"Red Wagon" is an interesting film to finally see. A great new transfer on DVD in the UK and thanks to the people at Network and StudioCanal we have a rare possibility to see a film that has merits worth a look. This British quota film made for the British and American market have a good mix of actors with both a long history in Hollywood and newcomers from the British film industry. Director Paul Stern makes an effort, mixed result. Most films set in the old circus has the same story line: jealousy, murder, love, suspense in the animal cage and under the tent roof, competition between circus owners, small glimpses from the side- show as comic relief...and so on. The beginning of the film is perhaps a bit too fast, makes you feel the characters appears from nowhere, it does not establish the characters with a good foundation, but it picks up later. Both Greta Nissen and Raquel Torres are exotic and befitting for the life of the Circus. Charles Bickford plays the brute, the Circus owner in love,with the wrong woman. Jimmy Hanley makes a good start in a film that has a good story, if not that original, but it is entertaining and fun to watch. "Red Wagon" looks like it was made on a big Budget and made success with cinema-goers in Europe, mostly thanks to the acting merits of the cast. Good to finally see the talents of Greta Nissen as an actress most famous for being replaced by Jean Harlow in Howard Hughs "Hells Angels" (1930). In many of her roles she played a cold gold-digger, but here a warm and intelligent woman, nice to see a wider range of her acting talents. There are still many hidden gems from the British film industry and watching this film I have hopes to see more to come.
