Sweet Charity/Shirley MacLaine

[WillParker]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 11:17am

Just saw the Sweet Charity film for the first time over the weekend, and was wondering what the general concensus was on the film, Ms. MacLaine's performance, etc. How true to the stage version is the film?

Not to re-open this subject, but as I was watching it, I couldn't help but thinking how FABULOUS Jenna Elfman would have been in the scenes (not sure about singing & dancing).

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 1:52pm

the film was both a critical and commercial failture when released.

I don't think it plays well at all and I was not thrilled with Shirley Maclaine in it, although I usually love her.

the show is not one of my favorites. for me, by far the best moment in the show is Big Spender.

[Kristie-K]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 5:46pm

I love Miss Shirley in the roll of Charity, but her dancing always bugged me, Like Rene in Chicago.....Now Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly were fabulous dancers in the film.....Big Spender and Rich Man (whatever) were dance highlights.....Brass Band and If they could see me now, disappointed me...."There Going be something better then this", was very good because of Miss Chita and Paula...

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 5:49pm

"Frug" is the missing word...and "Rhythm of Life" is always a highlight.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 6:46pm

A number of the songs from the show were dropped . Bad decision

Updated On: 11/10/03 at 06:46 PM

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 8:55pm

The ending in the play is SO weird.

[Kristie-K]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 9:06pm

I know, we all love happy-ever-after......Well this hooker ends up with nothing...No man....No money...No Job......kinda sounds like real life?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 9:16pm

Well she has the one thing that no one can take away from her.
She has herself and her dignity. Even if she is shot down and beat and hurt (not literally) she has her own concience. (Al or Namo-- did i spell that wrong...)

[chita_fan]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 9:24pm

From what I have heard the numbers were slightly different on the stage. Nobody could dance like Gwen and while a lot of the choreography was similar I don't think it was exactly the same.

As far as the score, I don't think it was meant to be difficult due to the fact that it was primarily a dancing musical, the numbers were easy to allow the performers to dance.

I too dislike the movie and wish Bob Fosse had had some previous experience in directing film before tackling this as his later movies were great (Cabaret, All That Jazz) he used too many tricks of the day in this.

If you wanna see Gwen perform a number from the original, buy the Ed Sullivan DVD with all the broadway stars on it, can't remember what it is called, Gwen does I'm A Brass Band.

[Kristie-K]

Posted: 11/10/03 at 9:42pm

I do remember that the ending of the movie was depressing and failed so Fosse re-shot a happy ending and it still failed..I have seen both ending.....

[WOSQ]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 10:46am

Sweet Charity's ending isn't supposed to be particularly happy. It is meant for us to see that she has had this kind of relationship before, and she will have another one like it and then one after that. Actually her affair with Oscar probably went better than the others, but this is a girl with relationship pattern issues.

(Of course a relationship issue is something that none of us have any first hand experience with. Not.)

You've got to see the source material, Fellini's The Nights of Cabiria to grasp what Fosse was getting at.

Gwen was the unbilled assistant choreographer on the film. She taught Shirley most of the dances. Gwen knew that she's never be given the role since she wasn't a movie star and was looking into the jaws of 50 by that point. MacLaine was about 35-40 and was about the only real movie star at the time to dance that well. After the film of Damn Yankees Gwen wasn't all that fond of the film process anyway.

Flaws and all I have always liked this movie. As a first film its pretty good.

[robbiej]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 11:06am

The first Broadway show I ever saw was SWEET CHARITY with Debbie Allen. Say what you will, I was enthralled. It was so light and it moved so beautifully.

I can't begin to tell you how shocked I was at how heavy and dark the movie was. The only way that story is palatable (sp??) is with a frothy, musical comedy tone.

[logan30]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 11:51am

I think Fosse was trying to show the grittier side of show business -- very little of it is bright lights and glamour. This was a theme he also explored on film in Cabaret, Lenny, All That Jazz and Star 80. I didn't mind Shirley MacLaine. Anyway who else was big enough star at that time who could sing and dance. Would you really want to see Barbra Streisand or Julie Andrews in the role?

What bothers a lot of people about the film is the realistic story juxtaposed with the traditional musical comedy numbers. But it could also be argued that many of Charity's solos took place in her mind. It was an experiment that while at times is facsinating also failed. Rob Marshall got it right when he filmed Chicago.

Also, in the 1960's you couldn't do a musical comedy about a hooker and dance halls were already an anachronism. If Sweet Charity were written today Charity would work at SCORE'S; the girls would be lap dancers (who also give occasional head for an extra tip); Herman would be a Tony Soprano-type who is not above beating dancers who steal from him; Vittorio, a Ben Affleck-type movie star with a seven million dollar loft in Tribeca; Nikki, a Puerto Rican heroin addict; Helene, a sassy black trangender; Oscar, a bipolar pencil pusher still suffering from PTSD (he barely escaped the collapse of the South Tower); and Preacher Daddy would be one of those guys who are always on the bullhorns in Times Square proclaiming the end of the world is coming so find Jesus. The critics would call it the greatest musical since Rent and the show would run for 10 years.

[BroadwayGypsy]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 1:25pm

I wish they put the song "Baby, Dream Your Dream" in the movie. I love that song.

[Sunfish]

Posted: 11/12/03 at 1:31pm

I have always loved Shirley MacLaine but this movie was downright embarrassing. And very dated...what the hell was that Big Daddy number all about? Even with SD, Jr. it had me cringing.

If it is produced, I hope they can manage to update it....dance hall girls? They didn't even have them in the 60's.