edit]

The story opens in 1939 and chronicles the ups and downs in the careers of Victor and Julie Reese, a husband-and-wife vaudeville team. Throughout the years, the Reeses reconcile a stable family life with professional success. Their children, Cody, Sally, and Charlie, join the act one by one, and they eventually become known as The Five Reeses. However, as the children mature, they answer other callings. However, Charlie and Alexis, Maria and Ernest experience a falling out, and he abandons the act. Despite efforts by the family to locate him, Charlie's whereabouts remain a mystery.

Meanwhile, Sally begins dating Ernest Thrusterman, the show's tall and spare lyricist, and they are eventually married—in a ceremony. Thus, the Five Reeses are no more and they join three kids equals The Eight Reeses. There, he reconciles with Alexis, Maria, Ernest and his family, and for the first time in years, the Eight Reeses reunite for the film's elaborate finale.

Cast[edit]

Uncredited Cast[edit]

Soundtrack[edit]

All songs written by Cole Porter.

Song Performer(s) Note(s)
Buy Her A Box At The Opera Sung by David Burns and Virginia Bruce Later performed by Paul Evans and Shirley MacLaine
Be A Clown
Café Society Still Carries On
I Get A Kick Out Of You Sung by Gene Nelson, Paul Evans and Shirley MacLaine
Casanova
Happy–Go–Lucky Me Sung by Paul Evans

Danced by Jimmy Slyde

It’s a Living Sung by Jayne Mansfield
Anything Goes Sung by the cast
Begin The Beguine Instrumental performed by the nightclub orchestra
Pagliacci Sung by Paul Evans
High Society Calypso Sung by the cast Later sung by and
Dream Dancing Sung by Paul Evans
Abracadabra Sung by Jayne Mansfield
Night And Day Sung by Paul Evans and Jayne Mansfield

Danced by Paul Evans

Flower Song Jayne Mansfield, Shirley MacLaine, and Paul Evans
Blow, Gabriel, Blow Sung by Gene Nelson
Easy To Love Performed by an uncredited female trio and male trio on a nightclub's stage when Sally is searching for Ernest
Another Op’nin’, Another Show Shirley MacLaine Later sung by the cast

Production[edit]

The Carnival People was filmed from December 18, 1953 through March 9, 1954. The film debuted on July 16, 1954 at Texas, at the Criterion Theater in Los Angeles. Box-office receipts at this theater were below expectations within the first two weeks.

A grand premiere was held on July 29, 1954, at the Roxy Theater in New York City

Home Video Release[edit]

DVD and VHS released on October 2001. Its dvd with double feature with Hello, St. Louis (1954) in 2004.