Sweet Charity- opinions on the movie and disc?

i like McClaine, but the running time of this things sounds a little daunting.
anyways, hows the movie, and the disc?

Great DISC for 9.99 on a certain website, that will
remain unnamed !!!!!
The extras are great as it the sound and the disc
itself, is as great as the day I saw it when it opened.
Shirley looks smashing !!!!
IF THEY WOULD ONLY RELEASE THE SOUNDTRACK NOW ????????????
HINT HINT HINT !!!!!!!!!

Just finished watching this disk.

The picture is amazing, beautifully detailed and so bright and colorful!

But something is definitely wrong with the sound, and I wish someone could confirm what it sounded like in 1969.

The center channel seems too hot sometimes, or the background music too soft. Other times, the dialogue just drops out, and I didn't know if this was on purpose or not (notably, when Montalban brings out the dinner and says each dish, it can't be heard at all, suddenly the music track is too hot).

In one place, there is a garish note on a trombone? that seems wrong, out of place (at the end of If My Friends Could See Me Now).

Otherwise, this is a fine disk, I really had no idea what a good movie this is.

If you like McClaine you should definitely get this; it's one of her most memorable performances and she's in almost every scene. Plus the video transfer is far far better than I expected given the age of the movie and the budget-price of the disc. The "I'm A Brass Band" number, with McClaine leading a marching band through the streets of Manhattan, is especially vivid and colorful.

Personally I think Bob Fosse was a genius and I had to have this, the first film he directed. (There are only 4 others: Cabaret, Lenny, All That Jazz, and Star 80)

Also don't let the packaging fool you - this is not a bare bones release. The disc contains three nifty bonus features - the alternate ending, and two short featurettes as old as the movie - one on Bob Fosse adapting the stage play onto film, and another on Edith Head designing the costumes. The latter featurette is thick with footage I've never seen before of wardrobe tests with the actors dancing.



It seemed a little odd to me a couple of times also and I plan to compare it to the LD soon.

Sweet Charity is a musical adaptation of the Fellini masterpiece, Nights of Cabiria starring Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina in one of her greatest performances.

If you're a fan of Sweet Charity , you owe it to yourself to see the original.(Cabiria is available on DVD from Criterion.)

I like Shirley McClaine too, and have the DVD on order, but I was spoiled by seeing Sweet Charity on Broadway with the original Charity, Gwen Verdon.

I absolutely loved Verdon, quirky voice and all. I remember seeing her on the Ed Sullivan Show in scenes from Damn Yankees and Sweet Charity.

I don't know what reason this should be a secret. DeepDiscountDVD (DDD) has it for $9.90 shipped (rather than $9.99) . From all accounts this constitutes a genuine 'bargain'.

Joel

If everyone loves this film and Shirley so much, how about spelling her name correctly ?

It's MacLaine !!!




Sounds like a blind purchase to me - but maybe I'll wait until Joe Caps sounds off on this one.

I'm in the minority on this I know, but if it weren't for the alternate ending option, I would never be able to enjoy this movie on repeat viewings. The first time I saw it on VHS with just the original ending I felt ripped off. The alternate ending, while not "artistic" was better and funnier IMO.

Lucky you! I saw her in the original Chicago but the first Charity on stage was, unfortunately, before my time. I have those Sullivan show clips and she's very dynamic in them.

It's noteworthy, judging from the Sullivan show clips, that the movie choreography is so close to what was done on stage. This wasn't a case of the dancing being considerably eased up for the movie star; MacLaine (correct spelling this time, thanks Rob!) was a trained dancer and had to rise to the challenge.



Did we have this conversation before in a different thread? I'm of the opposite opinion: I would have felt ripped off by the alternate ending. I was already familiar with Nights of Cabiria (one of Fellini's best, imo) and the most lingering moment from it is, to me, the ending. The original ending of Sweet Charity is of the same spirit, and that's what I prefer.

We can just be happy both are there then. Now if only there were a seamless branching option to let those of us who really feel strong about the alternate ending see it in proper film context!

I prefer the alternate ending- besides, I hear it's what Fosse really wanted as an ending to the film. Either way, Charity Hope Valentine lived hopefully ever after!!!

picked it up tonight and chapter skipped a bit thru it to check the transfer.
actually, when i said i was a fan of MacLaine, that was based on The Apartment and Irma La Douce.
i got a bad feeling from the little snippets i saw here, but i'll try to keep an open mind when i do sit down to watch it.
at the least, it seems to have some good late 60's NYC location work.

even if it doesn't end up being my cup a tea, hard to get too upset since i only spent $10.
shouldn't lose too much when i sell it.


anyways, thanks for the opinions

The alternate ending is a travesty and Fosse certainly didn't want it and the film's ending stays faithful to the play's ending which Fosse also directed as well as the original source material's ending, Nights Of Cabiria.

