Mia Torres
Dr. Bolton
ENGL 394
18 March 2023
“It’s Showtime!”: All That Jazz Public Advocacy Project
In 1974, legendary Broadway director Bob Fosse struggled to keep his head on straight as he worked on the choreography for his new show Chicago during the day and edited his new film Lenny at night. He was cheating on his wife with the cast members in Chicago, chain-smoking cigarettes, and experimenting with drugs he might have run into on his way to work. But always the artist, he was inspired by his own life story and conceived the idea for the semi-autobiographical musical film All That Jazz.
All That Jazz gets its name from Chicago’s opening number. But that’s not all that comes from Chicago. The erotic choreography, which by the time of the film’s release had become Fosse’s signature, is on full display in All That Jazz. The editing also very closely resembles Fosse’s 1972 Cabaret. Roy Scheider plays Joe Gideon, a character whose life parallels Fosse’s in 1974 (Miller). He incessantly cheats on his girlfriend while directing and choreographing his show NY/LA and editing his film The Standup. He has a complicated relationship with his ex-wife, who continues to be his collaborator and muse. He, like Fosse, starts experiencing numerous health problems from stress, overworking, all the sex, drugs, and jazz. After a heart attack, he undergoes open heart surgery. Ultimately, Gideon dies before NY/LA’s completion.
Throughout the film, Gideon has conversations with a woman dressed in white. It’s made evident in the second half of the movie that she represents death. As Gideon edges closer and closer to his death, the film becomes incredibly meta. Fosse directs Scheider, who plays Gideon but is really a stand-in for Fosse, but then Gideon starts directing himself in a new production about the end of Gideon’s life. It’s a wildly stylistic spectacle, with musical number after musical number with minimal transitions. The film’s final act becomes the predecessor for Fosse’s show Dancin’, a Broadway show that abandons book and score in pursuit of conceptual portrayal (Kenrick).
A long history of musicals set Fosse up to produce his final masterpieces. In the 1960s, as Times Square became increasingly more dangerous, theatre makers went off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway to the small theatres and showrooms of Greenwich Village and the lower east side. This breakaway from 42nd street led to a rise in “experimental” theatre (Maslon). But also to a silent period on Broadway in the early 70s; most theatre anthologies skip over this piece of Broadway history (Jacobus). As Times Square became a center of crime, pornography, and sex work, dozens of theatres were destroyed. It wasn’t until the 80’s rock musicals and with the collaboration of a couple New York City mayors that Broadway was revived (Maslon). In summary, the 70s weren’t a popular time for American theatre, so it’s fascinating that this is considered Fosse’s prime. But this explains why he (and Gideon) hustled so much and simultaneously produced theatre shows and films.
The experimental theatre of the ’60s also led to the rise of “Concept Musicals.” A central concept drives the show rather than a plot in these shows. Fosse embraced the Concept Musical, which is why his directorial vision takes precedence over the book or score (Kenrick). All That Jazz deals primarily with two concepts. It criticizes “show business” and connects moral corruption to death.
The very first lines of the film expose some of the ways that exploitation exists on the Broadway circuit. The idea that people will change who they are (appearance, name, habits, specialties) to get what they want makes multiple appearances in the film. The film also connects how many artists rose through the vaudeville and burlesque circuits to achieve success on Broadway, but even in doing so, it demonstrates the exploitation that occurs. For example, in a flashback scene to Gideon’s youth, burlesque dancers tease him for being so young, eventually leading to acts of pedophilia and sexual abuse.
Gideon himself is an incredibly flawed person. He says so very early on and repeatedly demonstrates how very self-aware of his immorality he is. The film suggests that his failing health is brought on by his moral corruption and obsession with work. He’s also resistant to changing his ways, refusing to quit smoking and drinking even while in the hospital. He’s manipulative and usually indifferent to the people he hurts. Instead, he looks at the world as if everything has the potential to be turned into art. Going so far, in one scene, to respond to his girlfriend’s plea to stop cheating on her with “That’s good. I can use that sometime.” Despite his flaws, he’s well-liked by the other characters; or at least, they pretend to like him. He holds all the power in his theatre; everyone wants to be liked by him and seeks his approval.
