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Big Time Operators

1957 · Movie · 83 min · ★ 6.7 · 72% critics

Comedy

A struggling married couple unexpectedly inherits a rundown small-town cinema and hopes to turn it into a payday. Instead, they find a crumbling building, an eccentric longtime staff, and a rival owner who sees the place as worth very little unless it can be brought back to life.

IMDb

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Details
Original title
The Smallest Show on Earth
Years
1957
Release date
1957-04-09
Language
English
Runtime
83 min
Critic score
72/100
TMDB rating
6.7/10 (37 votes)
About

You may enjoy this if you like warm, old-fashioned British comedies with eccentric small-town characters and cinema nostalgia, in the vein of Genevieve or High and Dry; Not for you if you want fast pacing or sharp-edged humor.

Pros: gentle charm; lovable oddball staff; nostalgic cinema setting | Cons: thin story; uneven performances; abrupt ending

Themes

  • eccentric
  • inheritance
  • black and white
  • projectionist
  • run down building

Cast & crew

Directed by Basil Dearden