The Greatest Show on Earth (8/9) Movie CLIP - Train Wreck (1952) HD

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CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Klaus (Lyle Bettger) tries to save Angel (Gloria Grahame) by warning the circus train of the stalled train on the tracks.
FILM DESCRIPTION:
Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth is a lavish tribute to circuses, featuring three intertwining plotlines concerning romance and rivalry beneath the big top. DeMille's film includes spectacular action sequences, including a show-stopping train wreck. The Greatest Show on Earth won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Story.
CREDITS:
TM & © Paramount (1952)
Cast: Lyle Bettger, Charlton Heston, John Kellogg
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Producers: Cecil B. DeMille, Henry Wilcoxon
Screenwriters: Frank Cavett, Jack Gariss, Fredric M. Frank, Theodore St. John, Barré Lyndon
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[@KingOFuh]

This is the scene that Spielberg saw as a kid and made him want to become a filmmaker. He got a train set, put little toy people in it, and attempted to recreate the crash. When asked years later about what happened to the train and the toy people, Spielberg said, "Wrecked 'em? It nearly killed 'em!"

[@fede018]

Yes, we have all seen The Fabelmans.

[@ronsadventures2007]

Yes they shows that in the fablemans

[@TheIndependentLens]

It was the entire movie that initially inspired him to be a filmmaker.

[@davidrubio9753]

That's why I'm here. I was just reading about the fablemans and this scene/movie was mentioned. So I came to check out the train crash. I saw this movie as a teenager -only cuz I'm a huge Charlton Heston fan-and I thought this was the coolest train crash.

[@FrankieWilde2021]

How strange you say that we're supposed to care or like anyone asked.

[@marioherron4161]

Probably the most realistic train accident I’ve seen in a movie.

[@armorpro573]

Probably because this was done with models

[@Kinopanorama1]

Far and away the best train wreck in the movies. No CGI, just innovation and hard work.

[@panchi3457]

Oh yeah, movies these days just don't have any heart

[@roquefortfiles]

Mmmm.. Its ok!!. I have seen better miniature work. The Lydecker Bros for example.

[@thetreedemoknight4827]

The Fugitive (1993)

[@Hushey]

nah, cassandra crossing

[@coomer_likes_drugs]

Is it ho scale trains?

[@Naminski1a]

The Fabelmans (2022) brought me here. Thanks, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.

[@jennalonsdale3629]

70 years later this is still insanely impressive!

[@davidrubio9753]

You got that right

[@lukasjbryant]

Fun fact: this scene initiated Steven Spielberg's interest in film!

[@elijahvargas6338]

Wasn’t the train used in this scene part of a Lionel model train set?

[@railroadvelocipedeproducti2020]

Elijah Vargas yeah I can already tell they just used green screen and toy train sets

[@user-xc7uo6md3n]

@@railroadvelocipedeproducti2020 ahaha well it was 1952

[@NostalgicGamerRickOShay]

It is probably why we see this scene in Spielberg's remake of War of the worlds.

[@jonathanswift2251]

@@railroadvelocipedeproducti2020 back then they didn't use green screen just blue screen

[@Railscene46]

Ward Kimball, railroad enthusiast worked for Disney. His model railroad scene created here is still the best train wreck in the movies. Bar None.

[@alexpaumen3937]

His train is at the Orange Empire Railroad Museum.

[@pjholmes2552]

The circus train and wagons were built by Harold Dunn.

[@daniellinehan63]

That and The Bridge over the River Kwai train wreck

[@tusseyd]

"The Fugitive" has entered the chat.

[@mcbombernuggets]

A train was named after him!

[@johncombs2990]

Bit of trivia. When the fireman sees the first train stopped ahead he yells to the engineer to "big hole it". This is railroad jargon to hit the emergency brakes. This was done by opening the air brake valve to its biggest opening(hole) and dumping all the air in the system.

[@user-cr5nh4mv5j]

John Combs there's something new that I've learned, I can sleep soundly tonight. Thanks man

[@GarandLuvr]

I could've sworn the fireman said "first section Bill, hold it!"...

