Theda Bara and Josephine Baker

I have chosen to look at Theda Bara and Josephine Baker to help me develop an idea of Sally Bowles' character.

Theda Bara was an american actress who starred in many silent films between 1914 and 1926. She played Femme fatale characters and has been considered one of films first sex symbols, and although most of her films were lost in a fire she is still remembered and referenced today.

Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research, (1918), English: Lolette, the Spanish peasant girl (played by Theda Bara) uses a knife to defend herself (from an unidentified actor) in a scene still for the 1918 silent drama The She-Devil. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=104573 [Accessed 01 December 14].

Sally would have definitely seen and been inspired by Theda Bara and longed for her lifestyle. She will have looked at her facial expressions, styling and persona while she performed.

Josephine Baker was a French dancer, singer and actress born in America and was the first African-American actress to feature in a major motion picture, and to become a worldwide star. She was very present in civil rights movements and refused to perform for segregated audiences. She moved to Paris in 1925 and began performing on stage- doing erotic dances. She became a muse to many artists, sculptors and writers, and was especially successful in Europe.

Walery, French, (1926), Josephine Baker dancing the Charleston at the Folies-Bergère, Paris [ONLINE]. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Baker_Charleston.jpg [Accessed 01 December 14].

Due to Josephine Baker's success in Europe, Sally would definitely had known of her and she would have influenced Sally's life tremendously. Sally would have aspired to be as big a star, or bigger than Josephine Baker, and would have looked to her to see how she could do it.

Theda Bara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. Theda Bara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theda_Bara. [Accessed 01 December 2014].