The Fascinating Full Story of 1972’s Cabaret

Based on a True Story

To understand the origins of Cabaret, we have to look at the lives of Christopher Isherwood and Jean Ross. The 1972 film was based on Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical book ‘The Berlin Stories,’ while Jean Ross, a friend of Isherwood’s, served as the inspiration for the film’s character of Sally Bowles, played by Liza Minnelli.

W.H. Auden, Christopher Isherwood, and Stephen Spender photographed in 1938.

W.H. Auden, Christopher Isherwood, and Stephen Spender photographed in 1938. Photo by Granger / Shutterstock

In 1929, Isherwood, an Anglo-American writer, moved to Weimar Berlin in order to enjoy the city’s gay scene without fear of the same prejudice he might receive in other parts of the world. There, he befriended Jean Ross, also a writer, along with other literary locals like W.H. Auden and Stephen Spender.