ROADSHOW VERSION
Fosse's first film is based of the Broadway musical he directed in 1966, based on Fellini’s 1957 film The Nights of Cabiria. Shirley MacLaine stars as Charity, the dancehall hostess with a heart of gold, with choreography reportedly assisted by Gwen Verdon. Fosse transfers his Tony-winning choreography to the screen, with highlights including performances by MacLaine, Chita Rivera, and Paula Kelly on a Manhattan rooftop, as well as Fossian takeoffs on chic disco dances and psychedelia. The film features Sammy Davis Jr., Ricardo Montalbán, and Stubby Kaye from Guys and Dolls, with a screenplay by Neil Simon.
“Zoom-happy Fosse’s choreographic conceptions are intensely dramatic, and the movie has some of the best dancing in American musicals of the period.”
– Pauline Kael, The New Yorker“A kaleidoscope of '60s kitsch and kinetic energy.”
– David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
We are thrilled to bring you the roadshow version of the acclaimed musical by Bob Fosse. In 1969, roadshow presentations of Sweet Charity were reserved for major big-city markets before the film's wider release. Out of the numerous films released in the US that year, only seven received the lavish roadshow treatment, which included special features like an overture, intermission, entr'acte, and exit music. For our screening, we will be faithfully recreating this immersive cinematic experience.
