This second feature from director-choreographer Bob Fosse uses rich color, especially purple, in its depiction of decadent, Weimar-era Berlin. When naïve young Brian Roberts (Michael York) moves into a Berlin boardinghouse in 1931, he is unprepared for his new neighbor—the brash would-be star Sally Bowles, played by Liza Minnelli in her Oscar-winning performance. Purple is Sally’s color throughout the film, representing her indulgent lifestyle and her desire to one day become Hollywood royalty. The film received ten nominations, including Best Picture, and won eight Oscars including Minnelli’s—for the art direction, cinematography, film editing, adapted score, sound, Fosse’s direction, and Joel Grey’s unforgettable performance as the Master of Ceremonies.
This second feature from director-choreographer Bob Fosse uses rich color, especially purple, in its depiction of decadent, Weimar-era Berlin. When naïve young Brian Roberts (Michael York) moves into a Berlin boardinghouse in 1931, he is unprepared for his new neighbor—the brash would-be star Sally Bowles, played by Liza Minnelli in her Oscar-winning performance. Purple is Sally’s color throughout the film, representing her indulgent lifestyle and her desire to one day become Hollywood royalty. The film received ten nominations, including Best Picture, and won eight Oscars including Minnelli’s—for the art direction, cinematography, film editing, adapted score, sound, Fosse’s direction, and Joel Grey’s unforgettable performance as the Master of Ceremonies.
