Battle Circus
“M-G-M's great drama of desire under fire!”
Synopsis
A young Army nurse, Lt Ruth McGara, newly assigned to the 8666th MASH during the Korean War, attracts the sexual attention of the unit's commander Dr. Jed Webbe. Major Webbe, who has a drinking problem, at first wants a "no strings" relationship. McGara is warned by the other nurses of Webbe's womanizing ways. Despite these initial handicaps, their love flourishes against a background of war, enemy attacks, death and injury. The relationship deepens and uplifts both characters.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Battle Circus (Original Theatrical Trailer)
Type: Trailer • Published 2012-08-28
Top Cast
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Humphrey Bogart
Major Jed Webbe
June Allyson
Lt. Ruth McGara
Keenan Wynn
Sgt. Orvil Statt
Robert Keith
Lieutenant Colonel Hillary Whalters
William Campbell
Capt. John Rustford
Perry Sheehan
Lt. Laurence
Patricia Tiernan
Lt. Rose Ashland
Adele Longmire
Lt. Jane Franklin
Jonathan Cott
Adjutant
Ann Morrison
Lt. Edith Edwards
Sarah Selby
Capt. Dobbs
Dick Simmons
Capt. Norson
Robert Carson
Division Surgeon
Alvy Moore
Runnker
Howard Negley
Major General
Robert Nichols
Pvt. Sommers
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 6, 1953
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1.2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.97x
+$1.2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Richard Brooks
- Screenplay & Story
- Richard Brooks, Allen Rivkin, Laura Kerr
- Original Score
- Lennie Hayton
- Original Title
- Battle Circus
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Korean, English
- Runtime
- 1h 30m
- Production Budget
- $1.2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.4M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Richard Brooks
Richard Brooks, Allen Rivkin, Laura Kerr
Lennie Hayton
George Boemler
Pandro S. Berman
Department Leadership Roster
Richard Brooks
Director
Richard Brooks
Writer
George Boemler
Editor
Pandro S. Berman
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Battle Circus.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Battle Circus.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Battle Circus
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Battle Circus about?
A young Army nurse, Lt Ruth McGara, newly assigned to the 8666th MASH during the Korean War, attracts the sexual attention of the unit's commander Dr. Jed Webbe. Major Webbe, who has a drinking problem, at first wants a "no strings" relationship. McGara is warned by the other nurses of Webbe's womanizing ways. Despite these initial handicaps, their love flourishes against a background of war, enemy attacks, death and injury. The relationship deepens and uplifts both characters.
Who directed Battle Circus?
Battle Circus was directed by Richard Brooks.
Who stars in Battle Circus?
The principal cast of Battle Circus includes Humphrey Bogart, June Allyson, Keenan Wynn, Robert Keith, William Campbell.
When was Battle Circus released and how long is it?
Battle Circus was released in 1953 with a total runtime of 1h 30m.
What was the box office and production budget of Battle Circus?
Battle Circus had a reported production budget of $1.2M and grossed $2.4M at the worldwide box office (1.97 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Battle Circus?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Battle Circus was composed by Lennie Hayton.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Battle Circus?
Battle Circus holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).