Fifty-three years ago, the decadent and almost scandalous film Cabaret dominated the box office. However, despite its glamour and allure, there has always been something slightly unsettling about dance legend Bob Fosse’s second feature.
Set in 1931 Berlin during the rise of Nazism, the movie follows the magnetic Sally Bowles, played by Liza Minnelli, a performer at the Kit Kat Klub who thrives in the spotlight. Sally’s carefree demeanor and constant smile are not indicators of happiness but rather a defense mechanism to convince herself that life is a cabaret and not a tragedy.
The survival tactic is evident in every aspect of Sally’s appearance, from her sharp black flapper bob inspired by Jazz Age star Louise Brooks to her smudged makeup and nail polish. Even in private moments, she maintains a performative quality, as if afraid that stopping for a second will reveal the emptiness inside.
Each deliberate aesthetic choice in Cabaret signifies instability and self-sabotage from the protagonist. Sally’s response to failure is to add more layers of performance and chaos, using makeup and dazzle to cover up the cracks in her life.
Released on February 13, 1972, Cabaret was a critical and commercial success, earning over $40 million on a $6 million budget and winning eight Academy Awards the following year. Decades later, the film’s glossy surface and underlying darkness still resonate profoundly, perhaps more so now than ever.
In a modern women’s lifestyle magazine, the allure of Sally Bowles’s performance in Cabaret goes beyond mere aesthetics. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most captivating personas hide profound vulnerabilities beneath their glamorous facades.
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.