The Greatest Showman is a true story! Who were P.T. Barnum and Hugh Jackman in real life?

Musical movie “The Greatest Showman” work information

『Original Title』The Greatest Showman

“Theatrical release date” February 16, 2018

“Country of Manufacture” USA

“Distribution” 20th Century Fox Film

Director: Michael Gracie

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya

The Greatest Showman Synopsis

In mid-19th century America, unemployed and impoverished dreamer P.T. Before long, it began to gain popularity, starting with an unprecedented circus that gathered performers with unique personalities called freaks. Their show was a success, but it was also criticized by critics. Still, he continues his next challenge. And I will struggle to make the “biggest show on earth” a success in New York.

Is “The Greatest Showman” a circus?

During the play, Barnum’s show becomes popular and many people come to see it every day. However, critics who only recognize the sublime art criticize it in the newspaper as “a circus fuss” and put it down.

Burnham points to the building’s sign, saying to the critic, “I’ve taken your word for it!” The sign says “Barnum’s Circus”.

What was the performance of “Barnum’s Circus”?

Barnum surprises the audience by putting them on the show, saying, “It’s okay because they’re different.”

They are people with unique personalities called freaks.

・Woman with beard

・Dog boy

・Thumb Tom General Tom

・ Siamese twins Chan and En

・Big people and small people

・Albino female

They proudly sing “THIS IS ME”.

‘The Greatest Showman’ real-life model

As I mentioned at the beginning, The Greatest Showman is based on a true story, and the main character, P.T. Barnum, is a real person.

What is the face of a merchant who has overcome many failures and how to succeed? !

What kind of real person is P.T. Barnum?

Briefly describe the person named P.T. Barnum

“Barnum, who started his business from an early age.”
“Many failures and disasters.”
“A Controversial Yet Beloved Businessman”

Burnham was born in 1810, Connecticut, USA, about 200 years ago. It’s the Edo period in Japan. Burnham’s parents’ house was an inn and shop. (His father is a tailor merchant in the film.)

Barnum also demonstrated his business acumen from an early age. When he was about 12, he started earning by selling snacks and rum he made to soldiers. He used the money he earned to buy livestock.

At the age of 21, he started his own business and ran a grocery store. At this general store he sold lottery tickets and his own newspaper, as well as speculating in real estate.

America in the 1830s was experiencing an unprecedented lottery boom, and Barnum probably bought a large number of lottery tickets while selling them, but failed because it was not profitable.

He also made a big mistake and got sued for libel in his own newspaper, The Herald of Freedom, which he sold in his shop. As a result, Burnham goes to jail.

After that, Burnham moved to New York and started his new business, which was also a “Horror business” that caused a stir among people.

The next business was a “show shed”. It’s like a stage where animals and people are showcased with novelty.

The first person Barnum showed off in such a “freak show” was George Washington’s former nanny, a black woman “Joyce Hess”. She was rumored to be over 161 years old at the time.

Burnham hired her to appear in her freak show and tell the story of her childhood with George Washington to an audience. When Hess died, a public autopsy show was held. Admission is 50 cents per person.

Although she was left on the show until the autopsy, her autopsy result was “a woman not over the age of 70, let alone 161.”

Burnham bought “Scudder’s American Museum” in New York City to further expand his business with the money he earned from such a show tour, and exhibited rare collections from each country as “Barnum’s American Museum”.

Exhibits include stuffed mermaids, photographs of giants and dwarfs, glass steam engines, and more.

Unfortunately, Burnham’s museum was destroyed in two unexplained fires. However, his power as a merchant who took advantage of such adversity did not diminish.

Star of “Barnum’s Circus”

A star is born in Burnham’s Showroom.

His name is Charles Stratton. Popularized on the show as “General Tom Thumb”. He was named Thumb because he is a dwarf. Due to his popularity, Burnham’s freak show troupe toured Europe.

It was also a movie scene, but during the tour, we will also meet Queen Victoria of England.

Encounter with Opera Singer Jenny Lind

And there is an encounter that develops into a new business during the European tour.

I met the Swedish opera singer “Jenny Lind”.

In the 1830s America, there was no cultural and artistic entertainment called opera, so Burnham had never heard of opera.

She said, “This will sell!” and Barnum became the “Swedish Nightingale” and the opera became very popular in America. Barnum has done a great job directing her 150 plays in America. Of course, it’s one of the most important scenes in the movie.

Biggest Show on Earth

After the museum burns down, Barnum sets off on a circus tour titled “The Greatest Show on Earth”. Burnham was over 60 years old.

With his new partner, James Bailey, he launched the Barnum & Bailey Circus, which he toured around the world, using private trains for his circus tours. rice field.

The star is not a human, but a huge 6-ton African elephant “Jumbo”.

Barnum, who predicted the popularity of Jumbo, immediately sold original goods, such as his postcards, jumbo hats, and jumbo candies. And it sold like crazy.

The noblest art is that of making others happy.)（P・T・バーナム）

P.T. Barnum’s quotes in the movie The Greatest Showman

「自分の成功は、自分でしか築き上げられないんだ」
（Your success depends on what you do yourself, with your own means）」

「もう明日も迷わない。今夜始めよう
（What’s waited till tomorrow starts tonight.）

 

「僕が君に約束した人生はこんなモノじゃない
（This isn’t the life I promised you）」

 

「みんな違うから輝くんだ」
（No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else)

 

Birth of Hugh Jackman

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