"Somebody Loves ME!" Charity Valentine's amazed and excited voice, as she realizes that someone might actually love her, really speaks to me, as does much of this excellent musical. Charity, played deftly by Shirley MacLaine, is an eternally hopeful dance hall hostess, who starts the movie jilted by her pimpish boyfriend who takes her money and leaves her drowning. She's down, but not out.
Warning: This isn't a professional type review. If I were ever to write like a critic, I'd have to think of myself as Mel Brooks so aptly put it, as "The afterbirth of art." If you expect a professional critics critique, please hit your back browser button NOW.
Just an honest viewer's .02
This is a movie I've rented so often that I really ought to have purchased it by now. The reason: Charity's eternal hopefulness in a hopeless situation is something I can relate to. Charity makes lemonade out of the lemons life hands her, but she does it in a series of great and memorable musical numbers. And does life hand her lemons.
Her first boyfriend we see in the movie dumps her in a way that you'll never want to be dumped. What does she do? Back at work she convinces herself that there's something better to do. Then she goes out to try to do it. This leads, of course, to the next adventure, which forms the majority of the story. If I tell you too much, you'll think you've got enough information to skip the movie, but you'd be wrong.
Let me put it this way: There's great songs, good dance numbers, and fun costumes. Hey Big Spender, for instance, is a wonderful dance and song number set in the dance hall, one you should see. Same thing for If My Friends Could See Me Now, delightful number. The whole movie passes by quickly and enjoyably, and you're left with the feeling that maybe Charity can make it, but the suspicion that there's going to be more absurd situations ahead.
Sweet Charity has all the elements of a good musical--good songs, good dance, good costuming, plus great cameos and a star filled cast, a plot you can follow, a few tearful moments, and lots of laughs. It'll keep you entertained.
If you like Sweet Charity, you might also like the musical version of Little Shop of Horrors.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.