All That Jazz (1979)

Director/choreographer Bob Fosse tells his own life story as he details the sordid life of Joe Gideon, 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 6 wins & 14 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

Joe Gideon is a Broadway director, choreographer and filmmaker, he in the process of casting the chorus and staging the dance numbers for his latest Broadway show, starring his ex-wife Audrey Paris in what is largely a vanity project for her in playing a role several years younger than her real age, and editing a film he directed on the life of stand-up comic Davis Newman. Joe's professional and personal lives are intertwined, he a chronic philanderer, having slept with and had relationships with a series of dancers in his shows, Victoria Porter, who he hired for the current show despite she not being the best dancer, in the former category, and Kate Jagger, his current girlfriend, in the latter category. That philandering has led to relationship problems, with Audrey during their marriage, and potentially now with Kate who wants a committed relationship with Joe largely in not wanting the alternative of entering the dating world again. Joe also lives a hard and fast life, he chain ...

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | dream | narcissism | 1970s | text based poster | 

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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:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Musical

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

20 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hinter dem Rampenlicht

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$86,229, 23 December 1979, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$37,823,676

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The only Best Picture Oscar nominee that year to be also nominated for Best Costume Design.

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Goofs

Close-up of "Young Joe" with hazel eyes is shortly followed by a close-up of adult Joe with blue eyes.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Joe Gideon: To be on the wire is life. The rest is waiting.
Angelique: That's very theatrical, Joe
Joe Gideon: Yeah, I know.
Angelique: Did you make that up?
Joe Gideon: I wish I had. Do you like it?
Angelique: Eh, it's all right.

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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

Referenced in New York at the Movies (2002)

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Soundtracks

You Better Change Your Ways
(uncredited)
Music by W. Benton Overstreet
Lyrics by Billy Higgins
Performed by Ann Reinking with Leland Palmer and Erzsebet Foldi

User Reviews

Razzmatazz and Ballyhoo

The fact that this thinly disguised Bob Fosse bio turned out so well makes it even more weird to watch today. Especially now knowing of this great choreographer's real-life demise at so early an age.

All the glitz, glamor and fizz of creating works for Broadway audiences is here in sweaty abundance. Fosse chain-smokes, pops pills and stresses his way to health challenges . . . only to stylize out of it a big dance number! Roy Schneider throws himself into the proceedings with total abandonment, as does the rest of the hard-working cast. For me, it's tough going all the way, having lived in the Big Apple for a while and experienced the pulse and beat of the Great White Way. 'Tain't no picnic, chum.

Also the bizarre demands of Broadway audiences, hungry for increased sensationalism and daring bravura: more twists, turns, leaps and falls--no matter the physical devastation upon fine young bodies.

The plight of having to outdo one's self after each breathtaking piece of work falls on the likes of acrobats, magicians, dancers and choreographers.

Where does it end? Here on the operating table and a great show-stopping finale to the grave.