Now, here's a story you don't hear every day. Picture this: during the filming of the classic movie Cabaret, a tea sandwich accidentally slips off the plate and lands right on Liza Minnelli's bosom. What does she do? She doesn’t miss a beat. In character, she drawls, “Thank you … so much,” picks it up, and takes a bite. That's pure Liza—grace under pressure, and a whole lot of charm.
Behind the Scenes with Liza Minnelli and the Cast
Fast forward fifty years, and her co-star Michael York is still in awe of how effortlessly Liza slipped into the role of Sally Bowles, the bold and rebellious singer at the Kit Kat Club. "She was only 25 at the time," Michael, now 79, exclusively tells Closer Weekly. "She knew this was her big break, and she went after it with everything she had." Liza gave it her all, and the world hasn’t forgotten her electrifying performance.
The Legacy of 'Cabaret'
When Cabaret hit the big screen in February 1972, it wasn’t just any movie—it was a gritty, boundary-pushing modern musical that changed the game. The film went on to win eight Oscars, including awards for Liza, director Bob Fosse, and Joel Grey as the unforgettable Master of Ceremonies. It was a masterpiece that resonated with audiences and critics alike.
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For Joel Grey, now 89, Liza was more than a co-star; she was like family. "Liza was like my little sister, and she still is," Joel shares with Closer. "We’d get up early, drive to the set together, and she’d often fall asleep on my shoulder." It was a special bond, and it showed in their performances.
The Challenges of Filmmaking
Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Joel already had a Tony Award for playing the emcee on Broadway, but director Bob Fosse was hesitant to cast him in the film. "I think somewhere deep down, Fosse secretly thought he could play the role himself," Joel muses in his memoir Master of Ceremonies, released in 2016. But once Joel was on board, thanks to a producer's insistence, the unspoken tension between him and Fosse fueled his menacing performance. "I never backed down from showing just how dark my character could be," Joel says. His portrayal was irreverent, daring, and unforgettable.
Michael York played Brian Roberts, the British doctoral candidate who becomes the object of Sally's affections. "Liza had this incredible energy," Michael recalls with a laugh. "So, my main job was to try and keep her grounded." Michael, who wrote about his life in the 1992 memoir Accidentally on Purpose, found a perfect balance to Liza's high-octane performance.
Director Bob Fosse encouraged the actors to improvise, pushing them to explore the characters in new ways. "Bob was always throwing ideas at us, but the one thing he insisted on was that we all watched the dailies," Michael remembers. Watching the footage from each day's shoot helped them understand what was working and what wasn’t. "They sent us to Germany to make this incredible film," Liza has said. "And they let Bob Fosse do his thing."
A Timeless Story
Early in the process, Fosse asked Liza about her comfort with nudity. "He was challenging from the start," she admitted. While Sally kept her clothes on, the film didn’t shy away from tackling tough topics like bisexuality, abortion, anti-Semitism, and fascism. "It’s a creature of its time," Michael says. "It couldn’t go too far, but Bob knew just where to stop." The result was a film that was both provocative and timeless.
One of the most powerful scenes in the movie is the moment when the beer garden patrons rise to sing "Tomorrow Belongs to Me." "It’s so chilling, this anthem to the rise of Nazism," Michael reflects. "I say as we leave the garden, ‘Do you still think you can control it?’ And, of course, the house soon came down." It’s a reminder of the dangers of complacency in the face of growing fascism.
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Today, audiences still marvel at Cabaret’s vivid depiction of Berlin during the Weimar Republic. But it’s the film’s exploration of the rise of fascism that keeps it relevant. "It’s a warning," Joel says. "It’s happening in other places all the time. And it could happen again tomorrow." Cabaret is more than a movie—it’s a powerful reminder of history's lessons.
— Louise A. Barile, with reporting by Amanda Champagne-Meadows
For more on this story, pick up the latest issue of Closer magazine, on newsstands now.
