Profoundly hokey stuff, but the kids were transfixed for all 150 minutes, the colours quite beautiful, that sawdust-in-their-veins silliness is so earnestly presented that it becomes fun, and even slightly convincing, same with dumb romance, dashing Sebastian and earnest Brad, Stewart/Buttons stuff is laughable and involving at the same time, Lamour’s funny, songs stink, parade and circus stuff very stodgy and it works, gangster stuff completely gratuitous but who minds, Sebastian’s fall superb, his maimed arm reassuring, train wreck is spectacular; doesn’t anyone notice that “Buttons, a clown” never takes his makeup off?