Watch Ring of Fear

Ring of Fear is a 1954 mystery thriller starring circus performer Clyde Beatty, Hollywood veteran Pat O'Brien, and best-selling author Mickey Spillane. Directed by James Edward Grant and produced by John Wayne's production company, Batjac, the film explores the dark underbelly of the circus world, where greed, jealousy, and deceit abound.

The movie opens with a thrilling circus performance by Clyde Beatty, one of the most famous wild animal trainers in the world. Beatty's act involves him putting his life on the line as he enters cages with lions, tigers, and other ferocious beasts.

After the performance, Beatty is approached by Joe, a reporter who wants to interview him for a newspaper article. Joe is played by Mickey Spillane, who at the time was a popular crime novelist known for his gritty, hard-boiled detective stories. Joe is a bit of a tough guy himself, with a quick wit and a no-nonsense attitude.

Beatty agrees to the interview, but before they can begin, a tragedy occurs. One of the circus performers, a high-wire walker named Mario, falls to his death during a performance. It quickly becomes clear that the fall was no accident, and that someone had sabotaged the wire.

This sets off a chain of events that plunges Beatty and his circus into a dangerous mystery. As more accidents occur, Beatty becomes convinced that someone is trying to kill him and his troupe. He enlists the help of Joe and O'Brien's character, a police inspector named Ed Moline.

Together, the three of them set out to solve the mystery and catch the perpetrator before it's too late. Along the way, they encounter a colorful cast of characters, including a sinister clown, a jealous acrobat, and a beautiful trapeze artist with a dark secret.

Ring of Fear is a classic Hollywood thriller, with a fast-paced plot, plenty of suspense, and a touch of romance. The movie also serves as a fascinating look into the world of the circus, with plenty of scenes showing the performers preparing for their acts and interacting with each other behind the scenes.

One of the standout performances in the film comes from Pat O'Brien, who brings a gravitas and believability to the role of the police inspector. O'Brien was a seasoned character actor who had appeared in over 100 films by the time Ring of Fear was made, and his presence adds weight and authority to the movie.

Clyde Beatty, meanwhile, plays a version of himself in the film. Beatty was an actual circus performer, famous for his dangerous animal acts, and he brings a sense of authenticity to the film's circus scenes. His performance is understated but effective, conveying both the courage and vulnerability of a man who puts his life on the line every day.

Mickey Spillane, despite being a best-selling author, was not known for his acting skills, and his performance in Ring of Fear is somewhat stiff and wooden. However, his presence adds a bit of star power to the movie, and he manages to hold his own against the more experienced actors around him.

Overall, Ring of Fear is a well-crafted and entertaining thriller that holds up surprisingly well today. It's not quite a classic of the genre, but it's definitely a movie worth checking out for fans of old Hollywood films, circus stories, or mystery thrillers in general.

Ring of Fear is a 1954 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.1.