I.

I chose to discuss the scene - I suppose one can call this several scenes - from the 17:00 - approximately 21:00 mark.  This is the scene when Dr. Rath first goes to the cabaret to see exactly what his students have been talking about.  I chose this scene for several reasons.

The first is that it reminded me a lot of the carnival scene in “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.”  This is was because of the contrast between light and dark/foreboding and happy.  When Dr. Rath is walking to the cabaret, he is walking through darkness, a dark corridor, downstairs.  The impression the viewer gets is that he is walking to a dark place, almost descending into hell.  But the “hell” is actually a light and gay place, the chaotic cabaret.  Perhaps the director is implying that Rath is walking towards his doom, despite the superficial gaiety there. This reminded me of the scene in Caligari when the director contrasts the murders with the lightness of the carnival.  The chaos and escapism of the carnival also reminded me of the cabaret.  It must have quite a sight to see for a man of the tradition like Dr. Rath to see his beloved order and structure so turned upside down.  

I also thought it interesting the way that the scene shows the dynamics between men and women during this time.  Before WWI, Germany was a traditional, hierarchal place, with men overpowering women.  But in the cabaret, we can see this turned upside down.  The men are at the feet of the women; there are three schoolboys holding a cigarette for Lola, which she takes whenever she wants.  One of the boys literally acts as her cigarette holder while the others are just glad to be around her.  It is not surprising that Lola, while Rath walks in, sings a song in which she mocks “just a man”.  This is implying that Rath, once so respected, is merely a man like any other to Lola, to be played and thrown away.  Ironically though, the scene doesn’t inspire happiness; I came away from the scene not thinking “The cabaret is a place that I want to go to.”  Everyone looked so unhappy; the women, besides Lola, all looking bored, chubby, and drinking beer.  Lola herself needs to drink before dancing and the young men are doting on the women, doing nothing with their lives but ogling at Lola as she uses them for her whims.

I also noticed the generational angle to the scene.  Professor Murdaco pointed out in “All Quiet on the Western Front,” that there is a scene in which the old schoolteacher encourages young men to sign up to war.  The theme of the old betraying the young was apparently very popular during the 1920s Germany era.  But here, we can see the role reversal.  The old isnt’ leading the young; the young is leading the old.  The old generation, represented by Rath, is following the young, represented by his students.  In this world, the cabaret, the old is portrayed as an out-of-touch fool.  

II.  Lyrics

“Chuck Out the Men”

“They're ruining the country while we mop up the floor

They're flushing this whole nation down the drain”

I was surprised by the very anti-male message of this song.  I think it was interesting because in the beginning, the sing is very pro-female but then slides into anti-male as its main message.  I found it interesting that here, the song also veers into the political angle.  This is also mentioned in the chorus, which urges women to throw out men out of the Reichstag.  The idea here is the men are not just dominating society, but also ruining the country, “flushing this whole nation down the drain”.  I can only imagine how disenchanted people were from society after World War I.  It is a very nihilistic message - the old ways were a disaster.  Rather than reform it, let’s tear it down and start a new society, with women on top rather than men.  

“The Lavender Song”:

“We're not afraid to be queer and different

if that means hell -- well, hell we'll take the chance”

Again, we can see a nihilistic message here.  Previously, religion was a very powerful too in society.  But we can see a deep disenchantment with religion and the traditional views of society.  The Church urged that homosexuality was a mortal sin, but this song blatantly says that “we” don’t care because “we’ll take that chance” - in other words, that religion is probably a myth.  It’s as much of a pro-gay anthem as it is an anti-society one.  The lyrics tell people to be proud of being gay and different, but also imply a deep hatred of traditional society.