Review of Sweet Charity (1969) by Alan E — 06 Feb 2016

What a lot of talent behind and in front of the camera, but it doesn't come across watching this uninvolving musical. Shirley tries really hard but the director let her down. If I see another zoom, dissolve or freeze frame I'll scream! As for the Big Spender number (which comes almost at the beginning when surely we should be anticipating it as a finale) the dancers were practically stationary throughout. Seemed like they were singing this wonderful number to an empty club, no audience, no atmosphere. Fosse went on to greater movies so maybe he learnt from this. (There was certainly more atmosphere in the Kit Kat Club in Cabaret).

(My rating based on the fact I just couldn't re-watch this film the whole way through again in order to write this review - I did view it a few years back however and at the time of its original release. So my rating is a bit of a guesstimate, but pretty accurate I think).