All That Jazz (1979)

Director/choreographer Bob Fosse tells his own life story as he details the sordid life of Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), a womanizing, drug-using dancer.

Director:

Bob Fosse

Writers:

Robert Alan Aurthur, Bob Fosse

Stars:

Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Leland Palmer

Won 4 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roy Scheider	...	Joe Gideon
Jessica Lange	...	Angelique
Leland Palmer	...	Audrey Paris
Ann Reinking	...	Kate Jagger
Cliff Gorman	...	Davis Newman
Ben Vereen	...	O'Connor Flood
Erzsebet Foldi	...	Michelle
Michael Tolan	...	Dr. Ballinger
Max Wright	...	Joshua Penn
William LeMassena	...	Jonesy Hecht
Irene Kane	...	Leslie Perry (as Chris Chase)
Deborah Geffner	...	Victoria
Kathryn Doby	...	Kathryn
Anthony Holland	...	Paul Dann
Robert Hitt	...	Ted Christopher

Storyline

Director/choreographer Bob Fosse tells his own life story as he details the sordid life of Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), a womanizing, drug-using dancer.

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Plot Keywords:

dancer | editing | stand up comedian | film making | autograph | 

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Taglines:

All that work. All that glitter. All that pain. All that love. All that crazy rhythm. All that jazz.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Music | Musical

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

20 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

All that jazz - Lo spettacolo continua

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Julie Hagerty was once romantically involved with director/choreographer Bob Fosse, she was cast in a small role in this film. Her role ended up on the cutting room floor.

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Goofs

In a closeup of back of Joe's head during Bye Bye Love number, a large strip of Scotch tape is inexplicably running across back of his head.

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Quotes

[Kate Jagger has just finished setting up a dinner date, probably to make Joe jealous]
Joe Gideon: Who was that?
Kate Jagger: Michael Graham
Joe Gideon: Who is Michael Graham?
Kate Jagger: A dancer in my ballet class.
Joe Gideon: Straight or gay?
Kate Jagger: What do you mean?
Joe Gideon: I mean, is he looking to get laid or is he looking for Mr. Right?
Kate Jagger: He's straight.
Kate Jagger: And tall...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits, only the company credits and the title, which resembles revolving Broadway lights.

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Connections

Featured in The 52nd Annual Academy Awards (1980)

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Soundtracks

"Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag And Smile, Smile, Smile"
(1915) (uncredited)
Music by Felix Powell
Lyrics by George Asaf
Sung a cappella by Roy Scheider and Tiger Haynes

User Reviews

A self-indictment.

All that Jazz is a great film that almost seems to have dropped off the radar screen of classic musicals. The film gives us the account of a choreographer named Joe Gideon (Scheider) whose relentless way of living drives him straight into the grave. The character is based on the real life of director Bob Fosse who suffered the same fate in 1987. Gideon is a womanizing, drug abusing, perfectionist who begins each morning with the same routine. He pops a few pills, takes some Alka-Seltzer, jumps in the shower (sometimes with a cigarette in his mouth!), and declares it's "showtime" after giving himself one last look in the mirror. When we meet him, he's currently putting the finishing touches on a film he's just directed, and he's beginning work on a new Broadway musical. The man looks absolutely exhausted. He's always smoking. He seems on the brink of collapse from angina, and he frequently grasps his left arm apparently in an effort to determine if his heart is still beating or not.

The main idea behind this film is that Gideon knows he's dying. The life he has lived has assured him only a brief stay on this earth. As the film plays out, we see how Gideon comes to grips with his impending fate. His final journey is often touching; sometimes joyful. But above all, it is compelling and once it's over, you'll probably wish Gideon had hung on longer. He seemed to have so much to live for. Even the people around him who he's hurt in life (his ex-wife and current girlfriend, for example) still are a big part of his life. He has a wonderful daughter who he's just getting to know, as well. Without him around, there would certainly be an enormous void left for all of the central characters in this film. We see him confess his life's sins to Jessica Lange who plays an angel waiting to usher him into the afterlife once he finally succumbs to his medical problems. The closer the two of them get, the closer he is to the grave.

Fosse's direction is exceptional. His musical numbers (particularly Airotica) are top-drawer as you'd expect them to be. And he's never afraid to shock you with his camera-work. At one point we get an up-close and personal look at Gideon's heart surgery, and that's a bit grotesque for a musical. Remember this is the same director that showed us Dorothy Stratton's face getting blown off with a shotgun in Star 80.

Fosse also understandably knows these characters better that they know themselves. By the end of the film, you really know Joe Gideon, and you feel like you've lived part of his life. Fosse saw the same fate coming to himself, and indeed it found him in 1987. We often wish exceptional individuals would stick around longer, but then again it's the way they live that makes them so exceptional.

This film is highly recommended. 9 of 10 stars.

The Hound.