Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Shirley MacLaine Jokes About $4 Million Sweet Charity Flop in Rare Video at 92
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 19

Shirley MacLaine Jokes About $4 Million Sweet Charity Flop in Rare Video at 92

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 19

Summary

  • Shirley MacLaine, 92, sent a rare video message to Southampton Playhouse ahead of its Aug. 25 screening of 1969 musical “Sweet Charity,” saying she wished she could attend and hoped viewers would like it.
  • Stage-whispering in the clip posted to Instagram, MacLaine joked that the film “didn’t do very well,” a nod to its long-known box-office failure.
  • “Sweet Charity,” Bob Fosse’s directorial debut, earned about $4 million domestically against a $20 million budget, and its flop briefly slowed Hollywood’s appetite for big-budget musicals.
  • The appearance was one of MacLaine’s few recent public moments after a December lifetime achievement award, as renewed attention also builds around “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration,” a new documentary featuring her fellow screen legend.

Insights

Why is 92-year-old Shirley MacLaine breaking her silence to revisit a film she openly admits was a commercial failure?
What hidden details about 'Sweet Charity' might finally be revealed during the exclusive Q&A with composer Cy Coleman's widow?
How did a massive box-office disaster secretly pave the way for one of Hollywood's greatest musical comebacks?