Starring Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Chita Rivera, and Paula Kelly
Music by Cy Coleman; Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Directed by Bob Fosse
We're staying in the late 60's and 70's this week, but trade concerts for book musicals that equally reflect those turbulent times. This was Bob Fosse's film directorial debut, based on the smash hit 1966 Broadway show that he also directed. It got lost in the shuffle of huge stage transfers in 1969, but how does it look today, as big versions of Broadway shows see a renaissance? Let's begin with Charity Hope Valentine (MacLaine) on the streets of New York and see the city through her hopeful eyes and find out...
The Story: No matter how hard she tries, Charity doesn't have the best luck with men. The boyfriend she's meeting on that opening romp through New York pushes her into a lake in Central Park and steals her purse. Movie star Vittorio Vitale (Ricardo Montalban) uses her to make his girlfriend Ursula (Barbara Bouchet) jealous. It works too well, and he ends up taking her back while Charity hides in the closet. She finally returns to the Fandango Ballroom and commiserates with her best friends and roommates Nickie (Rivera) and Helene (Kelly).
Things finally seem to go her way when she's stuck in an elevator with Oscar Lindquist (McMartin), a genuinely nice accountant. He ends up smitten with her and asks her out on a date once they get on the street. One date turns into many, including a trip to the hippie church run by Big Daddy (Sammy Davis Jr). Charity thinks this is it when Oscar asks her to marry him, but Oscar's not so sure once he finds out what Charity's occupation is. Still, Charity now knows that someone can love her, and even at the worst times, there's always hope for the future out there somewhere.
The Song and Dance: With Fosse in charge, the movie falls heavily on the dance side of things. Some of his most famous dance sequences can be found here, including the oft-alluded-to "Big Spender" and "Rich Man's Frug." MacLaine makes a very sweet Charity and works well with Fosse's knock-kneed style. McMartin, the only actor to carry over from the stage version, is an adorable Oscar. He's so delightfully awkward, you can understand why Charity fell for him. Great supporting cast too, including dance legend Rivera as Charity's best friend Nickie and Stubby Kaye as her boss at the Fandango. Gorgeous Technicolor location shooting in New York adds to the "you are there" ambiance.
Favorite Number: We open with Charity walking around Central Park with the sleazy Charlie, singing in her mind about how he's "My Personal Property," one of two songs written for the film. Charity and the Fandango girls sing to their "Big Spender" in the hope of luring them into a dance in a dynamic number that reeks of cool. Also reeking of late 60's cool is the "Rich Man's Frug" at the club where dancers in black and white late 60's hipster garb show off Edith Head's costumes and Fosse's angular style.
Charity gleefully turns "If My Friends Could See Me Now" into a hat-and-cane routine in a spotlight at Vittoro's apartment when she thinks he's in love with her. Nickie and Helene join her in an amazing dance trio on the roof of the Fandango for "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This." Charity claims "It's a Nice Face" as Oscar shows her around New York. "The Rhythm of Life" with Big Daddy and his hippie church is dated and has nothing to do with the rest of the movie, but Sammy Davis Jr. has such a blast leading all those flower children around, it ends up being one of the film's highlights.
Oscar sings about his "Sweet Charity" after he proposed to her. Charity her her part feels like "I'm a Brass Band," which turns into a huge brass band number in her head. Herman (Stubby Kaye) and the dancers at the Fandango Ballroom claim "I Love to Cry at Weddings" at the huge colorful bridal shower they hold for Charity and Oscar. Poor Charity wonders "Where am I Going?" as she wanders around New York, wondering why her relationships always go wrong.
Trivia: Based on the 1957 Italian film Nights of Cabiria.
Sweet Charity debuted on Broadway in 1966 with Gwen Verdon as Charity and Fosse directing. It ran a year and a half, not bad for the time. The West End production managed a little over a year. It was revived in 1986 and 2005 in New York and 1998 and 2009 in London and was seen off-Broadway in 2016.
Bob Fosse's first film directorial effort. Gwen Verdon is the uncredited assistant choreographer.
Fosse did film a happier ending where Charity and Oscar ended up together, but decided it was too corny and didn't use it. It exists in full and can be found as a special feature on the DVD, Blu-Ray, and laserdisc.
What I Don't Like: First of all, I think Fosse made a good call with not going for the more traditional ending. The ending with Charity and the hippies is sweet and ambiguous, and really more in line with the rest of the movie. That said, it's also anti-climatic, especially after the touching "Where Am I Going?" This is another late-60's musical that didn't benefit from being a massive epic. The thin story of a woman jumping between bad relationships barely has enough material for an hour, let alone two and a half. It might have benefitted from a far more intimate staging. "The Rhythm of Life" may be a blast, but as mentioned, it has nothing to do with the rest of the movie and pretty much stops it cold. Between the hippies, Charity's occupation, the grimy New York around her, this is very, very much a movie of its time.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of MacLaine, Fosse's style, the big musicals of the late 60's, or the dancers involved and have time on your hands, you'll want to take a romp through New York with Charity Hope Valentine, too.
Home Media: Disc-only at the moment. The Blue-Ray is a two-disc special edition featuring the restored happy ending version.
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