#645) Ringling Brothers Parade Film (1902)
OR “The Greatest Show Unearthed”
Produced by the Selig Polyscope Company
Class of 2021
The full film, with a delightful introduction from film historian David Kiehn.
The Plot: As per the Selig Polyscope Company’s listing, “Ringling Brothers Parade Film” is “the finest circus parade caught by a moving picture camera.” Filmed on May 12th, 1902, the film documents the Ringling Brothers Circus parading down Capital Avenue in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana ahead of their performance in town later that day. In three minutes we see all the sights (but not sounds -it’s a silent film) of the fabled Ringling Brothers Circus: cages of wild animals, riders on horseback, a marching band, clowns, camels, and a finale of elephants! The Selig Company calls it “the greatest and grandest circus parade ever seen on a motion picture film”, though to be fair in 1902 it was probably the only circus parade ever seen on film.
Why It Matters: The NFR calls the short a “delightful gem” and highlights the film’s “rare glimpse of a prosperous northern Black community” at a time when African-Americans were rarely seen on film.
But Does It Really?: Yes, because why the hell not? “Ringling Brothers Parade Film” is not the most important or significant movie on the list, but you know what: it’s fun. While I never went to the circus as a kid, I enjoyed watching this footage of a circus in its prime, and equally enjoyed hearing David Kiehn talk about the film’s rediscovery in the video embedded above. The NFR’s spin about the film’s depiction of a Black community is commendable, but it strikes me as an attempt to justify the inclusion of this film on a list of more diverse selections (this is the year of “Selena” and “The Watermelon Woman” after all). Yes, there are Black people in this film, but in terms of representation this ain’t exactly the “Solomon Sir Jones Films“. Overall, “Ringling Brothers Parade Film” delivers what the title suggests, and I’m glad this little oddity has found its way onto the Registry.
Everybody Gets One: Albert, Otto, Alfred, Charles, and John Ringling started performing their juggling act together around 1882 in their hometown of Baraboo, Wisconsin (there were two additional brothers – Gus and Henry – who weren’t part of the act). Once the boys started touring, the act continued to expand, officially becoming a circus in 1884 with their purchase of the Yankee Robinson Circus. Over the next thirty years, the Ringling Brothers Circus traveled the country, keeping tabs on their main competition, Barnum and Bailey’s. With declining attendance and the death of co-founder Jonathan Bailey, the Ringlings officially merged with Barnum and Bailey in 1919, and toured for the next 98 years as “The Greatest Show on Earth”.
Wow, That’s Dated: I was ready to add “circuses in general” to the list, but I guess they’re back? While Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed in May 2017, Feld Entertainment (the circus’ operating company) announced recently that Ringling will resume touring in September 2023, sans animal acts. Feld, if you really love circuses, let them go.
Other notes
- First and foremost, a shoutout to David Kiehn and the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California. All information we have about this film stems from Kiehn’s research. Side note: Like myself, David Kiehn is an alumni of SFSU! What’s up, fellow Gator?
- Among the details Kiehn used to determine the film’s identity: background signs for “Park Theatre” and “Cleveland Club” (what the latter was doing in Indianapolis I have no idea), the carvings on the wagons (unique to Ringling Brothers), and a trolley car labeled “Blake”. This is the kind of deep-dive researching that makes me love film history. It’s amazing what you can figure out with internet access and a thirst for knowledge. By the way, one of the resources Kiehn used was the Internet Archive. If you love any sort of film history research projects like this one, please donate anything you can to them.
- The Polyscope description says the parade is lead by “Mr. Ringling”, though it never specifies which one. They were all still alive in 1902, so it’s anyone’s guess.
- I love the little moment where a female onlooker is tapped on the shoulder and asked to stand back. I wonder if they knew she was partially blocking the shot. “Would you step back miss? You’re obstructing the posterity.”
- There are several parade watchers holding umbrellas. Turns out Indianapolis was unusually hot that day, with a high of 85 degrees! And everyone’s wearing suits and dresses! I would not have survived back then.
- Yes, there are lions and tigers and bears in the parade, but their cages are so dark you can barely see them. I’ll take your word for it, movie.
- Wait, are the clowns the guys on top of the wagon playing instruments? Either that or the bit of film with the clowns is missing from this reel. Regardless, those of you with a fear of clowns should be able to watch this with no problem.
- Everyone in this movie is dressed like they’re in “The Man Who Would Be King“.
- After seeing all the horses in this parade, I have come to the conclusion that circuses smelled awful.
- And there’s elephants too? Yeah, nothing about this experience smelled good. The people of Indianapolis must have been really starved for entertainment in 1902. Thank god the Motor Speedway was only a few years away.
- Did you know that David Letterman, Brendan Fraser, Jane Pauley, Madam C.J. Walker, and John Dillinger are all from Indianapolis? And so is “Double Dare” host Marc Summers! Sorry; I’ve fallen into a research rabbit hole, where were we? Oh right, the circus.
Legacy
- “Ringling Brothers Parade Film” was released in July 1902, and was available for purchase to be screened at your exhibition hall for $18 (over $600 in today’s money!). The film was still advertised by the Selig Company as late as 1908, but seemingly disappeared after the company folded in 1918. Cut to the Niles Essany Silent Film Museum in 2011, when an elderly couple from Oakland donated an unmarked reel of film they discovered in their home in 1969 (you may be thinking, “Why did they wait 42 years before turning it in?” but don’t we all have items on our To Do list that we keep putting off?) Thanks to the detective work of David Kiehn, the unmarked reel was identified as “Ringling Brothers Parade Film” and received a 5K restoration. The restored film was uploaded onto the Niles’ YouTube channel in October 2020, and made the NFR 14 months later.
Further Viewing: This viewing made me realize how few circus movies are on the Registry (the only other ones I can think of offhand are “Dumbo” and “HE Who Gets Slapped“). As for possible future entries, I suppose DeMille’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” has a shot. Sure, it routinely ranks among the worst Oscar Best Picture winners of all time, but as I recently learned from “The Fabelmans”, it’s the film that gave young Steven Spielberg his love/fear of the movies. That’s a legacy!
The Horse's Head 