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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Julie Harris repeats her stage portrayal of the irrepressible Sally Bowles in John Van Druten's I Am a Camera. Set in pre-Hitler Berlin, the film details the curious, chaste relationship between Sally, an entertainer at a bawdy nightclub, and fledgling writer Christopher Isherwood (Lawrence Harvey). Shelley Winters co-stars as Natalia Landauer, whose impending marriage to a wealthy young Jewish man is imperiled by the anti-Semitism which envelops Berlin as the Nazis gain political power. If all this sounds familiar to you, it is because I Am a Camera is the non-musical precursor to the Broadway musical hit Cabaret. Both properties were based on Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories. Those familiar with the film version of Cabaret will notice that certain plot elements have been watered down in Camera. Examples: Isherwood's homosexuality is left unmentioned, save for Lawrence Harvey's opaque opening comment that he is "a confirmed bachelor;" and Sally Bowles' third-act abortion is changed into a false-alarm pregnancy. Also, Julie Harris' dynamic but rather overbaked interpretation of Sally is not nearly as memorable as Liza Minelli's Oscar-winning interpretation of the character in Cabaret. Still, I Am a Camera is well directed and deftly adapted for the screen (by John Collier); and even taking into consideration Ms. Harris' hamminess, she remains one of the most fascinating stage personalities of the mid-20th century. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, ...I Am a Camera
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
An aspiring writer (Laurence Harvey) in 1931 Berlin hooks up with an amoral party girl (Julie Harris recreating her Tony award winning performance) as the rise of Nazism casts its dark shadow over the nation. Based on the play by John Van Druten which, in turn, was based on Christopher Isherwood's GOODBYE TO BERLIN and later morphed again into the stage and film musical CABARET, this version is lighter and frothier. The bubbly Harris plays Sally Bowles as more of a junior Auntie Mame and while delightful, she's saddled with the the enervated Harvey who has most of the screen time. While quite daring for its time (it was condemned by the Catholic church's Legion Of Decency), director Henry Cornelius (GENEVIEVE) can't quite find the sparkle in the material. Malcolm Arnold did the score and Oscar winning Guy Green (Lean's GREAT EXPECTATIONS) responsible for the cinematography. With Shelley Winters and Anton Diffring in the Jewish heiress and the gigolo subplot and Ron Randell, who overdoes the vulgar nouveau riche American bit.
The Weinerworld DVD out of Great Britain is a more than adequate transfer.
The Weinerworld DVD out of Great Britain is a more than adequate transfer.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a peculiar screen rendition of Isherwood's Berlin tales. It never quite gets into the groove of being about bohemian ex-part Brits caught amid the rise of the Nazis, nor an engaging portrait of the free-spirited Sally Bowles. The Germanic setting is pantomimical, and the screenplay - based on John Van Druten's stageplay of the same name - is a bit all over the place. Julie Harris makes a fair fist of the role of the skittish ingénue, and her performance is quite uncharacteristically full-on for 1950s cinema. The real problem is Laurence Harvey as the tortured writer `Chris Isherwood' - his performance here is always forced and frenetic, and seems under-rehearsed; and Harvey's amazing quiff of dark hair steals all his scenes. Anton Diffring (not playing a Nazi this time) and Shelley Winters play third and fourth bananas. Halfway through the plot there is a strange attempt at a comic interlude set in a drunken party that is at odds with the tenor of the rest of the production. Maybe worth seeing for Isherwood fans, but at £12.99 rather pricey considering the fact that there are no DVD extras.
Format:DVD
An all-Star cast in this - an entertaining movie of much light-hearted fun and comedy.
This movie stars one of America's greatest stage actresses who has made several outstanding British movies during her long career: Ms. Julie Harris - who is also one of my personal favourites. This is one of them here where she plays the lively, full-of-fun and utterly adorable 'Sally Bowles'. As another Reviewer has already pointed out; nobody can help but fall in love with her portrayal of this wild character!
Some hilarious scenes ensue, when having imposed herself on 'Chris Isherwood', she proceeds to make his life unbearable (in a very lovely way!) and assists in his recovery from some 'unknown' illness.
I think we would all like to be swept up in an innocent whirlwind for a few weeks by someone like 'Sally Bowles' at some time in our lives - she makes you feel that life is only worth living for fun and enjoyment, and that one is to simply forget all the important stuff!
Also stars: Anton Diffring and Shelly Winters among some pretty big names!
Excellent!
This movie stars one of America's greatest stage actresses who has made several outstanding British movies during her long career: Ms. Julie Harris - who is also one of my personal favourites. This is one of them here where she plays the lively, full-of-fun and utterly adorable 'Sally Bowles'. As another Reviewer has already pointed out; nobody can help but fall in love with her portrayal of this wild character!
Some hilarious scenes ensue, when having imposed herself on 'Chris Isherwood', she proceeds to make his life unbearable (in a very lovely way!) and assists in his recovery from some 'unknown' illness.
I think we would all like to be swept up in an innocent whirlwind for a few weeks by someone like 'Sally Bowles' at some time in our lives - she makes you feel that life is only worth living for fun and enjoyment, and that one is to simply forget all the important stuff!
Also stars: Anton Diffring and Shelly Winters among some pretty big names!
Excellent!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Must see for all Cabaret fans,
Loved this, Sally is the most adorable character, its impossible not to fall in love with her. I can watch this film again and again!
Published 17 months ago by Kerry
Let's not talk about Chris
A rather strange adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's excellent BERLIN CHRONICLES. One can only marvel at the credits. Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Mr. P. Marcel
Not quite a cabaret
I am a Camera is the original of the later adaptation of Christopher Isherwood's classic drama of the decadent 1920s into 1930s Germany, and takes itself seriously. Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2009 by J. Scott-mandeville
Julie Harris at her finest
I am delighted that this will be available on dvd soon. I own
the vhs tape and find it one of Julie Harris' finest roles. Read more
the vhs tape and find it one of Julie Harris' finest roles. Read more
Published on 22 Jun 2004 by City Of Evanston
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