Sweet Charity is one of the most enjoyable,yet one of the grimmest films I have ever seen. Every time I view this film, I am left in tears, with an encumbering sense of despair and joylessness. Sweet Charity, is truly a gothic telling of the events in the life of one of the numberless drifters of the world, with no roots, and in the words of Matthew Arnold, "no help for pain." The protagonist of this film, adapted from the Broadway play starring Gwen Verdun, is a lonely dance hall girl known as Charity Hope Valentine (in this, the film version, played by the most wonderful Shirley Maclaine), a bright-eyed young woman caught in a desperate web of booze, faceless men, and music, who is searching for a better way to live. This film powerfully emphasizes the plight of those caught in her position, as she desperately tries to find her way out of her miserable poverty and what she deems is a bad way of living, yet being constantly pushed back by what seems to be the forces of the universe- her poor educational background, lack of skills, and the incessant trap of her life and existence within the dance hall.

Charity's first dash at attempting the better half is a chance meeting of a famous celebrity, who, becoming enchanted with her in a crowded restaurant, takes her back home, feeding her belief that she has finally come to realize a better way, only to push her out when inconvenience steps in after a night of camaraderie. This is followed by a freak accident in an elevator which would determine the rest of her life. Naively, yet optimistically searching for employment in a "respectable" job, and being turned away because of her grade school education and her lack of skills, she, by a stroke of fortune, gets caught in an elevator with a claustrophobic man, who just happens to fall in love with her. It is in this man that she, unwittingly, places all of her hopes and her dreams.

Sweet Charity is really a very dark and compelling tale of the urban underclass. Uneducated and unconnected, these souls, embodied in the characters of Charity Hope Valentine and the other dance hall girls ( the main two played by Paula Kelly and Chita Rivera), are brow-beaten souls, whose dreams of a stable life and respectability are negated by an indifferent system, which, with its forceful, yet passionateless strength, holds down these miserable souls. This idea is reenforced over and over again, firstly with her experience with the man that is supposedly her pimp in the park, and was even more powerfully shown in the scene of Charity's interview with the employment counselor, in which her lack of education and skills really becomes evident to the entire audience, and at the same time, one watches as each question comes from the counselor, as Charity's hope and self-esteem are crushed by this excruciating encounter.

The ultimate insult and injury comes when her boyfriend, the "suit" who has fallen in love with her, judges her, and abruptly leaves her alone and desperate, having cut her ties to the dance hall circle and expecting to enter the facade of marriage. Even his reasonings serve as a bitter pill to Charity, and certainly do not cast him in a flattering light. Yet, in the ending moments, Charity awakens and begins to find hope again, as she greets the people she passes in the park, and makes her way on to nowhere in particular. Her hope and joie de vivre here really befuddle me, as, at this point, I am already weeping and bemoaning the dreadfulness of the world. Yet, throughout, I leave this film feeling ever so richer for the experience, and more aware and appreciative of the gifts of life.

It is ashame that this film was treated as badly as it was at the box office, as it really includes some fabulous numbers and totally happening scenes, most notably the new-age church scenes with Sammy Davis Junior ( magnetic, energetic, totally hip) and the dance scene with Paula Kelly, Chita Rivera, and Shirley Maclaine. This film is definitely contemporary to its era ( the late1960s), and really does fit, ever so lightly, into the mood of the 1960s era. Unfortunately, the nation's film viewing audience, at the time of the release of this film in 1969,was tiring of the film musical, and ultimately all of them failed ( with the exception of 1968's Funny Girl). Fortunately, since that time, critics and audiences alike have come to appreciate the jewel that is this film.

I wholeheartedly recommend this film, for its sincerity, its beauty, and the intense levels with which it deals with the unfolding of the story within the film. Sweet Charity is a superb film, with marvelous performances from such top names as Shirley Maclaine, Paula Kelly, and Chita Rivera. This film is truly an incredible showcase for these talents, and jolts onto the screen a bright, naive, and desperate character, whose name encompasses every virtue that she possesses; Charity Hope Valentine- Generosity, Hope, and Love.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older