All That Jazz (1979)

December 1, 2022 10:39 AM

When he is not planning for his upcoming stage musical or working on his Hollywood film, choreographer/director Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider) is popping pills and sleeping with a seemingly endless line of women. The physical and mental stress begins to take a toll on the ragged perfectionist. Soon, he must decide whether or not his non-stop work schedule and hedonistic lifestyle are worth risking his life. The film is a semi-autobiographical tale written and directed by the legendary Bob Fosse.

Also starring Jessica Lange, Ann Reinking, Leland Palmer, Cliff Gorman, Ben Vereen, Erzsebet Foldi, Michael Tolan, Keith Gordon, John Lithgow, Sandahl Bergman, CCH Pounder.

87% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on Tubi. JustWatch listing.

posted by DirtyOldTown (7 comments total)

[TRAILER]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:50 AM on December 1, 2022

I see we're on a Fosse kick today.

There are parts of this movie that are almost unwatchable, but it is also amazing.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:25 AM on December 1, 2022

I think that I may have seen this in the theater; it's the only thing of Fosse's that I've seen besides Star 80 (a very different movie, and very difficult to watch in parts), and I had no real context for it at the time, having seen none of his stage work--I'm still not sure if the final "Bye Bye Life" number is an accurate evocation of Fosse's usual style, an elegant self-pisstake of same, or a bit of both, but it's very compelling regardless.
posted by Halloween Jack at 11:38 AM on December 1, 2022

I see we're on a Fosse kick today.

I was originally going to post six great musicals that weren't yet on FF. But upon discovering three of the best were Bob Fosse pictures, just posting all Fosse seemed like the way to go.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:15 PM on December 1, 2022

I recently rewatched this along with Fosse/Verdon (highly recommended!), and it is uneven and indulgent. But the great parts are enough to overlook the not-so-great bits. The opening, Ann and the kid’s number, and Bob—I mean Joe’s scene with his daughter are the tops.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:19 PM on December 1, 2022

This is one of the most self-indulgent movies I have ever seen, and I forgive him everything because it is also amazing. If I could set my own death to a production number with Ben Vereen, you can damn well bet your Grandma's long underwear I'd do it. And it's not like he spares himself any reflection on the wrongs he's done.

This is also where my crush on Roy Scheider really took off.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:54 PM on December 3, 2022 [2 favorites]

I always shake my head when I remember that Fosse made Ann Reinking go through several rounds of auditions to play the character that was based on her.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:16 PM on December 15, 2022