i HAVE a LOT OF feelings for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
This movie could have gone in two ways I feel like -- a more dark-hearted factual representation of PT Barnum’s life or a feel good family movie.
The dark-hearted, factual movie would be more accurate in details and Hugh Jackman’s character would face more consequences of his actions and whatnot I feel like -- but that’s not the way I want to talk about this movie.
I personally LOVED this movie. I’m a huge musical nerd and while yes, the music had some weird nuances of not meshing well with the movie and period that this was taking place in, I just want to focus on the GOOD it could’ve done and what could’ve made it better.
THE SOUNDTRACK IS FUCKING AMAZING at the basic of it. Catchy, visually impressive and there’s a general opinion of LIKE. (FOR ME PERSONALLY OBVIOUSLY)
This movie made “This Is Me” their running theme and anthem for this movie, and I would want to focus the movie on this point. I would like to avoid the whole cheating plot of the movie and rather focus on the the protesters and the interracial/racism that was brought up in the movie. “This Is Me” is such an anthem for being who you are and being comfortable in your own and accepting who you are -- to make this a feel good movie with a core vision and teaching I would want the “This Is Me” scene to play out like this:
Instead of turning their backs on PT Barnum, the ensemble should’ve gathered their courage and have Lettie just throw the doors open into the high society party. They throw the doors open and basically storm in silencing the hall. Jenny Lind is appropriately scandalized as is the rich peoples. The scene revolves as they all make themselves home amongst the people, starting to enjoy themselves as they enjoy the food and drinks and the opulence that they never got to experience. The scene blurs into a dance sequence of the crew enjoying themselves. As the gang is enjoying themselves -- they abruptly realize that the banquet hall is empty leaving them only with Barnum and Carlyle in the hall. This is when, in the song, the music cuts out and Lettie is singing acapella by herself. The tension is thick as Barnum has an unreadable expression on his face, staring Lettie down. Lettie approaches Barnum, and the man chuffs and takes her hand. The rest of the scene is the crew taking the food and stuffs back to their home, the building and has Barnum coming together once more with the rest of the crew, and Carlyle attempting to get closer to Anne Wheeler only to be cut off by her brother. (End song)
The next few minutes are of a montage of the passing months at the Museum, how it reflects the beginning (but not to the state it was at) with Barnum crunching his numbers and noticing that there are more and more people not buying tickets to the show and more protestors. Soon enough, the protestors are in the stands during the show and there are montages of Barnum locking himself away from the ensemble as he tears through newspapers and threat letters. I think there should be a parallel line to something like how Charity will continuously reach out to Barnum at home only for him to try to hide away the problems he’s having and try to give Charity the life he promised. With a side by side scene of Philly Carlyle consistently reaching out towards Anne only to be rebuffed by her or her brother. Something like “it’s nothing don’t worry about it” lines coming from Barnum with “you wouldn’t understand. it won’t work” lines coming from Anne (I would prefer to have strong parallels here with something like...both trying to ‘protect’ the other but i’m just working off of fumes at the moment and this isn’t as coherent as i’d prefer atm) but something like that. ALSO, more scenes of Barnum placing certain emphasis that material possessions were what mattered. (ie his HOME is the HOUSE not where the heart lies etc.) I would really like to have Charity explored more as a character and not to be two dimensional as with Anne but yeah. I want more scenes with Anne to be pounding in the idea that its not class or anything like that -- it’s part of it but the core is that she is the skin color she is and Phillip is the skin color he is. I would love to see more scenes that would flesh out how racism is at the time of Barnum’s period and how it could affect Phillip and Anne (or is). “Rewrite the Stars” happens as it should.
