This past weekend (the first weekend in a long time which I actually had time to breathe) I watched one of my favorite old movie musicals "Sweet Charity". This movie is home to the songs: "Big Spender", "The Rhythm of Life" (Sammy Davis style), and "If my friends could see me now"...for those of you who enjoy old musicals. Set in early 70s- New York City... It stars the whimsical Shirley McClaine as Charity, a dance hall hostess who in trying to have the ultimate love, finds it in all the wrong men- until she meets Oscar Linquist, an insurance salesman. In the midst of all the bad relationships she's been through, she still keeps hope. As fate would have it, she runs into a famous actor (played by Ricardo Montobaun- oy...bad spelling) who shows her the ritzy NY life and gives her the time of her life on the town. She quits her job as a dance hall hostess and marries Oscar...he calls her his sweet Charity (ahh). Ofcourse he leaves her at the alter not being able to handle her past...homeless, broke, and emotionally shattered. For the first time, you see this whimsical, hopeful girl who has been independantly making it on her own since she was 12, feeling like she's losing control and her sense of self. Then the most wonderful people of the 70s, The Hippies, shower her with daisies and a smile to comfort her that everything will be alright. The energy and physicality of all the actors is trance-like. Amongst the stars I've named, this film also shares the spotlight with the fabulous Ben Vereen and Chita Rivera, two people who also starred in the AMAZING Broadway musical "Pippin" years ago. This re-affirming story showing the plights and the wonders of New York City at that time, confirms Charity's mantra "Without love, life has no purpose". Be it of true love, love of life, or love of self. Worth every penny... 4 1/2 stars!!!