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
Stars: Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Leland Palmer, Ann Reinking, Cliff Gorman, Ben Vereen, Erzsebet Foldi, Deborah Geffner, John Lithgow, Sandahl Bergman.
Kathryn Doby ... assistant choreographer
Gene Foote ... assistant choreographer
Bob Fosse ... choreographer
16 songs in the Soundtracks, some just in the score.
Rated 9 on 2006-01-02. I can't think of any reason it's not a 10. Like Singin' in the Rain ('52), which illuminates the history of the film transition from silent to sound, it not only works splendidly as a musical, it takes a fantastic look at a director/choreographer's life and death.
Although this won 4 Oscars, they were "technical", not Picture, Actor, Director, Writing, Cinematography (all nom'd). Fosse has co-credit on Writing. The competition was tough, but I'm not convinced the best won.
The dancing is marvelous, of course, even the rehearsals and cattle call montage.
The look of the film, especially in the fantasy/hallucination sequences, is marvelous.
Fosse lives until '87, age 60.
Columbia AND Fox, dir. Fosse; 10
