Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Roy Scheider | ... | ||
Jessica Lange | ... | ||
Leland Palmer | ... | ||
Ann Reinking | ... | ||
Cliff Gorman | ... | ||
Ben Vereen | ... | ||
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Erzsebet Foldi | ... | |
Michael Tolan | ... |
Dr. Ballinger
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Max Wright | ... |
Joshua Penn
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William LeMassena | ... |
Jonesy Hecht
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Irene Kane | ... |
Leslie Perry
(as Chris Chase)
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Deborah Geffner | ... |
Victoria
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Kathryn Doby | ... |
Kathryn
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Anthony Holland | ... |
Paul Dann
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Robert Hitt | ... |
Ted Christopher
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Choreographing and picking dancers for his current show whilst editing his feature film about a stand-up comedian is getting to Joe Gideon. Without the chemical substances, he would not have the energy to keep up with his girlfriend, his ex-wife, and his special dancing daughter. They attempt to bring him back from the brink, but it's too late for his exhausted body and stress-ravaged heart. He chain-smokes, uses drugs, sleeps with his dancers and overworks himself into open-heart surgery. Scenes from his past life start to encroach on the present and he becomes increasingly aware of his mortality. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
Bob Fosse's autobiographical look at his life, with Roy Scheider fabulously standing-in for Fosse as Joe Gideon, pill-popping, womanizing director-choreographer on the verge of collapse in New York City. Fosse paints himself as suspicious, paranoid, driven, indifferent, exhausted and horny. It's more than most of us want to know about the guy, who seems intent on showing us what a creep he is...but a talented creep! It's a film that doesn't particularly look good (it's a gray, chilly movie), but it has amazing musical flourishes and the self-styled bombast is actually rather amusing once you get the idea. Jessica Lange is beautiful in an early role as the Angel of Death (imagine Fosse explaining that role to her!), and Scheider's performance is really something to see (only occasionally does the camera catch him not knowing what to do). Fosse tries hard not to be pretentious, he keeps things playful and perky, and his ironic ending is wincingly funny. The film is alive and ticking--but that's not Fosse's heart, it's a time bomb. *** from ****