Sweet Charity (1969)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Bob Fosse

Writers:

Federico Fellini (screenplay) &
Ennio Flaiano (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 April 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Hey Big Spender !

Plot:

Taxi dancer Charity continues to have Faith in the human race despite apparently endless disappointments at its hands...

Plot Keywords:

Taxi Dancer | Charity | Hope | Dancer | Tattoo

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Shirley MacLaine	...	Charity Hope Valentine
John McMartin	...	Oscar Lindquist
Chita Rivera	...	Nickie
Paula Kelly	...	Helene
Stubby Kaye	...	Herman
Barbara Bouchet	...	Ursula
Ricardo Montalban	...	Vittorio Vidal
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Big Daddy Brubeck
Suzanne Charney	...	Lead frug dancer (as Suzanne Charny)
Alan Hewitt	...	Nicholsby
Dante DiPaolo	...	Charlie (as Dante D'Paulo)
Bud Vest	...	Frug dancer
Ben Vereen	...	Frug dancer
Lee Roy Reams	...	Frug dancer
Al Lanti	...	Dancer in 'Big Spender' number

Also Known As:

Sweet Charity: The Adventures of a Girl Who Wanted to Be Loved (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

149 min | 154 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1996) | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Marie Wallace originated the part of Ursula in the original Broadway production.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

Helene: There ain't no use flappin' your wings, 'cause we are stuck in the flypaper of life!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Getting Into Heaven (1970)

Soundtrack:

I'm a Brass Band

Worth it for the musical numbers alone

Sweet Charity is a little strange. It's part Hollywood musical, part bitter-sweet love story, part trippy hippy film. It's well worth it for the dancing alone. The scene in the club is truly superb. Once seen you'll realise how many times it has been copied. The 'religion of the month club' is like a number out of Hair. The story is a sad one in large parts but has a basic upbeat message at its heart. It's funny, sad, touching and weird. It lacks the big, bold look and feel of the classic Hollywood musical and is a trifle dark, but is well worth catching.