History is often told differently than the way it is recorded, and the records might sometimes not be what was.
Phineas Taylor Barnum was someone who ran a show – a circus of sorts to be specific in the midst of the 19th century US. After the release of the movie, The Greatest Showman there was an up-spike in the google searches done on P.T. Barnum. And there is a sound reason for why that happened. Let’s delve into a bit of reality check of Barnum’s history.
The mismatch of events: Disney’s version can turn bad guys into good ones
Disney’s events showed the events of the Greatest Showman in a manner that perhaps couldn’t be further from the truth. Disney has shown Barnum as a poor man in search for magic, love and money for it all. Being born poor and eventually becoming an orphan way before coming to age, he had to always be on the lookout for money. And one more reason he had to be on money’s lookout was his love. Disney being Disney managed to wrap up in a beautiful musical and essentially creating a movie inspiring for all.
P.T. Barnum was no Hugh Jackman: Not as colourful as shown
In the movie Barnum has been portrayed as a character played by Hugh Jackman who has livened up the character with his brilliant performance of dance and song. However, in reality, Barnum was anything but that, to be honest. Barnum's interests were solely money and if it were love at any point or the upliftment of discriminated people of the society history has not recorded it in that manner.
A tincture of darkness amidst a business illegal in today’s world: A form of slavery with payment
The truth about P. T. Barnum is actually quite unsettling to be honest. The entirety of the story can wait personalised research but the basics of the fact can be easily stated to be that of the recorded history.
Even in the movie, if there is anything they have shown in the movie which actually approached the precipice of accuracy it was the reports published at that time about the showman who might not have been the greatest. The factual accuracy came quite close on this matter. The Greatest Showman as a movie is actually quite elegantly made and inspiring to a wide range of audiences which has some really positive vibes. While it completely offsets from the actual history, as a movie it's a brilliant piece of work.