The original ending may still be faithful to the play, the source material and Fosse's favorite, but it's still a gyp IMO.

Actually, the play's ending is quite different, although they don't end up together. In the play's ending, they meet at the bridge, and that's where he gilts her, accidentally pushing her off the bridge. The actual ending of the movie, with the flower children, isn't very successful, but the point remains that she is optimistic despite the difficulties of her life. It's quite similar to Gone with the Wind.

I think Shirley MacLaine is tremendously effective in this movie. If you watch the scenes and skip the very effective dances, Shirley gives an Oscar-winning-calibre acting performance. Just watch two scenes: when she's conversing with Montalban and when she's breaking up with John McMartin. Her character is very successfully developed as a mixture of brightness and undereducation, shyness and gregariousness, pathos and strength. Her phone call back to her friends (after the breakup) is a paragon of good acting. I wish she hadn't always worn those false eyelashes, but I suppose that was what normal women wore in the 60s... but they hide her eyes, a lot of the time (on my big screen).

This movie was overlooked because when it opened, its style was already dated (it seems more like 1965 than 1969). Now, of course, it out-60's Austin Powers -- the costumes in particular seem hilariously right-on.

Bob Fosse alone among Broadway choreographers knew how to use the camera (his early career was in Hollywood musicals like Kiss Me Kate). Note the deep focus which really livens up his original choreography for "Big Spender." And he makes sly allusions to that other New York musical of the 60s: West Side Story. The number "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" is a Latin-flavored dance very reminiscent of "America" from WSS. Fosse sets it on a rooftop! like the original, and there is the original Anita from the Broadway show, Chita Rivera, to help the audience connect to the parody. In another allusion, after the "Rich Man's Frug," Montalban asks Charity to join him on the dance floor. She quietly walks up, and the music cue is an unmistakable pickup from "Dance at the Gym" from WSS, as if she is Maria and he is Tony. They slowly come together while other dancers are frenetic around them, and then Charity steps on his foot. Parody ends with a hilarious punchline.

There are some sound problems on my DVD, but otherwise, I'm absolutely thrilled to have this. But why no commentary? Certainly Shirley herself is available, and so is Chita and John McMartin. Fosse and Verdon are sadly, gone.

One more thing: having not seen this movie for 15 years, I was quite surprised how much Renee Zellweger (in Chicago) reminds me of Shirley MacLaine, in her mannerisms and even looks.

Finally saw it last night and was floored by both the performances and the dance numbers. This movie seems to either hold up well with age or the style has just made a comeback with the popularity of Chicago.



Quite right. Despite the handful of extras provided I would have been quite eager to hear a commentary track by Shirley. Non-the-less this is quite a find, especially at the bargain prices that are available. Pass the word .

Joel

I despise MacLaine, but despite her presence in every scene I like this movie quite a lot. It's well-staged and the musical numbers are knockouts. I haven't picked up the disc yet, but intend to do so. For under $10, if you do like MacLaine, you won't be sorry.

My two favorites with her are GUARDING TESS and STEEL MAGNOLIAS. She played some gret characters there.

The first thing I have to do when I finally
pop the shrink wrap is go to the Sammy Davis Jr.
number. One of my all time favorites!

I've been told that the Exit Music which was on the LD is not on the DVD! Are we looking at "Cleopatra" all over again? (Why *do* these foul-ups always happen on titles I look forward to? I'm still waiting in vain for "The Great Race" to be fixed)

Quote:

"Other times, the dialogue just drops out, and I didn't know if this was on purpose or not (notably, when Montalban brings out the dinner and says each dish, it can't be heard at all, suddenly the music track is too hot).


Dee,

Every time I've seen the film in a theater this was how the scene sounded. Universal did a fine job with the sound mix. (But why didn't they used the 4 track mag stereo print for "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"?

Ain't that the truth. Probably no accident, either.

Gerardo,
Fosse created both "Charity" and "Roxie" for his ex-wife Gwen Verdon, So similarities should be expected.

I'm going to bump this thread up, so more people will have a chance to read about Sweet Charity, a fantastic movie, excellently-priced DVD, and in many ways, the Platonic-ideal of the recent award-winning musical, Chicago.

I dare you all to watch this movie and not love it.

Can someone confirm my question about the Exit Music being there or not? If it isn't, then Universal screwed up big time and the disc needs to be repressed.

I'm at work now, but I'll have to go home to check the Exit Music. I think it's there, though. Certainly the Overture and Intermission are there.

No exit music beyond the final credits. Sorry.

Then I hope the fans of this movie bring the matter to Universal's attention because this is not acceptable for a definitive version of the movie on DVD.

.