“Cabaret” and the History of Berlin’s Cabarets Anonymous College

While “Cabaret” relies on the cabaret setting as a narrative force of the film, it is also based in the history surrounding cabaret performances in Berlin. Both in the film and in real life, the cabaret served as a place of degenerate art and political dissent; this status set the cararet apart from other venues of art and performance in Berlin at the time. The historical and cultural context of cabaret performances in Berlin proves that the cabaret is inherently political and anti-fascist, which proves the political and anti-fascist nature of scenes and performances in the film, namely including “Money” and “Cabaret”.

In Friedrich Hollaender’s essay “Cabaret”, he describes the nature of the cabaret as “dispensing a poison cookie” under the cover of normal evening entertainment, meaning radical ideas are easily spread through performances in the cabaret subconsciously, appearing on the surface as fun entertainment. This can be observed in many elements of the film “Cabaret”, namely in the songs “Money” and “Cabaret”. This effect of subtle yet intense political indoctrination is a key point in understanding the cultural and historical context and importance of “Cabaret” as a whole. “Money” is a performance by Sally Bowles and...