Television Review : Capturing the Essence of ‘P.T. Barnum’

La-deees and gentlemen . . . and children of all ages!

Welcome to the beguiling biopic “P.T. Barnum,” an affectionate four-hour film whose best moments are almost as colorful as the quintessential showman himself.

Beau Bridges, crowned with light, frizzy brown hair and sometimes distractingly bushy brows, brings enthusiasm and exuberance to his title role as the 19th century legend who entertained Americans by amassing a wide collection of curios and shamelessly hyping “the show business” that paved the way for his “greatest show on Earth,” the Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Impish and playful, Bridges clearly relishes the opportunity to portray the footloose, resourceful, inventive impresario who traveled across the country and the globe at the expense of quality time with his supportive though oft-forsaken first wife (Cynthia Dale) and daughters.

“Now or never” was the defining rallying cry of the shrewd, forward-thinking Phineas Taylor Barnum, who created “the build-up” and preached the importance of always connecting with one’s audience. “Curiosity. That’s the business we’re in,” he once proclaimed to his faithful cohorts, among them the loyal and upstanding John Greenwood (Henry Czerny), who ran Barnum’s American Museum.

One of Barnum’s premier attractions was the inimitable Tom Thumb (endearingly played by Josh Ryan Evans, child prodigy/attorney on “Ally McBeal”), a 25-inch 9-year-old boy.

Part 1 establishes Barnum’s zealous drive to make a name for himself in Connecticut and New York (Bridges’ son Jordan plays the character as a youth), chafing to win respect as a member of the elite New York society (most notably shady businessman George Hamilton) that so eagerly exploited his uncanny ability to “separate people from their coin.”

Monday’s conclusion sags and drags somewhat as it spotlights his relatively quick comeback from bankruptcy, the premature deaths of his beloved daughters and the familial discord brought on by the Civil War.

Though a couple of the supporting performances are spotty, this polished production is efficiently and nicely directed by Simon Wincer, who captures the time and place of his popular protagonist.

“Barnum” also benefits from a solid and seemingly well-researched teleplay by Lionel Chetwynd, who fashions an absorbing history lesson via the flashbacks that unfold as the aged Barnum lies in his death bed.

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* “P.T. Barnum” appears Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m. on A&E;, concluding Monday at the same times. The network has rated it TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children).