[@fastmail55]

@@GarandLuvr No, he said "Big hole it!" Railroad speak for putting the brakes into emergency.

[@kleetus92]

@@fastmail55 I think he said the intersection big hole it. You really can't tell what he's saying before big hole it.

[@haasebahn]

@@kleetus92 Or maybe he could’ve said first section big hole it.

[@pookerville]

Unbelievable! Cecil B. DeMille had this down pat. Later on in the sequence, everybody's racing down to help clear up the wreck. And of course, what a scene when the lion trainer says "No Place Like Home, Nero!"

[@thechonkersking2647]

Damn the way he nailed the guy with the cane...

[@OakViewFilms]

Anyone here from The Fabelmans?

[@skyeslaton3435]

0:25 the moment it inspired steven spielberg to become a filmmaker

[@almacuevas]

2:42 I love that whistle

[@T128Productions]

That’s the end of the video, genius. You only hear the whistle at 0:03.

[@Dylannicklin]

And this right here folks.. is what inspired Steven Spielberg to make movies..

[@Dylannicklin]

He talks about it in his biography *****

[@Dylannicklin]

He became obsessed with the train scene and re-enacted it time and time again while recording it on his cam corder (as a kid). first movies he ever made :) *****

[@Dylannicklin]

Compared to todays standards but back then many people thought this was a great movie *****

[@julienielsen3746]

Cam corder? I don't think they had them back then.

[@julienielsen3746]

I think it's a great movie.

[@jeffreysnydr]

1:07, Lion 1: "Hey, we're in a Paramount Picture, we should be at MGM!" Lion 2: "Yeah, why did we even come here in the first place? And you said the pay was good!" Lion 1: "Don't look at me, I only took part in this picture for some extra money!" Lion 2: "You traitor!"

[@hrmnpsrffn]

The car flying looks really toyish but this is still impressive! 😳

[@armorpro573]

that's because it IS a toy

[@TheWagonConductor1899]

*model

[@kleetus92]

0:48 I never noticed a random wheel set come flying through the coach before! That would suck getting clocked by that for sure!

[@j6sj7]

Good eye!

[@gresleyng-thebritishrailwayfan]

Hammond circus train wreck

[@t800mercuryproductions5]

I remember when I saw this movie as a kid in the early 90's, very impressive but I didn't know this scene was an inspiration for Spielberg to become a filmmaker, awesome.

[@argeltuazon5059]

Steven Spielberg's inspiration from The Fablesman.

[@Naminski1a]

Wow! Thanks, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.

[@bobbyfoster8367]

The models they used are now in the ringling bros. Museum

[@worldwalker2709]

Where at exactly? The one in Florida?

[@pjholmes2552]

@@worldwalker2709 Some of the cars are at the Circus World Museum in Baraboo Wis and the majority are at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota Florida

[@KatyPacific382]

What about the locomotives?

[@Cyber_Horse_Studios87]

That moment when your running a model train and you suddenly get the urge to be devious.

[@railroadvelocipedeproducti2020]

Lions: FREEDOM! lol

[@ernestobarraza4349]

this reminds me of the flying kipper

[@KeeferJ]

Ernesto Barraza Me too.

[@benjaminartroom7910]

Expect a lot more violent

[@bweldon13]

What’s a kipper

[@brodster7042]

N&W 475 productions it’s an old Thomas the tank engine episode

[@berserklover897]

Me too

[@E2CF2004]

This Scene remains me of Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends Season 1 Episode 19: The Flying Kipper.

[@Headbanger142]

But with more death and injuries.

[@TheWagonConductor1899]

Reminds me of a certain accident involving Illinois Central No.382

[@theresachiorazzi4571]

The greatest show on earth with Betty Hutton and Cornell’s Wilde. Was the very best movie it will be hard to beat that one. I miss the circus. So sad.

[@Ace1King1]

The Great Sebastian! Not the one in Suddenly Last Summer.

