Step right up!
The Showmen begins with a richly textured journey into the origins of travelling carnivals, using animated archival imagery to show a history that featured oddities and other curiosities. As the documentary moves to present day, it follows World’s Finest Shows, a midway operated by generations of the Jamieson family. This film reveals how iconic games and rides have evolved to modern day versions. From the origins of phrases like “close but no cigar” to the enduring appeal of indulgent carnival food, this film balances nostalgia with realism, exposing the long hours, physical strain, and financial pressure endured by the showmen. Beneath the lights and laughter, there’s a hardworking crew who sacrifice comfort to building dazzling, temporary worlds that foster lasting memories of spectacle and joy in our communities.
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Review by Julie Sheppard:
Memories of visiting a travelling carnival in my small Ontario town were reignited after viewing this charming feature documentary, The Showmen. It gives a full-fledged look at every element required to run a modern-day fair. It also provides detailed investigations around the origins of midways with fascinating archival footage beginning in the late 1800s onwards, with notable information about the invention of the Ferris Wheel to recounting shameful and horrifying midway acts of the past revolving around racism and disrespect for humans and animals, to revealing better developments over time with regards to human rights and technological advancements.
The film gives a cinematic exploration of entertaining sites and sounds, with dynamic footage of carnival lights and music, and the tangible excitement of the public enjoying themselves on rides, playing games and snacking on famous yummy treats of a fair, such as cotton candy, corndogs, candy apples, and popcorn. The camera work is so intimate that you can almost smell the delicious treats and feel the excitement on the various rides. Helpful graphics reveal the astronomical fees and supplies needed to run fairs.
The narration of the documentarian is so authentic and genuine, showing such enthusiasm and respect for those responsible for these travelling midways. Another heartwarming touch is how sweet vocals proudly and sentimentally describe the life of showmen and the transient, yet magical carnival — a recurring event that is still fresh in my memory from when I was a child in small-town Ontario.
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