As a young man, Jacob Jankowski (
Pattinson) was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob (
Holbrook), now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie.
It was there that he met Marlena, (
Witherspoon) the beautiful equestrian star married to August (
Waltz), the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant and only hope for this third-rate traveling show.