Tensions between the protestors and the ensemble are at an all time high. Over the course of the last few scenes and interactions with Carlyle and family, we, as the audience know that Barnum is starting to pull away from his circus family. He’s focused once again on the spotlight of how to push his name and family to the top of society. Lettie and everyone else is trying to reach out to him, but with the way that protestors are attacking the museum and Barnum -- he rarely has enough time to respond to them and solely focuses on damage control. We see more Carlyle in the shows again, and Barnum is ducking out of town often to meet with another person here, another person there all trying to charm (con) his way into their good graces. I would want to really punch in the idea that everyone else, Carlyle, Lettie, Charity and kids are all saying that this was enough. This is enough for them. Couldn’t he for once, be happy with his family -- found and married family. Barnum tells them no.
“Tightrope”....this scene was beautiful and I was speechless with the imagery of her dancing with Hugh Jackman’s shadow and when it disappeared -- but in this context of my fake movie, I want Charity to be less...walk overable? In the mayhem following Barnum’s stern No, he’s off on another plead (maybe with the critic that’s been the bane of his existence -- GIVE HIM A BIGGER ROLE) Charity is singing “Tightrope” as she has a “Burn”-esque Hamilton moment. Burn-esque in the way that she’s looking at the letters she’s saved her whole life from Barnum. As the music swells, she gets a determined look on her face and drops off her kids at school/ballet or something and she travels to her parent’s place, just down the road. As she’s narrating that she’ll follow Barnum into the unknown we see maybe snippets of what look to be a joyous reunion between daughter and father before snippets of an arguments and Charity being firm in the face of her father’s rage. Another snippet of the man seemingly defeated as Charity speaks some choice words at him. He nods. Charity leaves and goes to an official government like building, with papers. (This is happening around where she sings the line /So I risk it all just to be with you/) She leaves with a briefcase/sheaf of papers with ‘approved’ and that determined/happy expression there. Just as she arrives home (timed with /never sure if you will catch me if I should fall/) she looks up and spots Barnum’s silhouette through a window with the kids. /Well, it’s an adventure with a breathtaking view/ and the song finishes and she reunites with her family in the sitting room and the camera pans out to the briefcase hidden deep in her drawers as the song fades out.
Then, we see Barnum’s side as he travels from meeting to meeting talking with critic here, conning person here, and we see the man start to crumple. We see evidence of Barnum’s usual cunning cons and words start to fail him as he speaks to others. This chaotic type of panic that he’s spiraling into is side by side with how Carlyle is dealing with the out of hand protestors. Barnum once more meets with that critic, and the man has some small crack in his facade as he points out to Barnum what of family and the people he’s surrounded himself with (like either a. goading barnum to defend them or b. literallly just giving him a mushy lecture on fam) and the fight at the museum happens as it does in the movie. This time, Barnum is returning from the critic’s home -- not a fucking tour with she-who-is-not-named -- pondering the critic’s words when the fire happens. Barnum drops off Carlyle at the hospital and watches Anne at Carlyle’s side from the doorway as /he/ is the one that sings the Never Enough (reprise) as he realizes what he has lost. FROM NOW ON IS SO GOOD, and essentially happens as it should with him starting depressed in a bar and Lettie bringing him out of his funk once more. He realizes home is not a house (I KINDA WANT TO LEAVE THE EVICTION IN THERE BUT CHARITY DIDN’T LEAVE HIM????? MAYBE????) and after Lettie pulls him out of his funk, Barnum rushes to apartment/CHarity’s parents house I haven’t made up my mind, and gushes to her about how he’s been stupid. Charity is like, “Hell yes you’ve been stupid. But you’re my lovable oaf” essentially.
When Carlyle brings up his 10% I want them to realize it’s enough for some land and stuff, but Anne brings up the very, very, very poignant point of the fact the need actual equipment and stuff to do and CHARITY THIS BADASS SHOWS UP WITH A LOAN OR SOME SHIET and is all cocky like. I gotchu boys. THE END. ish.
tldr; I REWROTE THE GREATEST SHOWMAN TO BE MORE HAPPY GO LUCKY, LESS FACTUAL, AND IS VERY SELF INDULGENT