[@melloangelwolf8611]

This is based on a Hagenbeck circus train crash that took place 100 years ago

[@AsYourCruiseDirector]

“Ain-GEL’s on that train!” My pop used to call me Angel, but not in a sweet way, in a Lyle Bettger way! It was hilarious. He call out, “Ain-GEL!!” We’d laugh and laugh. My dad loved this movie so much.

[@andrewscolari5724]

Here's what I think happened to the engine and crew after the wreck. The engine: was repaired and put back into service till 1959 and sold to a short line in northern Idaho where it worked from 1959 -1967 then went a tourist railroad in California where it still operates today. The Engineer: survived with a broken arm, skull fracture and a broken right clavicle. returned to work later that year working light duty and was promoted to Conductor the following spring and retired to Florida 15 years later. The Fireman: survived by jumping and suffered minor injuries ,was promoted to engineer on the same engine, Finished his railroading career with Amtrak in 1990 as a conductor.

[@RETROGEMS]

I like that!

[@mmi16]

Conductors get promoted to Engineers - not vice versa. Engineers rate of pay is higher than Conductors.

[@kleetus92]

And the brakeman on the first train that was laying beside the caboose was turned into patte'...

[@PheonixRynn]

Hammond Circus knows

[@DeltaVisionOFFICIAL]

Bro c'mon I NEEEEEEED TO SEE EM CRASH

[@maddalonefarms]

“Luckily no one was hurt!”

[@realisticfsxpilot2215]

that guy in the car died

[@fardinairheyilikeyourvideo2393]

And in the train died too

[@maddalonefarms]

It was a Thomas reference

[@gabineer1408]

0:05 He threw him and hit him in the groin! lolololololololololololololololololol

[@gameoholic1994]

0:35 Kinda reminds me of the scenes in "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" where you would see the humans next to the model trains.

[@firemasterx23]

Wow a heart warming moment to see a man die for his love ; this really touched me

[@JohnH0130]

Don't get all teary eyed over him; it was a botched robbery attempt.

[@titaniumspike1779]

He died as a fool, acting like he could stop the train in time to make any difference.

[@TheWagonConductor1899]

He tried to stop a literal 5,000 pound locomotive and failed.

[@KoolAidManOG]

Who else is here after seeing The Fabelmans?

[@saturnsgamingnstuff9984]

Fun Fact: this scene was created with model trains and cars

[@KarlSturmgewher]

0:55 That's right, you lions, run for yo' lives! Lions: *happy roars*

[@lusiwong9029]

Me in sleeping train (Snoring very loud) (Crash) AHHHHH I can’t sleep!!!

[@FabledRomance]

Watching this now..was shocked to see how great this sequence was...

[@devynwooden1801]

0:03 we are going to drop the lights down the TRACK

[@michaelklein5242]

I've not checked, but betting the farm the famous Lydecker brothers were in charge of the miniature special effects. They were the very best creators of miniatures and related effects.

[@SPNGLovato18]

Better than CGI and KZbin rewind 2018

[@CXR-gk4lw]

I bet Steven Spielberg got inspiration from the Reverend W. Awdry for the wreck

[@james68908]

0:29 there’s an alternate take of this shot in the pilot version of the twilight zone episode “where is everyone?”.

[@domyferroequus7354]

reminds me of the flying kipper accident when was pulling it

[@imperiozacatecanozacatecan1732]

*Flying Kipper Intensifies*

[@tadimaggio]

Why, whenever I see this scene, do I see Gomez Addams, a maniacal gleam in his eye, overseeing one of his model train wrecks?

[@AVROS8199]

the flying kipper reference

[@DerpyPossum]

absolutely not

[@T128Productions]

This movie was made long before Thomas even got his own show.

[@hocuslucas2034]

This movie was made three decades before The Flying Kipper.

[@kadenrobinson7067]

The locomotive looks like a NYC Hutson

[@randyacuna3248]

Demille's film union Pacific 1939 also has a spectacular train wreck. Both films received oscar nominations for special effects.

[@soylentteal]

The Greatest Wreck on Earth!

