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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Here we go again with another review on a musical. For someone that doesn’t really like musicals, I am sure watching a lot of them in the past few months. To review, I don’t like musicals that are straight singing; it drives me insane. If it has dialogue between the songs, then we are cool. Most musicals are on some magical land or tale of a person becoming something else; I forgot where I am going with this. This time we get a musical in a sex club or something like that. What better way to sing about that love-making action in a club where beautiful women dance and perform? Sounds like a glorified strip club. No matter, Cabaret is one where one person dreams big and struts her stuff in a club like no other while the world is going to shit.
Directed by Bob Fosse, Cabaret is set in 1931 at the Kit Kat Klub in Weimar Republic era Berlin during the rise of the Nazi Party. Cambridge University student Brian Roberts (York) arrives in Berlin to complete his German studies. Like most students, Brian is broke and plans to make a living teaching English while living in an inexpensive rooming house. While looking at a room, Brian meets and befriends Sally Bowles (Minnelli). Sally is a person who dreams of being a star and is a flamboyant, extremely happy person and works as a singer at the Kit Kat Klub. While Sally is one of the highlights, her personality is matched by the all-seeing Master of Ceremonies (Grey). As Sally draws Brian into her world, they soon become friends with benefits. Life seems okay, but as the Nazi Party rises more and more into power, the ideology of both characters soon comes ahead.
I was expecting another musical where I had to endure song after song after song. One thing that I really don’t do is musicals. For once, this isn’t your ordinary musical film. Yes, there are songs, but they seem to be a flavor to the story, or as I see it, they are not the main priority of the film. It felt like I was watching a regular movie with a performance here and there. I’ll be back in a few to talk about the music.
I guess that is what Cabaret is. It is a place to get away from the real world for a while that explores sexuality from the characters on stage while the world around changes. Some of the performances are sexual, but they are not over the top. In the confines of the Cabaret, you can see the changes happening in the outside world as the audience slowly changes with each and every performance.
Like with some stories in film, we have one character looking for a new opportunity and another living life to the fullest. Brian wants to give English lessons to earn a living while completing his doctorate. At the same time, Sally lives a bohemian life where she has fun and wants to be a star. Even though these two become lovers, they ultimately have a difference in how they view society and things to come. Brian views the ideology of Nazism as a threat to the world while Sally is like whatever, it will pass, and things will always be the same no matter what. A naive approach to things. Sally’s love for the Cabaret is understandable because she dreams of being this big star, and the club is the only place where she can feel that way.
Now the movie, I think, was a little ahead of the times when it came to one subject. That subject dealt with abortion. When Sally got knocked up, Brian was like, let’s have this happy life, and I’ll take care of you and all that blah talk. When Sally gets an abortion, she is a little sad, but homegirl does have a rational view of it. She straight-up said that they would hate each other, and she would hate herself for living in a house with a white picket fence. I give the film props for having a woman speak her mind and really know how she is and knows a child wouldn’t change her.
The film also explores the rise of Nazism. In the beginning, the party is small and has a minor influence. In one scene, the club manager beats up a young Nazi party soldier/recruiter. As time goes on, we see the party becoming stronger and stronger. Soon they fill some of the seats in the club. They even take their revenge out on the manager. When Brian thinks they are nothing, they whip his ass for good measure. By the end of the film, the final scene shows the club almost filled with Nazi soldiers.
With this being a “musical” of sorts, some of the songs are really catchy, but they are quick. They really don’t stand out as much as they are a brief two to three-minute performance, and then the person is out. Many of the songs are performed by Joel Grey and/or Liza Minnelli. One of my favorite acts was the “Money, Money” song. That one song seemed to be on point as everyone likes money. The iconic scene is when Minnelli sings Mein Herr. That is the one song that seems the most sexual and like a striptease performance.
Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles was fun to watch. Minnelli plays Sally as a bright-eyed girl who is completely drinking the Kool-Aid that the Cabaret is selling. She believes that life should be all about living in the moment while laughing and having a good time while refusing to see any of the horrors to come. She screams at the top of her lungs when a train goes by because it’s thrilling, and why not. She spreads love to anyone she deems worthy but also seems to have an arm’s length relationship with people. Sometimes she shows emotion and warmth, but sometimes it seems too theatrical. Minnelli does a great job while showing that she is a singer when it comes to singing.
Michael York as Brian Roberts was the complete opposite of Sally. He was an academic who couldn’t seem to hold down a relationship. His character was a bisexual who got it on with Sally and the Baron. Sometimes I felt like he was too uptight with things and spot on with others. Joel Grey as Master of Ceremonies is also an outstanding character to watch. When he comes on screen, he is going to have some crazy but funny act. Grey seemed to be some comic relief in the film as his songs and performances were spot on and eased the tension on what was going on off the stage.
Cabaret isn’t your standard musical where it’s song after song. The film has a nice story about two people with some musical acts sprinkled in. One doesn’t get caught up in the musical numbers, nor are they out of place. Minnelli is excellent as Sally Bowles, the fun-loving wants to be a star character. Have fun in the world of the Cabaret.
