Cabaret shows an interesting and tragic way that society can pay for an individuals escape from reality. The characters from the film demonstrate to the viewer how the people of Berlin suffer greatly from their attempt to escape reality. For through their own disillusions they allow the Nazi regime to come into power. As a consequence of this, society pays a price through suffering through the turmoil of the rule of the Nazi party.

Sally Bowles is both an interesting and complex character. Her continuous illusion of wanting to be "a big movie star" demonstrates to the audience that she attempts to escape reality on a regular basis. Sally is so wrapped up in her own world that nothing seems to affect her. A key scene demonstrating this is when Max's limo drives pass the Nazi bashing in the street. Bob Fosse has enhanced this seen by using freeze framing to give it a more dramatic effect and also create resent towards the Nazis. This seen also provides the viewer with an insight on Sally's unawareness of the outside world by showing her interrupting Max's and Brian's conversation, by saying "Hey Max, can we go to th

Society itself was trying to escape the reality of Berlin 1931. The people of Berlin were simply clinging to an irrational cause in the hope that it may bring happiness to them after years of despair. Although the older German population represented by Fraulein Schneider, wished that "the Kaiser was still here" so that order would be restored. They can see the path, which Germany is about to follow and are wishing for less turmoil.

The MC also makes constant reference to the impending Nazi uprising through his distasteful Cabaret acts and also his comments. After Brian asks the question "Do you still think you can control them?" it cuts to the Cabaret where the MC is silently answering his question. It is these small crosscuts that have a great effect on the overall theme of Nazism in the film. At the end of the film the MC only thanks in French and German. A stark contrast from the opening when he also uses English. It is evident that the MC has seen the rising of the Nazis in the German society. So consequently he caters for his new audience. The MC during the film appears to know everything, and he, himself, knows that society is paying the price for escaping reality.

As a representative of the ruling elite that was under siege by the imminent rise of the Nazi party, Max avoided all possible involvement in the plight that Germany found herself in, preferring to maintain the same cold, ironical distance that characterises his relationships. Thus condemning German society through his own disillusions and escapism from reality, to a fate of terrible wrath.

Through the characters of the film we see the way that German society is paying the price for its escapism from reality. If only a slight majority of the German population had thought about what sort of things they were following, and not seeked to escape from reality. The tragic events that followed could have been avoided. We are shown slight resistance through Brian and also the Klub owner. But all that the German society need listened to was the words of Fraulein Kost "If all the Jews are Bankers, how can they be Communists too?".

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sally Brian, Life Cabaret, , Nazis German, Max Brian, Sally Bowles, Brian It's, Boarding House, Fraulein Schneider, Bob Fosse, escape reality, german society, nazi party, sally brian, society pays price, life cabaret, brown shirt, characters film, people berlin, society paying, nazi bashing street, reality characters film, society paying price, bashing street,
Approximate Word count = 1530
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)