The Main Attraction

Handsome drifter, able crooner and guitar player and pursued for a murder he didn't commit, gets involved with pretty young circus girl as they brave an avalanche in the Italian Alps. I was unprepared to be as charmed by this candyfloss feature as I was. God know there's not one iota of bad-guy in Pat Boone who tries hard to fit the picture of insolent masculinity and act the cad. Someone who sings 'Amore, baciami' with honeyed tones such as his is not destined for evildom. If it comes your way, watch it by all means, it's not half bad.

Pat Boone attempts a serious performance in this otherwise insipid circus melodrama with romantic underpinnings, its story culminating in a silly avalanche sequence which adds not excitement but only melodrama to the mix. Surly American troubadour, traveling the world with his guitar after getting fired from every job he's ever had, winds up singing in Italy where he's discovered by a female ventriloquist employed by the circus. Big Top nonsense (with a scenario oddly similar to Elvis Presley's later "Roustabout" from 1964) quickly gives way to a heightened ridiculousness as Boone thinks he's killed a man and hightails into the Italian Alps with smitten Nancy Kwan in tow. British production has good color photography but no discernible style, not to mention some of the laziest circus acts of all time. Kwan, struggling to mount a running horse, gets one of many unintentional laughs; Boone is in fine, clear voice and lends the movie any vitality it possesses. *1/2 from ****

This is just one of those movies that makes a totally pointless impression and makes you wonder why it was ever made in the first place. Not that it's an horrible movie of course but it's too lacking on basically every front to consider this a good movie as well.

The movie has a very simple story that only slowly takes more shape in the second halve of the movie. But even then, the story just never really knows to intrigue. Oh well, maybe it's just because I never really liked the circus that this movie just couldn't interest me much.

But even so, this movie is lacking on more fronts than just the story. It's also a quite cheap and simple looking movie. You know, the movie with painted backgrounds, which makes it all painfully obvious most of it was shot inside a studio. It says something I think about the overall production values of this movie. Again, it's nothing too bad but not anything impressive either.

The actors are all quite good but the characters they portray remain mostly flat and uninteresting. Also their relations just never know to interest you and the movie just mostly muddles on as it progresses. There are some good ideas but just movie just never really exploit them fully or in the best way possible,

No, just not really a movie that will stay with you.

5/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

The official story is this was an attempt to allow Pat Boone to portray a grittier side in order to prepare him for meatier roles. However, watching it, I got the impression this was intended for Elvis Presley, but he, or rather Col. Parker, turned it down. This feeling was reinforced by the fact that the opening scene was practically duplicated, with minor variations, a few years later in Elvis' Roustabout. The film's failure is due to the fact that Boone doesn't have the acting talent to portray a less than savory character. This also affects the performances of the rest of the cast, all who have proved themselves elsewhere, because they have nothing, and no one, to play against. Only Kieron Moore, playing leading lady Nancy Kwan's brother-in-law, manages to accomplish a fully fleshed-out performance.

In Italy, handsome singer Pat Boone (as Eddie) attracts the attention of ventriloquist Mai Zetterling (as Gina), a sexy older woman scouting a new partner for both her act and the sack. After some liquor, Mr. Boone dons his leather jacket and goes to live with Ms. Zetterling. They decide to flaunt their affair, which comes as no surprise to the circus veterans in the troupe as Zetterling has had a string of young lovers. Zetterling runs her eyes over Boone's body and purrs, "I like everything about you!" Apparently more than satisfied, the older woman lets out a primal scream when she loses her mate...

On arrival, Boone meets Italian bareback rider Nancy Kwan (as Tessa), and runs his eyes over her body. The movie's tag-line declares Pat Boone gets "in trouble with that 'Suzie Wong' girl," but he thinks Kwan is just his style. The two become mutually attracted, but Kwan is harder to get. Meanwhile, Zetterling notices Boone's "lusty" wandering eye and threatens him with their ventriloquist doll "Lady Godiva". Boone can hardly see his guitar strings over her protruding bust when singing, "Si, Si, Si!"

Watch for a circus mishap to change everyone's lives...

This strange film can perhaps be described as an Elvis Presley-type vehicle with the sexual content turned up (for a mainstream 1962 movie, at least). It must have been startling to see Boone drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and characterized as sexually active. Release in the US was put off, and likely limited. In the UK, Boone's accompanying single "The Main Attraction" became his final hit, topping "Love Me Do" for awhile, before succumbing to The Beatles' first hit.

** The Main Attraction (11/62) Daniel Petrie ~ Pat Boone, Nancy Kwan, Mai Zetterling, Yvonne Mitchell