Sweet Charity (film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 1:12:47 PM Wikipedia source
Sweet Charity is a 1969 American musical comedy-drama film, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. It was adapted by Peter Stone from the 1966 stage musical—also directed and choreographed by Fosse— in turn based on the 1957 film Nights of Cabiria. It stars Shirley MacLaine in the title role, a taxi dancer at a Times Square dance hall. The cast also features John McMartin, Chita Rivera, Paula Kelly, Stubby Kaye, Ricardo Montalbán, and Sammy Davis Jr. The film was released by Universal Pictures on April 1, 1969. It received a mixed critical reception, but received three Academy Award nominations - Best Score, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. MacLaine was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance. Retrospective reviews have been more positive.
Infobox
Directed by
Bob Fosse
Screenplay by
Peter Stone
Based on
Sweet Charity(1966 Federico FelliniEnnio FlaianoTullio PinelliPier Paolo Pasolini
Produced by
Robert Arthur
Starring
Shirley MacLaine John McMartin Chita Rivera Paula Kelly Stubby Kaye Ricardo Montalbán Sammy Davis Jr.
Cinematography
Robert Surtees
Edited by
Stuart Gilmore
Music by
Cy Coleman (score) Dorothy Fields (lyrics) Ralph Burns (adaptation)
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date
April 1, 1969 (1969-04-01)
Running time
149 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$8–20 million
Box office
$8 million
Tables
· Musical numbers › Charts
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Chart (1970)
Australia (Kent Music Report)
Position
13
| Chart (1970) | Position |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 13 |
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Art Direction
Nominee(s)
Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen and George C. Webb; Set Decoration: Jack D. Moore
Result
Nominated
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Edith Head
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Score of a Musical Picture – Original or Adaptation
Best Score of a Musical Picture – Original or Adaptation
Award
Best Score of a Musical Picture – Original or Adaptation
Category
Cy Coleman
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Nominee(s)
Shirley MacLaine
Result
Nominated
Laurel Awards
Laurel Awards
Award
Laurel Awards
Category
Top Musical
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Top Female Comedy Performance
Top Female Comedy Performance
Award
Top Female Comedy Performance
Category
Shirley MacLaine
Nominee(s)
Nominated
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Art Direction | Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen and George C. Webb; Set Decoration: Jack D. Moore | Nominated | |
| Best Costume Design | Edith Head | Nominated | ||
| Best Score of a Musical Picture – Original or Adaptation | Cy Coleman | Nominated | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | Shirley MacLaine | Nominated | |
| Laurel Awards | Top Musical | Nominated | ||
| Top Female Comedy Performance | Shirley MacLaine | Nominated | ||
References
- "Sweet Charity, Box Office Information"http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1969/0SWCH.php
- Sweet Charity at Rotten Tomatoes Accessed August 10, 2023.https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sweet_charity
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The First 100 Years 1893-1993http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/23493
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2012/scene/news/actor-lance-legault-dies-at-77-1118059223/
- cinemaretro.comhttps://cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/3275-GEORGINA-SPELVIN-A-DEVILISH-DELIGHT!.html
- TIMEhttps://time.com/archive/6907719/that-old-feeling-when-porno-was-chic/
- "Ben Vereen steps out in the Triad"https://www.yesweekly.com/music/ben-vereen-steps-out-in-the-triad/article_72736296-ce3b-11ed-aae5-e7a9bdc6137f.html
- Australian Chart Book 1970–1992
- Turner Classic Movieshttps://web.archive.org/web/20110913103022/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/92067/Sweet-Charity/#articles-reviews?articleId=87919
- New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1969/04/02/archives/screen-a-blowup-of-sweet-charity.html
- 5001 Nights at the Movies
- "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, 7 January 1976 p 50
- "Sweet Charity - Festival de Cannes"https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/sweet-charity/
- "The 42nd Academy Awards (1970) Nominees and Winners"http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1970
- "Sweet Charity"https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/sweet-charity/
- Logohttps://www.logotv.com/news/geof52/best-spice-girls-solo-songs
- Voguehttps://www.vogue.com/article/bob-fosse-stage-theater-film-beauty-hair-makeup-cabaret-sweet-charity-all-that-jazz
- Peoplehttps://people.com/celebrity/inside-story-the-making-of-beyoncs-single-ladies/
- Billboardhttps://www.billboard.com/music/pop/no-tears-left-to-cry-reaches-1-billion-views-ariana-grande-9555836/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/jenna-ortega-wednesday-dance-sequence-1235443093/