Cabaret

Released: 1971
Directed by: Bob Fosse
Staring: Liza Minnelli, Michael York & Helmut Griem

Life is a Cabaret old Chum!

I've seen Cabaret a few times. This was Alex's first (and probably only) watch of it. I realized I like the music in it, Sally Bowles drives me nuts, and other than watching the Nazi rise to power nothing REALLY happens. 

Sally Bowles - You can tell she "didn't get enough love in [her] childhood." (See what I did, quote from another Bob Fosse Musical?). She is self-centered, high maintenance, and selfish. She absolutely only cares for herself. When she asks Brian (Michael York) about himself she constantly interrupts. When he repeats the things she says in a later conversation, proving he listened to her, she brushes them off. She hardly cares about his feelings even after they get together. She makes decisions based on what's best for Sally Bowles and no one else. By the end of the movie, you HOPE she has learned something, but really not. She just waves goodbye & sings about loving being on stage. 

Brian Roberts - You do see some growth in Michael York's character. He was introverted and a bit stuffy before he came to Weimar Germany. He drank a lot, had an affair with a guy & a girl. Decided this Nazi crap is too much (and Sally is never going to put "me and the baby" first) and went home to Cambridge. 

Maximilian - Well clearly he had no growth. He is just a super wealthy playboy. I do wish they had a little more closure on his story line.  

Natalia & Fritz - They actually had a lot of growth. Natalia learned to come out of her shell. In looking to marry someone for money, Fritz fell madly in love with Natalia and in spite the dire situation for Jews in Nazi Germany, pronounced that he "[was] a Jew." 

The side characters were entertaining, and the Kit Kat Club was great. Joel Grey is super creepy.  I like that the songs weren't terribly long, but made commentary on what was going on in the movie.


All in all, not a whole lot happens...it's kind of a character study? I know it won 8 Oscars, but they weren't for the story they were for sound, music, direction, cinematography, art-direction, actress & supporting actor.


Another few thoughts:
-Really Sally? You wanted to become an actress so you went to Weimar Germany at the height of hyper inflation to become an actress? 


-I feel like Natalia & Fritz were left unfinished. Yes, they got married so they got their happily ever after. However, we all know what comes in the next few years. Do they escape Germany? It's just left up in the air.


-We all knew Maximilian wasn't going to take them to Africa (well Sally I guess did). I guess Maximilian & Brian had a goodbye thing and then had to leave. I liked the awkward scene in the car, but then he just left. Yes, he had a note, but seriously? A little closure would be nice.


-Baz Luhrmann must have been a fan of Fosse!


-For 1972, this was a very progressive movie! A film that has affairs, homosexuality, abortion....while all of that is off screen, it's still very progressive, I feel.


-The amount of alcohol & cigarettes they smoke...oh...my..god! That baby would have been doomed! I did like that she just walked home after having the procedure. I feel like she would have been in a little more pain ESPECIALLY given the time period!?!?!?! 


-I enjoyed the Nazi rise to power. Although I would think Germany would be slightly upset. While people were against the Nazi's in the beginning. It does seem like the only ones against them are the foreigners (i.e.The British..i.e. Michael York). I really thought this progression was really good.


-They used some UGLY actors & actresses in this movie. During the "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" song...they're all singing very loudly & proudly with their mouths wide open & just gives me shivers.

I like the music, but I think I'm okay hanging this on the shelf and watching other movies instead.