224. Today, Sally Bowles, aka Liza Minnelli, celebrates her 80th birthday 

Back in 2003, a colleague in Delhi shared a quote: “I believe all drunks go to heaven because they've been through hell on Earth.” This saying is attributed to actress, singer, and dancer Liza Minnelli. 

My friend was supposed to write a story about her, as she, along with her then-husband David Gest, was planning to visit India. However, the trip was postponed because of the threat of war in Iraq.

Today, Liza Minnelli will celebrate her 80th birthday. Renowned for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto voice, Minnelli has captivated audiences across two generations.

Her memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! My Memoir’s Kindle edition was released just two days ago by Amazon. In this book, Liza tells her story in her own words. I have not read the book, so I will share only what the publicity material from ‎ Hodder & Stoughton, the publisher, has been issued.

“Born into Hollywood royalty, Liza was the daughter of legendary director Vincente Minnelli and the incomparable Judy Garland - and yet her beloved Mama's brilliance was matched by deep personal battles, making her both an inspiration and, at times, a source of fear. In this deeply candid memoir, Liza pulls back the curtain on her extraordinary life, from her meteoric rise to Broadway and Hollywood stardom to the whirlwind of high-profile marriages and scandalous affairs, as well as the private heartbreaks of multiple miscarriages and lifelong struggle with Substance Use Disorder. 

“She relives the liberated nights at Studio 54, the activism and friendships that shaped her - including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Halston, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, and Princess Diana - and the fearless way she defied conventions, embracing sexual fluidity long before it was part of the public conversation. But above all, as she turns 80, Liza is ready to reclaim her truth, dispelling tabloid myths and setting the record straight with stories she's never shared before. Raw, strong, sexy, hilarious, and unapologetically honest, this is a defiant celebration of self-belief, survival, and stardust - proving once and for all why Liza remains one of the most captivating performers the world has ever known.”

I have watched many of her films, including my favorite, New York, New York. But more than the movies, I have read a lot about her because she has always been in the news. Her life is beautifully showcased in the documentary, Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story. 

During filming New York, New York, she was romantically linked to director Martin Scorsese while married to Jack Haley. Scorsese was also married to writer Julia Cameron.

During an interview, she explained, “I got lost in amour fou, (the French expression for a passionate relationship that becomes a self-destructive obsession). We were inseparable, and Marty believed the drug fueled his creativity. Or perhaps that’s just another incredible lie you convince yourself of when under the influence?” 

Here's another twist - Minnelli was also having an affair with Mikhail Baryshnikov during her relationship with Scorsese. But these are the acceptances that made these stars lovable to my generation.

Minnelli started her career with Best Foot Forward in 1963, when I was just a toddler, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the drama film The Sterile Cuckoo in 1969. However, she gained international fame after winning the award playing Sally Bowles in the 1972 musical film Cabaret. I also enjoyed her performances in Rent-a-Cop, Stepping Out, and, not to forget, the sitcom Arrested Development. 

Cabaret was directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, with a screenplay by Jay Presson Allen. It is adapted from a 1966 stage musical, which itself was based on the 1951 play I Am a Camera by John Van Druten and the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood. 

Cabaret, set in Berlin in 1931, focuses on four main characters and consistently highlights Fascism as its central theme. Sally Bowles, an openly promiscuous young American, sings at the Kit Kat Klub when a British man, Brian Roberts, moves into the same boarding house as Sally, and they become lovers. 

Fascism is the central theme, and the audience can feel the rising threat of German Nazism during the Weimar Republic. The climax occurs when, at the end of the film, in a rural beer garden, a blond boy sings “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” while wearing a Hitlerjugend uniform. But the ballad shifts into a militant Nazi anthem, and by the end of the song, almost everyone stands up and joins in singing. It is a chilling story within the main story.

Minnelli will forever be remembered, even years after she is gone, for her iconic songs such as “Cabaret,” “Maybe This Time,” and “New York, New York.”

We should be grateful to be fortunate enough to have such legends among us on this earth. 

Happy Birthday, Sally Bowles. We love your bold comments, your voice, and the way you smile and carry yourself at 80.