Overview
Big Top Pee-wee is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser. A stand-alone sequel to Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), the film stars Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman with Susan Tyrrell, Kris Kristofferson, Penelope Ann Miller, and Valeria Golino in supporting roles. The original music score is composed by Danny Elfman (although he also scored Pee-wee's Big Adventure, he could not use any themes from that film due to contractual restrictions). It was released on July 22, 1988, and grossed $15 million against a $20 million budget. A stand-alone sequel, Pee-wee's Big Holiday, was released in 2016.
Plot
Pee-wee Herman lives an idyllic life on a farm with his assistant Vance, a talking pig. There he grows vegetables, dreams of being a famous singer, has a daily lunch with his fiancée, school teacher Winnie Johnson, and conducts agronomical experiments in a secure greenhouse. One day after lunch he is at Mr. Ryan's general store, his quirky personality barely tolerated by the townsfolk, when the local sheriff warns of a large storm approaching town. He rushes home and puts his farm animals into shelter.
After the storm ends, Pee-wee emerges from his storm shelter to discover that an entire traveling circus has been blown into his backyard. He befriends the ringmaster Mace Montana and falls for trapeze artist Gina Piccolapupula, the circus's star attraction. Winnie catches Pee-wee just as he shares his first kiss with Gina, and both women shun him for two-timing them. Pee-wee calls off his engagement to Winnie and convinces Gina that he truly loves her, whereupon she warms up to him again and they begin a romantic relationship. Winnie forgives Pee-wee after finding that she would much rather date all four of Gina's brothers at once.
Pee-wee attempts to join the circus, but cannot perform any circus acts. Gina tells Pee-wee about her deceased father Papa Piccolapupula, a famous aerialist who died attempting something called the "Spiral of Death." She suggests that Pee-wee should try walking the tightrope in his honor.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).