Based on the 40th Annual Carnival of the Toronto Skating Club.Although perhaps unfair to judge a short film from 1954 sixty years later (November 2014), given that the creators probably never intended it to have a long life, this is nevertheless what a review must be.The showcase of talent is rather impressive, with some very nice synchronized routines. Again, but 2014 standards, these may not be the world's best skaters who might be racking up gold medals, but for its time it was not bad and far better than most people could ever achieve. (This film's star, Jacqueline du Bief, did win the bronze in 1952, though.) The confusing part is how this is a "circus" on ice. Other than the ringleader, who stands around doing nothing, and the women dressed up (poorly) as zebras, there seems to be no reason to call this a circus. Why can it not just be a figure skating exhibition?

A short that is basically an advertisement for a combination circus and ice show; however, one has to wonder, who the heck would want to watch the show after viewing this short? I mean, it pretty much sums up everything you are going to see, so you have not surprises. Also, what it does show does not make me want to rush out and see it as the show does not look all that impressive. Granted, the short is from the 50's, so maybe it would have been passable during that time frame. However, even being from an earlier time frame, I did notice that other than a few of the skaters, most the people in the show look kind of awkward, as if they have only laced up the skates a few other times. This show may be enjoyable in the summertime during a very hot day as one could escape the heat for a bit, other than that just not a lot of fun to be had from what I saw. You get to see people dressed in animal costumes, a girl imitate a deer being hunted and clowns! Yes, there is horror at this show too! Still, on the plus side, there are no animals being exploited here, only people inhabit this wondrous show on the ice...people and clowns!

I've just seen this short through the Monster A Go-Go episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (I only want to see Monster A Go-Go out of sheer utter morbid curiosity - I'm sure people know what I mean) and we have this boring short before it.This is basically walking through someone making a combination of a circus and an ice show. The movie never really moves beyond that. It really is a 9 minute long ineffective advertisement.So really it is watchable, with or without the MST3K. But it really is not worth your time unless you want to see an ineffective ad for a circus... on ice.

Nor to be viewed without assistance of MST, ice skating shows are dull enough, ice shows with circus themes, even more lame, but having to watch a film about it? Almost like watching a fireworks show on film, except fireworks shows are pretty cool.This is probably what inspired the Donny and Marie show, itself bad enough, but for the times I watched the show, it was my least favorite part (yes I watched the show, I was young and stupid and had no friends) I thank god I never went to Ice Capades. I also had only gone to one circus in my life and hated it. Anyway Canada shame on you for producing such an atrocity, but a great MST short!!