Plot Summary - Pre-code melodrama starring Marion Davies as travelling circus girl Polly, "Queen of the Air", a flying trapeze artist who performs fifty feet up - with no net. POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - - Polly is distressed when the "conservative town" they are currently performing in makes them pin bloomers over her circus posters to cover her tights. While performing she is distracted by an unruly patron who shouts something about the poster and she falls. Taken to the minister's house across the street, the doctor says she can't be moved because of her injuries, so she must stay on until recovered. Well, as it happens, John Hartley the minister (Clark Gable) is young, very handsome, and not opposed to marriage. Two months later, Polly is still there, barely in need of a wheelchair, now reading the bible and in pursuit of our young reverend - and a romance blossoms between the two. Troubles come when the local Bishop (C. Aubrey Smith), who also happens to be John's uncle, reveals he thinks Polly unsuitable to be a minister's wife and that she will ruin him - he proclaims his nephew will lose his church if they marry. They do get married, then have to struggle for money as our minister loses his church and can't find another one. He ends up taking a low-pay job selling bibles, and won't let Polly help by returning to her circus job. Polly thinks of desperate measures in order to get her man back into the church!
Review - This is an entertaining film, though I didn't see a lot of chemistry between Davies and Gable. There are interesting scenes of circus life in the earlier part of the film what with all the clowns, bearded lady, giant elephant in pants, and smart-talking circus dwarf as played by "Little Billy" - not to mention flying trapeze act, my favorite part of any circus. There is a quite funny side character in this in the form of the minister's really crotchety manservant, played by Raymond Hatton. I was thinking while watching this that it would have been good as a silent film (and it actually was done as a silent, starring Mae Marsh). Rating - 8/10 stars
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