Guide Note

Cabaret is the loosely based film version of the Broadway musical by Kander and Ebb. The story is about an American singer, Sally Bowles, who performs in a Berlin night club in 1931 and finds herself caught in a love triangle before the rise of Nazis power.

Fast Facts

1. Film Director: Bob Fosse
2. Starring: Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey
3. Film location: West Germany
4. Release Date: February 13, 1972
5. Run time: 124 minutes
6. Won: 8 Oscars, another 23 Wins and 13 Nominations
7. Broadway musical: 1966, 1968, 1987 and 1998
8. Broadway musical won: 15 Tony Awards
9. Smithsonian Institute selected it one of eight films preserved for future generations

Film vs. Stage

There are many differences between the film version and the stage version of Cabaret. Fosse's intention for the film was to create a more naturalistic environment with music, as opposed to a surreal musical setting. While the show incorporates a full songbook to move the story along, the film relies on dramatic scenes and only the songs sung in the Kit Kat Club. According to reports, since they wanted Liza Minnelli to play the character of Sally Bowles, they changed the character's nationality to American.

The Missing Songs

The songs missing from the film version are:

• • So What?
  • Don't Tell Mama
  • Telephone Song
  • Perfectly Marvelous
  • Why Should I Wake Up?
  • Meeskite
  • What Would You Do?