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

Dumbo 2019 deleted train scene

[@boyfriend-fridaynightfunki7012]

Lol

[@T128Productions]

Too bad this movie was released several years before Dumbo even got a reboot.

[@toastysheep7110]

Mr S. watched that movie as a kid then he made a inspiration to his childhood.

[@thestainmorephoenix8632]

It's amazing how people think trains can stop fast, like models, but here, we see the engineer dump the train and still rip up the rear of a failed train and look at the carnage. That's to be expected. Hell, even the telescoping of some of the steel bodied coaches there shows how deadly the forces involved can be.

[@daustin8888]

"I know what I want for Hanukkah!"

[@chesapeakedproductions3009]

An interesting tid bit of trivia is that this wreck was actually inspired by an almost exactly same accident where the engineer of a circus train stopped the train, and they didn't warn the passenger train behind them and the passenger train collided with the rear of the circus train. I discovered this on a DeviantArt recreation of the actual wreck, which again looks exactly like the wreck recreated here.

[@KingOFuh]

The 1918 Wallace Hagenbeck Circus Trainwreck

[@MD1O32]

This might be an extraordinary piece of classical filmmaking, but I’m actually rooting for the big beautiful kitties.

[@SarahCookefilms]

Steven Spielberg brought me here

[@berzerkproductionz6688]

This train crash kind of reminds me of Super 8’s train crash

[@paulppchristman5827]

I'm sure that this scene freaked kids out back then and made 'em look at trains with a leery eye afterwards. Same with the the wild merry-go-round crash at the end of Hitchcock's 'Strangers On A Train".

[@moldyoldie7888]

Palo Alto's Stanford Theater has run "Strangers On a Train" several times. One of the times, the pipe organist came on afterword and played "The Merry Go Round Broke Down." It got laughs.

[@csxfan2908ermwhatthesigma]

I would be fine😅😅😅

[@delavalmilker]

Cecil B. DeMille at his finest!

[@jct9099]

After watching the Fabelmans, I realized that Spielberg has mainly referenced this scene/inspiration from the J.J. Abrams movie, Super 8 (which he produced).

[@gpapa31]

Also Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.

[@Naminski1a]

@@gpapa31 And War of the Worlds (2005).

[@mikeyhasfuntoo9164]

That guy drove a car right at a train, just to save another train Pure dedication

[@Setmose]

The obsessive "love of his life" the character "Angel" was on the 2nd train. That's why he calls out "Angel! Angel!" just before he hits. That was his motivation.

[@SymonSaysTV]

Steven Spielberg's enlightenment to become a filmmaker.

[@reedbradwahnnatahvera3883]

1918 wallace hagenbeck circus train disaster

[@Richardpathos]

For those who are saying "predicted the flyng kipper" or "The Flying Kipper is based on this" Nope. The story Henry the Green Engine was published in 1951. And the movie in 1952. Very close, but no. Edit: 0:07.that guy saying. "Oh" reminds me Mario for Hotel Mario before he was succioned down the pipe.

[@LandonMac32]

LOL, I like how you can tell that they used model trains XD 😂

[@MrCzechers]

Best use of HO scale for special effects ever! Now here's a question: Were the block signals working? If they were, that means the 2nd train ran a red signal causing the wreck.

[@andrewscolari5724]

I think the wreck happened on a lightly trafficked branch line or cutoff spur. Therefor block signals or any kind of signals would have been minimal in this case, so the engineer would have long since passed through the last signal block at this point

[@TakeMeToChurchill]

Even in these days a lot of busy main lines were "dark," operated on timetable and train order alone.

[@fastmail55]

I understand it was done in a larger scale - 1 1/2 inch live steam. I read the locomotive was loaned by Little Engines who still offers parts and castings to build live steam locomotives.

[@alpal.mp4]

Jason Learakos2005 no it was 1:8th scale models provided by Little Trains of LA

[@Ironhorse27]

If you watch the entire sequence, the first section was stopped by a fusee. The engineer whistled out a flag, which told the rear brakeman to get off the caboose and go back and flag the second section. Sebastian clubbed him, which set up the wreck. No flagman, no warning.

