it a sad fact that a period movie will almost always reflect the year it be make more than year ( s ) it take place . take and for instance and julie christie hair in dr. zhivago and or kate beckinsale . well and entire appearance in van helsing ( although and be that even an issue in that steam pile of bad fx . ) . one of the best aspect of cabaret and then and be that it truly do feel like youre watch a movie from 1931. well and sort of . if it be make in 1931 and it would almost certainly be in black and white and have primitive sound quality ( sound picture still be relatively new at that time ) and and maybe be a little less frank about it homosexual content ( although be that 1931 be a year pre code and who know . ) . perhaps a good way of put it be represent cabaret look like youre watch actual event from 1931 and not 1931 by way of 1972. the costume and makeup ( the overly arch brow and pancake makeup of the kitkat girl be just as creepy a it be sexy and if not more so ) and set and and even attitude be practically a live postcard of weimar germany ( as far a this 23 year old american can tell ) . there be no glare anachronisms here . it astonish . another be the character of sally . fledgling writer be always encourage to make their protagonist as sympathetic a possible and otherwise what will care about their journey . sally be flighty and shallow and self center and and prove that she can be buy . why do we love her so . why do our heart break when her father stand her up after she spend the first half an hour lie about how much he care for her . more important than sympathy ( or empathy ) in a character and imo and be dimension . with good and there be bad . with pattern and there be contradiction . sally and above all the aforementioned characteristic and be career driven . and no one go to the top without a little white lie or two ( or three and or four . ) . of course and dimension or no dimension and the wrong actress ( or even poor act by a great actress ) could make this character fall flat . it because of that and that one can not speak of this role without mention the sparkling liza . those who dislike the movie often site liza over the top acting a a chief flaw . i do not see that here . perhaps if she be the sally from the stage production bring over to film and this would be the case and a sometimes stage actor forget how intimate a medium film be ( the severely under rat rent do suffer from this occasionally and for example ) . her singing and while jaw drop to say the least and be just one part of her role . watch this girl act . look at the giddy expression on her face when max volunteer to corrupt her and brian . watch her desperately ( and eye roll ly ) try to impress the upper crust at a dinner party . watch her try and play down the immense physical pain she must be in after a back alley abortion . yes and she have an amazing voice and but this be performance that would scream oscar . even if there be no singing at all . but and cabaret be a musical . another sad fact be that when showtunes become standard and they lose almost all of the potency they have in context . sure the title track be a fun song and all come to the cabaret and old chum . life be a cabaret . on it own . but watch it where it belong it quite depress . she lose a good man and friend ( i doubt she will be see much of fritz after the wedding ) and and in the end her career be in the same spot it be when the movie begin . the nazi and once dismiss a a thuggish cult and be grow in number . how much longer do she have to be safe . good enjoy what she have leave . see what i mean . this be a dark musical and folk . no happy end and fade to black here . the song and all perform in the night club and avoid the suspension of disbelief require for other musical when character randomly burst into song on the sidewalk . and though they do not further the plot along in the strict sense and they do parallel . two lady be sing while max and sally and and brian drive to his mansion . mein herr be sing when sexual tension begin to arise between sally and her new roommate . foreboding . i think so . and what can one even say about joel grey that hasn not already be say . pure . genius . no one else can make you simultaneously laugh and feel uncomfortable like that . cabaret be a brilliant watch represent dark and clever and complex and but un deniably catchy and not date by a long shot . you will get chill and frown at the end . but then you will rewind to the beginning and watch it all over again .