I watched this movie for the 'umpteenth time again last night. I saw it when it first came out, and have encouraged people over the years to search it out.
Checking the Oscar nominations, for 1970, it's shocking it was so neglected. I do remember a British magazine "Films & Filming" did award their Best Actress that year to Shirley Maclaine for Charity. To consider detail and depth that Shirley brings to her role, and to not even get nominated is just plain ridiculous. Particularly when you consider some of the winners for that and other years. Bob Fosse's direction is also a revelation. At the time the "freeze frame" was relatively new, and the way he uses it to reveal, Character, events and plot is wonderful Think of the images of Shirley after being dumped by Charlie an meeting Vittorio, or her dates with Oscar, and then their usage during "I love to cry at weddings' to indicate the problems that Oscar is having with Charity's past. I cannot believe Vincent Carby's New York Times review, it appears to be an attack on Shirley Maclaine( I think because he seems to think she was somehow at fault for Gwen Verdon not getting the part). To think that he was a supposedly qualified Film Critic and to come up with this ridiculous "review" which faults the performer's acting/ dancing and singing, is scandalous. My only reservation about the film is the ending, hen the words "..and she lived hopefully ever after" are flashed on the screen, it implies that Charity Hope Valentine never did find happiness, and I like to think that she did.
Checking the Oscar nominations, for 1970, it's shocking it was so neglected. I do remember a British magazine "Films & Filming" did award their Best Actress that year to Shirley Maclaine for Charity. To consider detail and depth that Shirley brings to her role, and to not even get nominated is just plain ridiculous. Particularly when you consider some of the winners for that and other years. Bob Fosse's direction is also a revelation. At the time the "freeze frame" was relatively new, and the way he uses it to reveal, Character, events and plot is wonderful Think of the images of Shirley after being dumped by Charlie an meeting Vittorio, or her dates with Oscar, and then their usage during "I love to cry at weddings' to indicate the problems that Oscar is having with Charity's past. I cannot believe Vincent Carby's New York Times review, it appears to be an attack on Shirley Maclaine( I think because he seems to think she was somehow at fault for Gwen Verdon not getting the part). To think that he was a supposedly qualified Film Critic and to come up with this ridiculous "review" which faults the performer's acting/ dancing and singing, is scandalous. My only reservation about the film is the ending, hen the words "..and she lived hopefully ever after" are flashed on the screen, it implies that Charity Hope Valentine never did find happiness, and I like to think that she did.