Cabaret (1972)Escape--that's what Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) craves. What is she escaping from? Responsibility...her fears and insecurities...the increasingly terrifying world lurking just outside the doors of the Kit Kat Klub in Berlin circa 1931. "Leave your troubles outside," the unnamed Master of Ceremonies (Joel Gray) proclaims, as he invites his audience--that is, us--into his menagerie of divine decadence and social satire. And when the lights go down and the curtain comes up, out comes Sally in her stockings and bowler hat, and she has become a fixture in the firmament of the stage, now and forever, ensnared and free.
|
|
Cabaret (1972) is a portal back into time, evidenced by the opening credits, where the darkness slowly fades, and the blurred images of reality--in slow-motion--bleed in from black and white into color. And what color, with the lights and decor, the costumes and music; it is a splendor of humor and an oasis from the encroaching politics of the day, a National Socialist party looming on the horizon that has only just begun its own terrible march. And from here we are greeted by the emcee: impish, joyful, perhaps even malevolent, a knowing smirk and heavy makeup which recalls the notorious comic book villain, The Joker. He is both the spirit of the cabaret and the spirit of the times, and the musical routines are an echo of the plot and era. While Cabaret is a musical, most of the numbers are performed at the club, and are themselves a commentary on the story of Sally and her newest neighbor at the boarding house where she lives, a young teacher of English named Brian Roberts (Michael York). Brian appears stiff at first--at least compared to Sally sporting her helmut-like Lulu bob haircut and heavy eye shadow, who is exceedingly familiar with Brian, flirting with him, but also befriending him in the process. She is a flapper who yearns for excitement, and this is the energy and zeal for life which ultimately does wear down Brian's defensiveness and apprehension about getting involved with another woman. Brian mentions to one of his adult students at the club, a man named Fritz (Fritz Wepper), that he is teaching English and working toward his doctorate in philosophy; in Sally and in Berlin, Brian's sure to acquire a lifetime's worth of wisdom.
Both Sally and Brian--like everyone else--are keenly aware of the way the wind is blowing in Germany, that the messages spread by the Nazis are gaining momentum; but their problems are of a more personal nature, and they are not by and large "heroes" to stand up to the forces of darkness collecting in the shadows. The threat of the fascistic regime is ubiquitous in Cabaret, all the same, often addressed within the musical numbers performed on stage. Take for instance the scene where a humorous stage act of slapstick is cut between the savage beating of the club manager by Nazi thugs, retaliation for his ejection of them from his club. Satire is a clever means of subverting an enemy's cause, and the emcee is adept at this art. But aside from mere political commentary, the music also is a partner to the story of Brian and Sally, and montages of music, performance, and life all blend together into one harmony, at times moving, at others cynical. Selections like "Maybe This Time" give us a peek into Sally's inner wishes that she might finally foster a meaningful relationship with a man like Brian, and others like "Mein Herr" speak to her more superficial motivations to live life for hedonistic pleasure. On stage, Sally explodes with energy and life like a supernova, her routines so bold and fantastic, yet seemingly so effortless, a testament to Liza Minnelli's own stage presence, possessed of the same amazing voice as her mother, Judy Garland. But for all of Sally's joie de vivre, there is the pervading sense of insecurity washing over her, of desperation. It is something she tries to flee from or shirk in various ways, such as her promiscuous relationships with many men, or screaming under a train, which gives her an orgasmic release, a controlled explosion of her anxiety that she struggles to express otherwise. Cabaret also boasts arguably the greatest bait-and-switch in movies, when a scene in a beer garden is shortly followed by the sound of a young blond boy singing beautifully about what Germany means to him, in a song called "Tomorrow Belongs to Me". Shortly after the song begins, the camera pans down to reveal a swastika on his sleeve, clad in the uniform of Hitler's Brownshirts. As he sings, one by one, members of the crowd join in his song--with the few exceptions of those old enough to know when they're being manipulated by dangerous propaganda--and the soft and gentle song boils over into a furious battle hymn. The scene elegantly (and chillingly) depicts how a nation can be seduced by the promise of order, bolstered by national pride, primed to enact atrocities in the fit of their zeal.
Love is the feeling at the core of Cabaret, regardless of how cynical and jaded the characters may act at times. Brian's pupil, Fritz, meets another of his students, the wealthy daughter of a department store owner, Natalia Landauer (Marisa Berenson); but even prior to meeting her, Fritz has it in his mind to seduce her, so he may marry into wealth. But what surprises Fritz is that he not only finds Natalia to be beautiful, but that he begins to actually fall in love with her, only to be turned down by her because she believes that their relationship couldn't work out, since she is a Jew, and he (has claimed to be) a Christian. The subplot of Fritz and Natalia elucidates the escalating hatred toward the Jews propagated by the Nazis. Consider how at first the landlady of the house is thrilled to have a Landauer in her home; later, guests in the parlor regurgitate hateful rumors about Jewish conspiracies and the communist backgrounds of Jews. Brian and Sally's own romance becomes more complicated as Sally crosses paths one day with the charming Maximilian von Heune (Helmut Griem). Her gratuitous gold-digging side re-emerges, and she sets to ply the baron for wealth and favors, regardless of her consummated relationship with Brian; she even has the gall to invite Brian along to party with the aristocrat. But Max turns out to be more than amiable toward both Sally and Brian; in fact, his suave generosity and manner in turn attracts Brian, laying the foundation for a tangled triangle. But when the party's over, Max has left, and Sally discovers she is pregnant, although she doesn't know who the father is. Brian commits to the responsibility as a parent, and proposes to Sally; pity Sally isn't as committed to this new role as she is to her stage persona. Sally's great tragedy is that she knows--she believes--she is incapable of changing her selfish ways, and in a quiet moment of revealing self-reflection during her song at the finale, called "Cabaret", she insinuates her inevitable, dire fate to be washed away on a tide of sex, drugs, and hard living. But, she asserts, this is the only way she can live, wild and free. And for Sally, if that cabaret of life must shutter its doors sooner than later, at least she wants to party as fully as she can before closing time.
