Sweet Charity

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Sweet Charity

G

Released Apr 1, 1969

2h 34m

Musical

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Popcornmeter

80%

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10 Reviews

73%

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5,000+ Ratings

Charity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine) always tries to look on the bright side of life, despite working in a rundown dance hall and contending with a seemingly endless run of bad dates. Determined to find love, Charity falls for suave actor Vittorio Vidal (Ricardo Montalban), but their romance is all too brief. However, when Charity finds herself stuck in an elevator with the reserved Oscar Lindquist (John McMartin), it turns out that she may have finally met her match.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

While it is no match for Cabaret, the inimitable Fosse flourish adorns a handful of first-rate musical numbers.

Jul 20, 2023

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Variety Staff

Variety

MacLaine’s unique talents as a comic tragedienne are set off to maximum impact.

Jun 30, 2008

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

In the manner of so many adaptations of hit shows, it recalls the stage production with a certain affection, but without any sense of what made it a hit and potentially valuable movie material.

May 9, 2005

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Brian Viner

Daily Mail (UK)

It’s thoroughly dated, but that’s part of its enduring charm — as is Shirley MacLaine!

Jul 14, 2023

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Chase Burns

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

While the film can drag, the musical numbers are still so sweet and bold and genre-defining that I found myself tearing up during this rewatch.

Jan 5, 2022

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Penelope Houston

The Spectator

If Charity, played by Shirley MacLaine in her sharpest innocent-at-large style, really wants to escape, it's hard to see what is holding her back.

Jul 12, 2018

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Eye C

This became, immediatly one of my favorite musicals, the psychodelic atmosphere and the 60s all over the movie rushes my body to higher places. The ending it's not encouraging by far, but it's a harsh and important message.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/14/25

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Stephen C

Success in 2 hours and 34 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/05/25

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Ginger 1

MacLaine is as charismatic as ever with some really beautiful dance and musical numbers. The apartment and rooftop sequences being my favourite. Sadly, this really out-stays it's welcome, which does not even feel earned by the unfulfilling end. Additionally, some of the editing is just bizarre.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/05/24

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Alec B

As it's Fosse's first serious attempt at a movie, some things are a little sloppy but for the most part it's enjoyably weird. Most of the musical numbers are exceptionally staged (Especially "Rhythm of Life" and "Hey Big Spender") and it's good that they got to keep the bitter sweet ending of the stage show.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/14/23

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Audience Member

What is this movie about? Waited 3 years to finally see it. YAWN!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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Audience Member

Bob Fosse's masterpiece. With song and dance sequences like "Big Spender" it was all about the little twitches of choreography, the hissing, the slow seduction of tiny motions from dead-eyed showgirls that made Fosse the best. Fosse had his own signature in dancing, and no one can mimic it, even today. The ultimate dance sequence is when the 3 acts are announced: The Aloof, The Heavyweight, and The Big Finish. You can watch these and no other dance sequence in film ever again, and you'd probably (nods) "I understand Life now." The plot is great, the music is fantastic, the dancing is innovative, the film is beautifully shot, and Shirley MacLaine is amazing at faking eternal hopefulness.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Bob Fosse

Director

Shirley MacLaine

Charity Hope Valentine

John McMartin

Oscar

Ricardo Montalban

Vittorio

Sammy Davis Jr.

Big Daddy Brubeck

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Synopsis

Charity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine) always tries to look on the bright side of life, despite working in a rundown dance hall and contending with a seemingly endless run of bad dates. Determined to find love, Charity falls for suave actor Vittorio Vidal (Ricardo Montalban), but their romance is all too brief. However, when Charity finds herself stuck in an elevator with the reserved Oscar Lindquist (John McMartin), it turns out that she may have finally met her match.

Director: Bob Fosse
Producer: Robert Arthur
Screenwriter: Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Neil Simon, Peter Stone
Distributor: Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: G
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 1, 1969, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2021
Runtime: 2h 34m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Mono

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