The Big Circus The Big Circus The Big Circus is a 1959 film starring Victor Mature as a circus owner struggling with financial trouble and a murderous unknown saboteur. It was produced and co-written by Irwin Allen, later known for a series of big-budget disaster films. Hank Whirling (Mature) needs a bank loan to keep his Whirling Circus going. He gets it from a stuffy New York City bank, but only on the condition he take along accountant Randy Sherman (Red Buttons) and publicist Helen Harrison (Rhonda Fleming) to help the circus turn a profit. Hank's top act is the Colino trapeze troupe,
The Big Circus Randy begin to wonder if a saboteur is riding with the show. The first section of the circus train derails en route to a new stand. Mama Colino (Adele Mara), the show's "den mother," is killed, leaving Zach Colino heartbroken. He loses his nerve and is unable to go on. As he is the star of the show and the show's publicity is built around him, this is a major disaster. Coupled with the foul weather they have been enduring for weeks that keeps the circus goers at home, the books are looking grim. Only glib talk by Sherman keeps