# All That Jazz (1979)

### reviewed by
Ryan Kohler

                                                "All That Jazz"

    A Review by Ryan Kohler

You'd think that a musical with Roy Scheider as the lead would probably not be very good. You know, because when I think of singing and dancing I think of Roy Scheider. In that aspect, Bob Fosse's 1979 film, "All That Jazz", is one of the best film musical films of the last thirty years and one of the best films of the late 70's.

Scheider plays Joe Gideon, an overstressed stage/film director who is pushing himself toward an early grave. He overworks himself, is constantly smoking, and does various other things detrimental to his health. This character is clearly the celluloid Bob Fosse, an overstressed stage/film director. This autobiographical film seems to infer that Fosse knows what he did right and wrong during his life. He presents those episodes with Scheider as his surrogate persona.

Gideon runs into trouble with his professional AND personal life. He is seen many times laboring over the editing of a film based on a controversial stand-up comedian (re: "Lenny", Fosse's 1974 film, starring Dustin Hoffman.) The edit is not going well and the studio is soon on his back. Then there is the stage production Gideon is in charge of; we see a musical sequence he has created, titled "AirRotica". Involving VERY permiscuous flight attendants, it soon angers the plays backers. It is obvious that Gideon is in trouble.

Fosse's directoral skills come to light during the dance sequence involving "AirRotica". He combines his cinematic skills with his theater background to create an almost disturbing number. The scantily-clad dancers in compromising positions combined with the lighting that Fosse chooses creates a decided air of decadence. It is very easy to see why uptight producers and backers would get upset about it. As theater its controversial, as film, however, this sequence it is brilliant.

Gideon doesn't have a great family life either. Obsessed in his work he is perhaps not the best father to his daughter, Michelle (Erzsebet Foldi). He is not a bad father, it seems, because when he is with Michelle they get along great. It simply seems that he is a father who may love his work more. He is still on speaking terms with his ex-wife, Audrey (Leland Palmer), a Broadway star in her own right. Thrown into the mix is Kate Jagger, (played by Ann Reinking, who may be playing her own alter-ego), a younger dancer that Joe is involved with. One more woman is around, too, though not in a conventional way. Angelique, an apparition played by Jessica Lange, is around to advise Joe on his problems and his future. If Clarence from "It's a Wonderful Life" had a kid, Angelique may have been her.

Much of the dancing involves the women of Joe's life. All the female stars, with the exception of Lange, sing and dance with much style and grace. Reinking and Palmer perform their acting roles teriffically as well, though it is in the musical segments they shine.

Gideon has a major heart-attack near the end of the film and as he lies unconscious he has a dream. He dreams of a television show, hosted by the gregarious O'Connor Flood (Ben Vereen), that celebrates his upcoming death: call it "This Is Your Death." Many of the people Gideon has been involved with in his life are there and various musical numbers come about.

Fosse kicks the style into high-gear at this point. Neon lights are abound on the stage, characters don different costumes, and, for a death march, it is quite upbeat. Even Gideon/Scheider gets into the singing/dancing act near the end, echoing the sung refrain during this segment: "Goodbye my life, goodbye." This masterful sequence combines all of Fosse's talents into one last shot of adrenaline and cinematic brilliance.

Roy Scheider gives the performance of his career in "All That Jazz." Since this film isn't a "conventional" musical (i.e. people don't randomly burst into song in this film, the musical sequences are logical and fit into the plot), Scheider doesn't have to sing or dance. All he has to do is to act, and boy does he! He captures all the pain the Gideon has inside of him as things happen to him. Gideon is a passionate man, especially about his work. Scheider shows us how Gideon cares deeply in all his work, the painstaking brilliance that goes into creating what he creates.

Fosse was a great filmmaker. "All That Jazz" is the zenith of his film work, a film that is entertaining and introspective. Bob Fosse made a movie about himself, about things that he believes in. The material is truthful about what is going on, as most of it happened to Fosse himself. With his film, "All That Jazz", Fosse's execution was flawless.

    Rating (out of 4.0):  4.0

"All That Jazz" (1979). Directed by Bob Fosse. Written by Robert Alan Aurthur and Bob Fosse. Cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno. Original music by Ralph Burns. Produced by Robert Alan Aurthur. With Roy Scheider, Ann Reinking, Leland Palmer, Jessica Lange, Ben Vereen, Erzsebet Foldi. Running time: 123 minutes. Distributed by 20th Century Fox. Rated: R. Available on home video.

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    16 June 1998

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