A country boy joins a circus in the 1840s and falls in love with Albany, the star equestrian rider. Later, he falls in love with Caroline, another runaway who becomes the circus' new barebac... Read allA country boy joins a circus in the 1840s and falls in love with Albany, the star equestrian rider. Later, he falls in love with Caroline, another runaway who becomes the circus' new bareback rider.A country boy joins a circus in the 1840s and falls in love with Albany, the star equestrian rider. Later, he falls in love with Caroline, another runaway who becomes the circus' new bareback rider.
- Burke
- (as Frank Thomas)
- Fiero
- (as Edward Conrad)
- Budlong
- (as Paul Burns)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaEven though she had to do several scenes with them, Linda Darnell was allergic to horses.
- GoofsAbout 20 mins into the movie, when Dorothy Lamour is talking to Henry Fonda from the steps of her wagon while wearing a robe, how she wears the robe changes from shot to shot. From the side view she has it discretely wrapped around her. From the font view she has it pulled tight and slightly open all the way to the waist, and is not wearing anything underneath it. In the final front view as Linda Darnell enters the scene, she has it very loosely wrapped and is wearing a slip underneath it.
- Quotes
Fred Shepley: [Talking to Albany] Any thing in pants, huh!
Chad Hanna: Hey Joe! What's happen there, Albany ain't married to him is she?
Joe Duddy: No! But you'd think so the way fight, wouldn't you.
Chad Hanna (Henry Fonda) is a country farm boy who helps a black slave to escape, and then runs away with a circus together with a slave tracker's daughter (Linda Darnell). Originally dazzled by a seemingly glamorous circus performer (Dorothy Lamour), Chad eventually falls in love with the daughter and marries her, and they both make the circus their way of life. Nothing very enthralling happens, and the charm of the film comes from watching famous people early in their careers.
Linda Darnell is particular is a revelation. She was about seventeen years of age when she made "Chad Hanna", yet already her rapport with the camera is evident. So too is the warmth of her personality and the skill of her underplaying. With the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to see why she became a big star, but what is intriguing is that in "Chad Hanna" Dorothy Lamour, who was already a big star, no longer seems attractive or interesting. It is not obvious why she was so popular at that time. Henry Fonda, of course, was already a movie "natural". He never seems to be acting, but somehow he is always both likable and believable. Fonda really holds this movie together.
20th Century Fox was the first major studio to master colour in movies. In the late 'thirties and early 'forties, most colour in films was garish and gaudy, but several Fox films had really beautiful colour, and "Chad Hanna" is one of them.
"Chad Hanna" is certainly a throw-back to the past, and quite possibly people who judge movies only in terms of their kinetic imagery will find it slow. For those who are not stimulated by violence and synthetic excitement, "Chad Hanna" is well worth watching.
- robin-moss2
- May 29, 2005
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Der Tod des alten Zirkuslöwen
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 28 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1