Sweet Charity

Bob Fosse (1968)

142min

PG Certificate

Review

Our Score

by Robin Karney

Dancer, theatre director and choreographic genius Bob Fosse made his film directing debut with this adaptation of his Broadway hit about the sad life of a dance-hall hostess whose run of bad luck fails to dampen her belief in fairy-tale romance. Though it's jam-packed with marvellously staged numbers like Big Spender, Rhythm of Life and If My Friends Could See Me Now, the film is brash, gaudy and overheated. It lacks the sophisticated edge and sharp impact of the stage original, with Shirley MacLaine's turbine-powered Charity substituting energy for subtlety. However, Sammy Davis Jr, Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly are as electrifying as Fosse's choreography.

Summary

A lonely but optimistic dancer in a seedy nightclub goes in search of true love, but finds instead a succession of deceitful men who only let her down. When she meets a shy, claustrophobic man in a lift, she thinks he might be the one - but tries to keep her past a secret. Musical, with Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Ricardo Montalban and Sammy Davis Jr, and featuring songs including The Rhythm of Life and Big Spender.

Cast & Crew

Charity Hope Valentine Shirley MacLaine

Oscar John McMartin

Vittorio Vitale Ricardo Montalban

Big Daddy Sammy Davis Jr

Nickie Chita Rivera

Helene Paula Kelly

Herman Stubby Kaye

Ursula Barbara Bouchet

Director Bob Fosse

Other Information

Language: EnglishColourAvailable on: video and DVD

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Bob Fosse (1968)

Review

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