[@josiahondohasianlihardomar1120]

This crash look like casey jones wreck or henry the flying kipper crash

[@NewJerseySirensAndTrains]

i love this scene IN FACT THEY USED MODEL TRAINS which i found interesting!!!

[@the.sketch.projekt8851]

This reminds me of the flying kipper

[@KeeferJ]

Dj wave Official Me too.

[@domainofthesun4400]

Quite chilling at times (the steel tent poles flying through the passenger car - and with the good taste not to actually show us what they do to human flesh - we can guess.) And all done with models, sets, sound effects and a bit of back projection.

[@CJBountyHunter]

Steven Spielberg said this was the first movie he ever saw! :)

[@benjaminartroom7910]

luckily no one was hurt

[@carolreeder4848]

this train crash has predicted one of the episodes in Thomas and friends.

[@daniela-tj1cu]

Yeah, like one of the Thomas episode, called the flying kipper it’s just that Henry does not pull passengers

[@branchlinesteamer6863]

The most SPECTACULAR model train wreck I've ever seen!

[@daniellinehan63]

that and the Addams Family train set crash!

[@allenbooth5193]

By the time the engineer sees you, it's too late! Just go ahead and RUN!

[@mkl62]

Thanks for posting.

[@wildpurple005]

Driving a car directly at an oncoming train is definitely one of the DUMBEST things a person can do, but truly an incredible sequence

[@KingOFuh]

That guy gets the Darwin Award

[@CrossOfBayonne]

The car that the locomotive strikes is a Chrysler New Yorker convertible coupe with sun roof.

[@k4stti]

Model year 1950

[@CrossOfBayonne]

@@k4stti Correct.

[@JoyceLund]

PHIL SWIFT would say NOW THATS ALOT OF DAMAGE!!!!!!!

[@dr.strangelove4450]

Meanwhile, Buster Keaton rolls his eyes at your cute little train set.

[@gabineer1408]

0:07 OOOOOOOOOOHHHHH right in the groin!

[@the.sketch.projekt8851]

Damn for 1952 this looks pretty good

[@scoobycarr5558]

This movie might have inspired the filming of 1976's *Silver Streak* in which a runaway train hits Union Station in Chicago. Also might have inspired 1985's *Runaway Train* along with 1976's *Cassandra Crossing* and 1993's *The Fugitive* - all these involving a train.

[@fajaralfakir8455]

efek suara yg menggelegar. yg membuat adegan tabrakan miniatur ini jadi dramatis

[@livelaughlove565]

Animals:huh what happened what ever ima escape 💀

[@khanage360]

This started spielbergs movie career, yes i came from that video

[@AB_TRAINZ]

so this is what they were talking about on the 3/4 Show

[@dorothydotson7154]

I was about 7 when I saw this and it upset me so much.

[@turtle03mauriciomartins51]

Flying kipper crash

[@johnpaulfraley2014]

yup. except if thomas and friends was american engines and not british

[@piotrtemplin5770]

@@johnpaulfraley2014 But engines in Thomas ARE British.

[@DrHotelMario]

I wonder if Super 8's crash was an attempt by Spielberg to recapture how this scene felt to him in his youth.

[@kingjester564]

I might be wrong but wasn’t this crash based off the 1918 hagen wallenback circus train crash

[@armorpro573]

Yep

[@janchikomanchi]

Super 8 train crash was worse than this because this has no explosions. Even good vid😃😃😃😃

[@robertlucido3686]

Somebody call for the breakdown train!

[@Richardpathos]

Of course, the accident its made whit models. Like the G Scale or Bigger.

[@AgradRorwelz]

At mainline speed it would probably snap the connecting rods if you threw it into reverse. Main rods would still be hurtling forward along with engine, trainbrakes and engine breaks but no chance at that distance. Can't stop near 1000 tonnes of speeding momentum like a sedan in traffic.

[@centminst1984]

Super 8 in a nutshell

[@Poltergeist-vm8wq]

at least the animals were safe

[@hughcurran6870]

47 ants were killed on board the train...