Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome...
One thing to now about me is that I’m a Night Owl (not in
the literal sense, obviously!!) so I’m up until the wee small hours most
nights. I’ve never been a good sleeper so I avoid spending hours lying awake in
bed just hoping to eventually fall asleep. Instead, I occupy myself with music
or internet because there’s usually nothing on the TV to watch. However, I was
pleasantly surprised the other night/morning (?) when I spied the 1972 film Cabaret on BBC1 at midnight. The next
couple of hours were well and truly sorted!
My first glimpse of Cabaret
was very brief and I was at an age where I didn’t understand what the hell was
going on. Being one of my mother’s favourite films, all I was told was “Oh,
it’s a good film. Michael York is gorgeous” but it meant nothing to me. By that
age, I was of the belief that anything my mum liked, I wouldn’t - which was
true at that point! However, a re-watch further down the line (when I was older and *ahem*
wiser) changed everything. Suddenly everything clicked and made sense and I ended
up thoroughly enjoying the film; although I was reluctant to admit to my mum
that, on this occasion, I shared her taste!
WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW.....
Cabaret, on the
surface, appears to be a fun, flamboyant musical full of colourful characters
and fabulous songs. However, it’s actually a pretty dark tale of hedonism mixed
with sexual ambiguity that’s set during the uprising of the Nazi Party in
Berlin. The story revolves around Kit-Kat Klub singer Sally Bowles (Liza
Minnelli), her relationship with British visitor Brian Roberts (Michael York)
and her bohemian lifestyle in Berlin and where it leads her. Sally’s character
is very multifaceted. She presents herself as a care-free, fun-loving spirit
that has high ambitions to become a great movie star. Underneath the facade though,
it appears that Sally is a fantasist that is desperate for attention. She comes across as naive and rather child-like at times and
her relationship with her father is obviously a sore point for her. Her work at
the Kit-Kat Klub seems to be the perfect way to escape her insecurities about
the reality of her life. Liza Minnelli is fantastic in the musical numbers; she
really throws herself into the performances. 'Mein Herr' is a great number with a nice touch of foreshadowing re Sally and Brian's relationship:
It's not only Sally that's the star of the show in the Kit-Kat Club. The Emcee (Joel Grey) is equally as intriguing and entertaining. I have to say at this point, that the Emcee is my absolute favourite character in the film; Joel Grey was perfect casting. The Emcee acts as the host in the club. He introduces acts, entertains the audience with jokes and also performs on stage himself for a few musical numbers. He paints the club as a place for people to come in and forget all their troubles in the outside world and just indulge in what the club has to offer - "We have no troubles here. Here life is beautiful". His interaction with Sally is intriguing; there seems to be a hint of something sexual there (the scene where he stands behind her and gropes her breasts is a "WTH?" moment) but we don't know for sure. It's all part and parcel of the sexual ambiguity that runs through the entire film. One thing' for sure though, Minnelli and Grey worked very well together.
The sexual ambiguity exists away from the club too. Brian initially resists Sally's seduction and she assumes he's gay. However, Brian reveals that he's had past encounters with three girls but with disastrous results. Despite this, he and Sally eventually embark on a relationship. This relationship is expanded to include Maximilian von Heune, a rich baron who Sally has taken a shine to due to his money. The dynamic between the three is initially strained as Brian appears to be jealous of Max, while Sally fawns over him. However, the relationship between the three becomes confusing as there seems to be sexual tension between all of them. It's later revealed that Max had slept with both Sally and Brian during this heated exchange between the two:
Brian: "Screw Maximilian"
Sally: "I do"
Brian: "So do I"
After this spat, Brian storms off and gets into a fight with two Nazis as they hand out their literature. The undercurrent of the uprising of the Nazi party is very sinister. Instances of Nazi-related activity appear sporadically throughout the film, but every time it does appear, it shows their growing support and their growing power. The classic scene below just epitomises the situation:
Knowing what we know about what the future held for Germany when the Nazis took control just makes this scene thoroughly chilling. It's an extremely well done scene; the swift change of the singing from sweet and soft to harsh and determined with everyone joining in is really unsettling. The new solidarity between the German people and the Nazis contrasts sharply to the attitudes earlier in the film where the Nazis were ridiculed and treated with disdain. See Max's words to Brian earlier in the film:
Max: The Nazis are just a gang of stupid
hooligans, but they do serve a purpose. Let them get rid of the Communists.
Later we'll be able to control them.
Brian: But who exactly is ''we''?
Max: Germany, of course
After the spectacle in the beer garden, which Brian and Max witness, Brian calls Max out on his previous attitude by simply asking: "Do you still think you can control them?". Again, because of our historic knowledge, we are fully aware just how dangerous, bleak and tragic life is going to become in Germany. The seeds are being sown here and some of the characters are picking up on that fact. Anti-Semitism is getting stronger and this is shown via the subplot of Fritz and Natalia. Natalia is a
victim of the Nazis rabid anti-semitism when she finds the body of her
pet dog on her doorstep and a constant chant of "Juden" outside the
gates of her house. Fritz is a Jewish man pretending to be a Christian because he is aware of the rising negative attitude towards Jewish people. He falls in love with Natalia but she rebuffs his proposal due to the fact that she's Jewish and he isn't which, in the current climate, would be unthinkable. Fritz eventually confesses he is a Jew and the two marry, although whether they escape Germany before it's too late is never revealed.
The Nazi issue, although recognised by others, is completely ignored by Sally. She instead continues to live in her own little world. Her relationship with Brian comes to a halt after an unexpected pregnancy ends in abortion, despite a weak attempt by the pair of them to plan some sort of future together. As shallow and child-like as Sally is, she has a rare moment of accurate insight when she foresees how much of a disaster life with Brian and a baby would be. She knows that they're just too different to sustain a long term relationship and so a parting of the ways is inevitable. After Brian's departure, Sally goes back to what she knows best - the Kit Kat Klub and a retreat from the harsh reality of the world.
The film then ends with the Emcee saying goodbye, but he cuts his farewell short and hurriedly leaves the stage. A drum-roll begins and the spotlight pans over the stage and the camera follows it and then pans onto the audience which is full of Nazis. There's a small crash of a gong and then the credits go up. There is complete silence as the credits roll. We have no idea what fate is in store for Sally and the others at the club; that actually leaves a pretty grim feeling.
Overall, Cabaret is a truly great film and I'm so glad I wised up in my attitude towards it. I'm not usually a fan of musicals, but then again, this isn't your ordinary musical. The themes running through the film make for some unsettling, yet brilliant viewing.
