Review of Cabaret (1981) by Jake R — 25 Aug 2008

'Cabaret' is a unique film. It's a musical that blurs the line between actual musicals and films with lots of songs in them (like the non-musical 'musical' Dirty Dancing). Keeping only 6 songs from the original stage play, 'Cabaret' takes a more cinematic narrative route by looking at the relationship between Sally and Brian. Their is complex, full of the angst and distance from humanity that was rife throughout the 1930s in general, let alone in Weimer Germany on the eve of the Nazi's rise to power. Again putting mileage between the social comments of public Nazism, the film concentrates mostly on the characters at its source and how decadence itself seems far from decadent.

All this plot unfolds against the musical backdrop. The songs act as musical conventions i.e. summarising the actions of the previous segment in a song that reflects the film's change in atmosphere. But rather than have the characters launch into a number out of nowhere, the music remains within the artifice of the Kit Kat Klub so the audience doesn't have to suspend their disbelief more than usual (the sole exception being the Hitler Youth hymn-like 'Tomorrow Belongs To Me'.).

What do we end up with then?

Films based on stage plays tend to be more precarious adaptation-wise than books since the theatre is potentially cinema without cameras. Somethings that may work in one medium may not work in another. 'Cabaret' manages to avoid this and comes across as a solid drama, drawing the viewer in with the lush visuals and the feisty performances. Liza Minelli fully deserves her Oscar for being the sexy, likeable but flawed Sally Bowles, whilst good work comes from all around, particularly Joel Grey's joyously impish MC and Michael York's surprisingly layered turn as beleugeured tourist Brian. Fosse's direction perfectly suits the pessimistic mood of the story and the revelry in exploiting theatrical conventions within the confine of a movie.

The only thing that drags it down is the staging of the musical sequences. As witty and toe-tapping as they are, a movie nonetheless provides the opportunity to experiment more imaginatively with the most artificial of film conventions. Fosse remains true to period limits, but one can't help expecting something more spectacular, particularly after one sees one of the many stage versions. The lack of extravegance is probably a wiser move considering the consistent noir tone, which requires realism, if not from the content then certainly from the direction.

A fun romp, with a sexy and warm central performance a slightly sour after taste of sadness and danger.