Recommended for: Fans of an exceedingly smart musical, with a rich story set in a volatile period in history. It is a multi-layered tale of morality, covering a variety of topics both personal and socially, with both excellent music with acerbic lyrics.
Both Sally and Brian--like everyone else--are keenly aware of the way the wind is blowing in Germany, that the messages spread by the Nazis are gaining momentum; but their problems are of a more personal nature, and they are not by and large "heroes" to stand up to the forces of darkness collecting in the shadows. The threat of the fascistic regime is ubiquitous in Cabaret, all the same, often addressed within the musical numbers performed on stage. Take for instance the scene where a humorous stage act of slapstick is cut between the savage beating of the club manager by Nazi thugs, retaliation for his ejection of them from his club. Satire is a clever means of subverting an enemy's cause, and the emcee is adept at this art. But aside from mere political commentary, the music also is a partner to the story of Brian and Sally, and montages of music, performance, and life all blend together into one harmony, at times moving, at others cynical. Selections like "Maybe This Time" give us a peek into Sally's inner wishes that she might finally foster a meaningful relationship with a man like Brian, and others like "Mein Herr" speak to her more superficial motivations to live life for hedonistic pleasure. On stage, Sally explodes with energy and life like a supernova, her routines so bold and fantastic, yet seemingly so effortless, a testament to Liza Minnelli's own stage presence, possessed of the same amazing voice as her mother, Judy Garland. But for all of Sally's joie de vivre, there is the pervading sense of insecurity washing over her, of desperation. It is something she tries to flee from or shirk in various ways, such as her promiscuous relationships with many men, or screaming under a train, which gives her an orgasmic release, a controlled explosion of her anxiety that she struggles to express otherwise. Cabaret also boasts arguably the greatest bait-and-switch in movies, when a scene in a beer garden is shortly followed by the sound of a young blond boy singing beautifully about what Germany means to him, in a song called "Tomorrow Belongs to Me". Shortly after the song begins, the camera pans down to reveal a swastika on his sleeve, clad in the uniform of Hitler's Brownshirts. As he sings, one by one, members of the crowd join in his song--with the few exceptions of those old enough to know when they're being manipulated by dangerous propaganda--and the soft and gentle song boils over into a furious battle hymn. The scene elegantly (and chillingly) depicts how a nation can be seduced by the promise of order, bolstered by national pride, primed to enact atrocities in the fit of their zeal.
Love is the feeling at the core of Cabaret, regardless of how cynical and jaded the characters may act at times. Brian's pupil, Fritz, meets another of his students, the wealthy daughter of a department store owner, Natalia Landauer (Marisa Berenson); but even prior to meeting her, Fritz has it in his mind to seduce her, so he may marry into wealth. But what surprises Fritz is that he not only finds Natalia to be beautiful, but that he begins to actually fall in love with her, only to be turned down by her because she believes that their relationship couldn't work out, since she is a Jew, and he (has claimed to be) a Christian. The subplot of Fritz and Natalia elucidates the escalating hatred toward the Jews propagated by the Nazis. Consider how at first the landlady of the house is thrilled to have a Landauer in her home; later, guests in the parlor regurgitate hateful rumors about Jewish conspiracies and the communist backgrounds of Jews. Brian and Sally's own romance becomes more complicated as Sally crosses paths one day with the charming Maximilian von Heune (Helmut Griem). Her gratuitous gold-digging side re-emerges, and she sets to ply the baron for wealth and favors, regardless of her consummated relationship with Brian; she even has the gall to invite Brian along to party with the aristocrat. But Max turns out to be more than amiable toward both Sally and Brian; in fact, his suave generosity and manner in turn attracts Brian, laying the foundation for a tangled triangle. But when the party's over, Max has left, and Sally discovers she is pregnant, although she doesn't know who the father is. Brian commits to the responsibility as a parent, and proposes to Sally; pity Sally isn't as committed to this new role as she is to her stage persona. Sally's great tragedy is that she knows--she believes--she is incapable of changing her selfish ways, and in a quiet moment of revealing self-reflection during her song at the finale, called "Cabaret", she insinuates her inevitable, dire fate to be washed away on a tide of sex, drugs, and hard living. But, she asserts, this is the only way she can live, wild and free. And for Sally, if that cabaret of life must shutter its doors sooner than later, at least she wants to party as fully as she can before closing time.
Recommended for: Fans of an exceedingly smart musical, with a rich story set in a volatile period in history. It is a multi-layered tale of morality, covering a variety of topics both personal and socially, with both excellent music with acerbic lyrics.