The story of P.T. Barnum in “The Greatest Showman.”
“The Greatest Showman” is a musical drama telling the uplifting story of P.T. Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman, and his path to creating what would become the Barnum and Bailey Circus. The film is directed by Michael Gracey with original music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, also known for their musical composition in “La La Land.”
The story begins with a brief look at Barnum’s childhood. While the segment is short, it sets the theme of the movie as a rags-to-riches story. Young Barnum (Ellis Rubin) dreams of becoming successful so he can escape poverty, marry the girl he loves and defy her wealthy parents who have always looked down upon him. At a low point in his early life, a woman with a facial deformity offers him an apple and leaves a lasting impression of kindness.
Within the song “A Million Dreams,” Barnum grows up, marries Charity (Michelle Williams) and starts a family. The scene features both beautiful imagery and sentiments, as Barnum promises Charity, and later their two daughters, that he will always share his dream with them.
While the family seems happy, they are also struggling financially. When Barnum loses his job, he decides to turn his unspecified dream into a career. Barnum opens a museum for the unusual, which includes stuffed animals and waxed figures.
When the museum fails, Barnum remembers the woman who gave him the apple when he was a child. Inspired by her, he turns his museum into a live performance of society’s outcasts, from trapeze artists to the bearded woman. The concept is shocking at first, but Barnum’s “circus,” as named by a snobbish theater critic, quickly takes off.
The score includes many memorable songs with a balance between upbeat rock and emotional ballads. The movie opens and closes with “The Greatest Show,” the circus’ main performance which highlights the vocals and talents of Barnum’s stars. “This Is Me,” a powerful message of resilience sung by Keala Settle and the other circus performers, won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture.
Accompanying Pacek and Paul’s score is a dynamic cast, including Zac Efron as Barnum’s business partner, Zendaya as a trapeze artist and Rebecca Ferguson as Swedish opera singer, Jenny Lind. Other notable performances and potential fanfavorites include “The Other Side,” a duet between Jackman and Efron, and “Rewrite The Stars,” by Efron and Zendaya.
While the movie promotes positive messages of diversity and acceptance, it has also sparked debate about the true nature of Barnum’s business. “The Greatest Showman” takes an inspirational approach, as Barnum promises his performers his circus is a place where they can overcome their hardships. Though he is briefly distracted by monetary goals, there is no implication of the exploitation and false advertisement the historical Barnum may have practiced.
Along with the lighter spin on circus life, the film is a largely fictional account of Barnum’s story with several historical inaccuracies. These aspects range from less substantial details like the number of children Barnum had, to completely fabricated plot points. For example, the changing of some names, the characters Phillip Carlyle (Efron) and Anne Wheeler (Zendaya) were not based on actual people. Additionally, the movie adopts ungrounded rumors about Barnum’s romantic interest with Lind as a primary point of conflict.
Despite these flaws, “The Greatest Showman” celebrates the importance of diversity and open-mindedness, with music and visual elements that provide an enjoyable experience for all audiences.
