1955 - I AM A CAMERA, you know it as CABARET

This was previously a play on Broadway.  Julie Harris had a big success in the role of Sally Bowles the madcap American living in pre-war Berlin.  The inevitable transition to film did not go particularly well.

In pre-Nazi Germany force of nature Sally Bowles becomes mixed up with reserved (stuck up) wanna be writer Christopher Isherwood.  She ends up moving in with him and it's one crazy adventure after another.  There's a subplot involving a Jewish woman who is romanced by Fritz a friend of Isherwood's as the persecution of Jews begins to gather steam.

As in Cabaret, this film contains the basic plot lines of the story, Sally thinks she's pregnant, Sally gets mixed up with a rich wacky American, Sally parties a lot and on and on. 

 

I Am a Camera was a big success on Broadway but you sure wouldn't know it watching this film something clearly got lost when they decided to film it.  Laurence Harvey played Christopher Isherwood but he seems really miscast and exactly where did the filmmakers get the idea he was funny.  As for Julie Harris well it's safe to say her performance is larger than life and is it ever larger than life.  It's borders on hammy at times and her inability to control her character really makes watching this film an ordeal.  When it comes to acting in film less is more.

Apparently the woman who Isherwood based the character of Sally Bowles on was none to amused by her portrayal on Broadway or film. In real life she was a writer, advocate, a life long member of the Communist party and a war correspondent.  There's an implied reference to her and Isherwood having a sexual relationship but Christopher Isherwood was a very gay author.  Well that's the movie business for you.

The screenplay was written by John Collier, the running time is 98 minutes.