I Am a Camera (1955)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Henry Cornelius

Writers:

Christopher Isherwood (book)
John Van Druten (play)

Release Date:

2 December 1955 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

There are two points of view about SEX and " I Am a Camera" takes both of them!

Plot:

In the early thirties, aspiring writer Christopher Isherwood, living in Berlin, meets the vivacious...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play | Based On Book

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Julie Harris	...	Sally Bowles
Laurence Harvey	...	Christopher Isherwood
Shelley Winters	...	Natalia Landauer
Ron Randell	...	Clive
Lea Seidl	...	Fräulein Schneider
Anton Diffring	...	Fritz Wendel
Ina De La Haye	...	Herr Landauer
Jean Gargoet	...	Pierre
Stanley Maxted	...	Editor
Alexis Bobrinskoy	...	Proprietor (Troika)
André Mikhelson	...	Head Waiter (Troika)
Frederick Valk	...	Doctor
Tutte Lemkow	...	Electro-Therapist
Patrick McGoohan	...	Swedish Water Therapist
Julia Arnall	...	Model

Runtime:

USA:98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Romulus Films

Trivia:

Julie Harris won the 1952 Tony Award (New York City) for Actress in a Drama for "I am a Camera" and recreated the role in the movie version.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sally and Chris place their drink orders in the Troika bar we see Sally's jacket is buttoned up. The camera cuts back to Sally after Chris sitting opposite her utters one short sentence and her jacket is now unbuttoned in readiness to be removed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chris & Don. A Love Story (2007)

Soundtrack:

Ich hab' noch einen Koffer in Berlin

Julie Harris Shines

This British film version of the stage play I AM A CAMERA is based on Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories." This is the source material for the famous musical CABARET.

Julie Harris, a major stage actress of her day, reprises her 1951 Tony Award winning role as Sally Bowles. She's a far cry from the Liza Minnelli character but the basic "Sally" is all here despite the various film codes that would have blocked this story from being filmed in Hollywood. Harris is perhaps stagy but she's also quite good as the madcap and maddening Sally. Her singing number is obviously dubbed (by Marlene Dietrich no less) although Harris apparently sings for herself in other moments.

Laurence Harvey (with the very ugly hair) plays Isherwood with zero charm and can't even make the character interesting. Shelley Winters does little with the role of Natalia (Marian Winters won a supporting Tony for the play), and Anton Diffring is OK as Fritz. Ron Randell plays the caddish Clive but seems a tad loud. Lee Seidl is funny as the landlady.

Yet despite the overall staginess and cheap look, Harris takes center stage and she is amazing. This film was released the same year as EAST OF EDEN in which Harris gives a glowing performance as Abra. Comparing the two performances gives a good look at the talent Miss Harris possesses. These two characters couldn't be more unalike. Harris' Sally preens and prances about and growls out a very lascivious laugh. She also acts circles around the boring Harvey.

Without the music and with a familiar storyline, many viewers may find little here to recommend this film, but it's a great chance to see the great Julie Harris repeating what was probably a very shocking role in 1951.