The Film Was Censored In West Berlin
Cabaret was not without its controversies. As well as being released with an X rating in several countries, the film had to be censored upon its initial release in West Berlin. The ‘Tomorrow Belongs to Me’ scene had to be cut as the producers feared that its presence might ‘stir up resentments in the audience’ regarding the Nazi movement of the ’30s.
Liza Minnelli behind the scenes on ‘Cabaret,’ 1972. Photo by ITV / Shutterstock
The sequence was later restored when the film was shown on West German television in 1976. The Nazism depicted in the film was a source of controversy in other parts of the world as well, with many critics discussing the fascist and anti-fascist messages and interpretations of various scenes and songs.