Seymour Smiles (Sid
Haig, "Kill Bill, Vol. 2 and "House of 1000 Corpses"), an aging
ex-clown in his 50's, arrives back in his hometown of Peru, Indiana
content to live out the rest of his days alone in a drunken stupor.
The problem? This IS Peru, Indiana. In Peru, Indiana clowns aren't
just funny people you watch once a year when the circus comes to
town...clowning is a way of life in this small Indiana town.
And in this town that takes clowning so seriously Seymour Smiles is
not only a legend himself, he's the son and the grandson of clowning
legends Miles O'Smiles and Sonny Smiles. When Seymour Smiles returns
to town, drunken stupor or not, he gets noticed...quickly.
It's not long before his childhood friend, Bob Patterson (Richard
Riehle of "Office Space"), is at his doorstep and convinces Seymour to
join the local amateur circus and lead their ragtag team of clowns.
Seymour isn't really interested in leading a bunch of amateur clowns,
and he's even less interested in sobering up long enough to do so.
Finally, Seymour is booted out by a no-nonsense Head Trainer (Hollis
Resnik) and, almost simultaneously, loses his home to foreclosure. One
night, broke and homeless, Seymour finds himself hiding in the circus
arena in his small town. It's in the midst of this despair that
Seymour first hides, then watches the local circus amateurs in
practice and then, finally, rediscovers his own long lost passion for
clowning.
Several apologies and a whole lot of humble pie later, Seymour Smiles
is back under the big top...sober, sensitive and, well, smiling.
"Little Big Top," written and directed by Ward Roberts ("The Boy
Scout"), is the sort of film that makes small town folks smile. It's
funny, without being condescending and familiar without being
patronizing. In "Little Big Top," Ward Roberts has created a world
that feels familiar because it's filled with your next door neighbors,
your liquor store clerk, your local grocery store cashier and your
local drunk who always makes you laugh affectionately. As irascible as
Seymour can be at times, Roberts knows the truth about small town
folks like Seymour...they may drive us crazy, but we love them.
The film's intimate direction and production design can be both
inviting and distracting. When Seymour reveals that he wants to
rehearse his own act after hours because he doesn't like to be
watched, its as if the entire production design of "Little Big Top"
shifts course. Suddenly, camera shots fade away, lighting dims and
there's a distance between us, the audience, and this clown who is
trying desperately to find his smile again. At times, this distance is
uncomfortable as a viewer...yet, it feels like an intentional decision
that, ultimately, makes the viewing experience more powerful because
we, the viewers, are experiencing Seymour's discomfort right alongside
him. It's a subtle, amazingly insightful touch by Roberts.
As Seymour, Sid Haig creates a character unlike any he has ever
created onscreen. Long recognized for his ability to bring to life the
quirkiest, weirdest, sickest and darkest characters in contemporary
cinema, here Haig blends touches of dark, quirky, weird and,
unexpectedly, downright sweet. Capitalizing on the abstract character
development of Roberts' script, Haig has created one of 2006's most
memorable characters. What could have been a simple, loud and
histrionic caricature instead becomes the image of a man who has
either been broken or broken himself, who can be simultaneously
hateful and hopeful. Haig, with uncommon tenderness, underplays
Seymour with the seeming awareness that Seymour's woundedness has done
more than take him out of the ring...it has taken him out of life.
The rest of the supporting cast provides a perfect complement to the
emotional chaos of Seymour. As Bob Patterson, Richard Riehle offers
his usual strong, sympathetic performance, while Hollis Resnik's Aggie
is a delightful blend of gruff and compassion. While the team of
clowns largely plays as an ensemble, Jacob Zachar, as the eager
Ernest, shines in a supporting role.
As Seymour's journey towards rediscovering his smile begins to wind
down, it goes without saying that he will have to once again face his
fears, his anxieties and his alcohol. By the time Seymour arrives at
opening night having to choose between a life of drunken fear or a
return to the little big top, Seymour has become that close friend you
just hope and pray is back on the path to happiness.
It is this last closing shot of Seymour where the film ends and
Roberts chooses to focus almost solely on the entire focus of "Little
Big Top"...Seymour's smile. While the shot itself feels a tad abrupt,
the shot is perfect in the way that the entire film doesn't come down
to small town Peru, clowning or anyone else...it is all about this
journey that has led to the return of Seymour's smile.
Production design for "Little Big Top" is simple, yet effective
throughout the film, with a particularly strong score that companions
the film. Roberts' use of abrupt scene cuts makes the film's ending
just a touch confusing, an observation that was shared by multiple
individuals during the film's screening at the 2006 Heartland Film
Festival.
Clown enthusiasts can also rejoice in that relatives of famed
clowns Emmett Kelly and Emmett Kelly, Jr. appear in "Little Big Top,"
and those familiar with the real Peru Circus will recognize some cast
members as members of the actual Peru Circus.
"Little Big Top" is a lot like Seymour Smiles. It's a smile-inducing
film that makes you smile, occasionally rubs you the wrong way and,
through it all, warms your heart and captures a precious, truly
innocent slice of life.
"Little Big Top" is an unexpected delight and one of the true
highlights of the 2006 Heartland Film Festival |
