The Smallest Show on Earth

Acquiring this feature for super 8 was a monumental task! If you’ve yet to view this comedy gem produced by British Lion in 1957, then now is the time to get acquainted. This tale follows a young couple, who inherit a small cinema, the Bijou,  that comes complete with a group of aging employees. After failing to sell it, they decide to open the theater! With comedy greats Peter Sellers, Margaret Rutherford and Leslie Phillips it’s a delight. All the rights were taken over by EMI when British Lion had closed their offices in Broadwick Street, in 1976. EMI, themselves was later purchased by The Cannon Group whose offices were located in Golden Square. Derek and I had made our way there many times and picked up few oddments and it was during one of those visits we discussed ‘The Smallest Show on Earth’ and following several months of research by our contact at Cannon, we discovered that they had never owned the rights to the film and that an unnamed individual, who we would discover was an elderly lady, now owned it through some quirk of fate and wasn’t interested in entering into any form of negotiations. But as ever Derek persevered and the owner of the rights eventually relented and we were able to sign a contract with the secretive owner, who we never met and never knew by name. The full feature was released on Super 8, was a fine addition to our catalogue and a very nice seller for us.. or should I say, was a very good seller, as with the discontinuation of black and white stock it had to be withdrawn.

…. to be continued.