Cabaret (1972) wasn't the world's first offbeat musical, and it's far from the last. It certainly got the ball rolling, encouraging everything from Rocky Horror to Repo! The Genetic Opera to explore the genre's more sordid side. Bob Fosse's film is a departure from the sunny stylings of Rodgers and Hammerstein, with a story and line-up of tunes that are almost deceptively jaunty. Starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Joel Grey, Cabaret isn't visually outrageous but has an effective story about lost innocence.

The film begins in 1931 Berlin, at a time when the Nazis were gaining prominence. Brian Roberts (York) is a new young writer in town in search of the adventure of a lifetime. That's just what he gets when he seeks out a room for rent and ends up meeting outspoken entertainer Sally Bowles (Minnelli). Sally is the star performer at a local cabaret, where an impish emcee (Grey) allows the audience to vicariously indulge in their every debaucherous whim. Her appetite for life is unmatched; and it inspires Brian to come along for the ride. But being a free spirit comes at a price, as both the march of war and their relationships with others remind the lovers of the harsh reality that exists outside of the cabaret.

In musicals people tend to belt out what they can't express in mere dialogue. Cabaret does this too, though it's a little more abstract in its methods. With the exception of Brian, characters live in a constant state of putting on a show, masking their insecurities with a smile while the world is staring them in the face. Sally's club provides a place for their freak flags to be flown, and as all but one are performed within its walls, the songs comment on their true colors. As desires for fame and fortune ("Money, Money"), hopes for romantic stability ("Maybe This Time"), and attacks on prejudice ("If You Could See Her") are revealed, their catchy stagings are easily more digestible than another monologue. Fosse's depiction of the cabaret itself is key and comes across as a sort of man-made fantasy. The club is grounded in some reality, though its patrons come to be who they dare not be in public.

Cabaret's story is a tad touchy, and the music takes precedence over plot, which amounts to standard melodrama. There's nothing wrong with Brian clashing ideals with the often flaky Sally, but spare story threads that include a dashing suitor (Helmut Griem) who tests the two are poked around at Fosse's leisure. Minnelli is to so determined to charm her way into our hearts that it took me a while to warm up to her character. But as the film's tragedy was brought to light, I got more involved, and Minnelli's solid performance is further bolstered by her fantastic singing.

York also did well as a character who seems pretty vanilla at first but possesses certain complexities that Fosse handles with care. Overseeing all the drama is Grey's master of ceremonies, an Oscar-winning role in which he surveys the turn of events with a spring in his step and a wicked glint in his eye.

Cabaret is one of the more wise musicals out there, suggesting that being mindful of the world around you is as much of a priority as being yourself and having a blast. A little bit naughty and a little bit fun, Cabaret is off-kilter goodness no matter how you slice it.

Director: Bob Fosse

Writer: Jay Allen (based on the musical play, book by Joe Masteroff)

Cast: Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Joel Grey, Helmut Griem, Fritz Wepper, Marisa Berenson

Rating: PG (mature themes)

Classic Movie Guide Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Run Time: 124 minutes

Studio: Allied Artists Pictures

Format: Color, widescreen

Photo credits: Allied Artists Pictures