Sweet Charity (1969)

Taxi dancer Charity continues to have Faith in the human race despite apparently endless disappointments at its hands, and Hope that she will finally meet the nice young man to romance her ... See full summary »

Director:

Bob Fosse

Writers:

Neil Simon (from the New York stage production book by), Federico Fellini (based upon the screenplay by: "Nights of Cabiria")

Stars:

Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Ricardo Montalban

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shirley MacLaine	...	Charity
John McMartin	...	Oscar
Ricardo Montalban	...	Vittorio
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Big Daddy
Chita Rivera	...	Nickie
Paula Kelly	...	Helene
Stubby Kaye	...	Herman
Barbara Bouchet	...	Ursula
Suzanne Charny	...	Dancer
Alan Hewitt	...	Nicholsby
Dante DiPaolo	...	Charlie (as Dante D'Paulo)
Bud Vest	...	Dancer
Ben Vereen	...	Dancer
Lee Roy Reams	...	Dancer
Al Lanti	...	Dancer

Storyline

Taxi dancer Charity continues to have Faith in the human race despite apparently endless disappointments at its hands, and Hope that she will finally meet the nice young man to romance her away from her sleazy life. Maybe, just maybe, handsome Oscar will be the one to do it.

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Plot Keywords:

charity | taxi dancer | dancer | hope | movie star | 

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Taglines:

Hey Big Spender !

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 May 1969 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Sweet Charity: The Adventures of a Girl Who Wanted to Be Loved

Filming Locations:

New York Port Authority Bus Terminal Rooftop Parking Lot - Corner of W 42nd Street and 8th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

149 min 154 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Mono (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The dance number for "Big Spender" was the inspiration for En Vogue's dance routine in the "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" music video.

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Goofs

In the "Aloof" movement of "The Rich Man's Frug," two of the male principal dancers walk down the stairs to light a woman's cigarette, while the others dance behind them. The background choreography in this shot leads directly to the triangle formation of the next shot, and the two men are now in the middle of the group, although there was no time for them to reach that position.

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Quotes

Charity Hope Valentine: Fickle Finger of Fate!

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Connections

Referenced in The South Bank Show: Episode dated 8 March 1981 (1981)

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Soundtracks

There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This
(uncredited)
Music by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Performed by Shirley MacLaine, Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly

User Reviews

Fosse's first film (and big bomb) is remarkable

There's just something about this movie that I love. I had seen bits and pieces of it some half a dozen times in the past couple of years. Tonight I finally sat and watched all of it. In theory it sounds like blasphemy: a musical remake of Fellini's Nights of Cabiria. But somehow first time director Bob Fosse pulls it off, and enormously well. Fosse is daring and innovative in his direction. Not just in the musical numbers, where you would expect it, but in every scene. He plays, and he's obviously having a ball. After the direction, a high percentage of the film's success is due to Shirley MacLaine, who was never better as Charity Hope Valentine. As much as I love and care for Giullieta Masina's Cabiria, I love and care for MacLaine's Charity. She's such an enormously lovable character, and MacLaine is simply brilliant. Her comic timing is impeccable. Sweet Charity also proves an interesting time capsule of late 60s New York City. In the scene cognate to the Picadilly Club in Nights of Cabiria, we visit a trendy night club where the girls where blue feathers as hats. Clips of Cleopatra (the one with Claudette Colbert) and an unidentifiable W.C. Fields movie play on a big screen in the background. We visit a religious ceremony for hippies who sing The Rhythm of Life. Sammy Davis Jr. is the priest! In Cabiria, a parade of young people cheer her at the end of the film. In Sweet Charity, a group of hippies, amongst them a young Bud Cort, hand out flowers in the morning, just saying good morning to everyone they meet. This movie was a huge bomb when first released. Fosse is actually really lucky they gave him another chance at direction, and then he made a film instantly recognizable as a masterpiece, Cabaret. Sweet Charity did not deserve to fail so miserably. Just the fickle fingers of fate, I guess.