P.T. Barnum

TV Movie
1999
TV-PG
2h 18m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

The story of the great American showman and promoter.The story of the great American showman and promoter.The story of the great American showman and promoter.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

194

YOUR RATING

9User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
- 1 win & 9 nominations total

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
P.T. Barnum was portrayed at different ages by Beau Bridges and his son Jordan Bridges.

Goofs
This movie shows P.T. Barnum naming Jumbo. In fact, when Barnum bought Jumbo that was already his name. Keepers at the London Zoo (Jumbo's owners before Barnum) named him Jumbo, a derivation of an African word for elephant. The publicity Barnum brought to Jumbo eventually coined the word "jumbo" as meaning large.

Connections
Featured in The 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2000)

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Beau Bridges' (and his son's) portrayal of P.T. Barnum in this well written, well acted, and well directed production. We felt it provided an excellent insight into PT's feelings and motivation. His need for approval by the "upper class" (George Hamilton's character in particular) was illustrated quite eloquently, as was his eventualacceptance.

While it may not have been 100% historically accurate, it was quite refreshing to see a well made movie that did not depend on gratuitous sex, language, and violence. This is a film that can be enjoyed by the entire family.