The film Cabaret explores the idea that the rise in the Nazi party in Germany was accompanied by the rise in bisexuality, homosexuality, and other newfound activities. I felt that all of Minnelli’s songs are wonderful; it’s interesting to watch her final number, the hymn to the cabaret itself, in which the cramped stage seems suddenly to quadruple in size and looks more like Vegas or London’s Talk of the Town almost resembling a Judy Garland number. I love how Bob Fosse and Liza Minnelli can introduce an element of realism into the most unreal of film genres, portraying a true representation of the time period. Often, film musicals set in an earlier time period are tempted to make things heightened and more high-impact for the cinema, but Cabaret keeps things used and realistic.
One of the scenes that stood out to me and potentially my favourite scene was the turning point in the film about 2/3rds of the way through. At a country tavern on a spring day, a young teenage boy starts singing with an angelic voice. As 'Tomorrow Belong to Me' builds in momentum and many of the crowd begin to join in, the camera reveals the boy to be a member of the Hitler Youth inspired by the Nazi regime. Reminding the audience how dangerous ideas are and how quickly evil can take hold. I loved this scene in the film as it was another realization of the time period of how evil their world was and how it captured the lives of so many from such a young age.
Cabaret is a film of realism- capturing the time, place, and culture at a turning point in history portrayed through compelling characters and musical numbers.
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