All That Jazz relates to the course material in New York City on Film in the 1970s in a few ways. The exploitation, moral corruption, and abuse of power portrayed in this film are also explored by other films in the course. “Marketability” is something else that concerns not Gideon but the other producers. The sensuality of Gideon’s productions means that they cannot appeal to family audiences which would lead to decreased ticket sales which frightens the producers. On the same note, as the odds of Gideon’s survival and ability to complete the show grow, the producers meet to see what would happen to their finances. As it turns out, whether Gideon lives or dies could only affect them positively, as in no situation will they be liable for production costs. The best-case scenario for them would be for Gideon to die, the production to stop before opening, and for them to walk away with a profit of over 500,000 dollars. Thus, this film relates to the eruption of neo-liberalism and the disregard for the human person.
All That Jazz could contribute to some of the threads that other films in the course only begin to pull. The syllabus lacks an important piece of New York City’s identity: the art scene and especially theatre. If included in the course, this film would contribute to Times Square’s historical narrative and fill that significant theatrical gap. Fosse’s productions are extraordinarily sexual, contributing to the conversation about how American film changed after the Haye’s code was lifted. This film also explores the ordinary presence of the queer community in theatre and features people of color. Though some of Fosse’s productions are criticized for portraying caricatures of people of color, all of his productions have featured people of color in prominent roles. All That Jazz was nominated in the same year for nearly all the same awards as Kramer vs. Kramer, which is on the course syllabus. But they are very different films. It could be useful to compare the two movies and explore their importance when discussing films and film reception in 1979.
In addition, All That Jazz is a highly stylized film. Despite similar themes, it does not have the same grungy and gritty look that most of the movies on the syllabus have. Instead, it’s much brighter visually but also features a lot of variety. Therefore, it could prompt students to reimagine how films from this era look. For example, the final scene is an elaborate musical number that is very cheery despite being about death. This scene’s visual and audio elements juxtapose the thematic material and bring to mind the incongruity that Berliner describes in his book.
Finally, this film would be a fantastic addition to the course because its editing and focus on concepts rather than narrative is an excellent example of how 1970s film is unique from conventional Hollywood films. A signature of Fosse productions is the interruption of the narrative with musical numbers or hallucinations that initially seem unrelated. All That Jazz prominently features both. These interruptions “hinder narrative linearity and momentum and scuttle its potential to generate suspense or excitement,” (Berliner). This pattern in Fosse’s films and stage shows demonstrate how the narrative incongruity that Berliner describes works its way into the “mainstream” and extends past the film industry and into theatre. Gideon’s film The Standup receives criticism, not unlike the responses the class gave to movies on the syllabus, like Mean Streets and The French Connection. Fosse was accustomed to the reception of unresolved narratives. Cabaret though highly praised, was criticized for its ambiguity, and Chicago received similar backlash. All his productions were criticized for their eroticism and exploration of sexuality (Kenrick). Fosse films are unafraid to make audiences uncomfortable, and All That Jazz features scenes that display how Gideon’s choreography or editing upset audiences.
The general public should watch this film because it combines nearly all the elements that distinguish 1970s film from conventional American cinema while still using spectacle that always appeals to audiences. There are incredible dancing performances with fantastic staging, costumes, and music. The editing in this film is unique but recognizable. Elements such as repetition, montage, and cut scenes are successfully used in this production. The final act of this film is an almost entirely different movie, and this may appeal to some more niche audiences (fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, for example). Roy Scheider’s performance is astounding. His ability to make a character, who, on paper, should be unbearable, and instead seems very likeable, is impactful. Finally, this film is an excellent example of Bob Fosse’s choreography and directing style. As a Broadway legend from a forgotten era, this film (though not a precise retelling of his life story) is educational on his life and legacy.
I created three posters advocating for the general public to see this film. In all three, I included the line, “It’s showtime folks.” This line has been famous in show business for decades and is something Gideon repeats to himself in the mirror as part of his morning routine. This iconic sequence of the movie has been recreated in many productions since All That Jazz, most recently and popularly in Better Call Saul. The popularity of this line and Better Call Saul will hopefully establish a connection with the posters’ audience and draw on their previous experience with the line.
In two posters, I used the same image of Roy Scheider striking the pose in the mirror that accompanies the line. In this frame, Scheider’s back is to the camera. I hope this will create a sense of mystery and make the viewer curious about the film. In the poster that uses this image as a background, I made the title very large and used eye-catching but still legible text. In this poster, I included an enthusiastic “call to action.” It also provides some context for what the film might be about. This poster calls attention to theatre buffs by using Fosse’s name twice and mentioning that it’s a Broadway legend’s film. This creates a sense of importance and relevance for theatre people. The poster with a yellow-hued background is simpler. It features less of the same portrait and even less context, so it’s even more mysterious.
The third poster provides more context than the other two. I featured multiple frames from the film that show off its variety and some of the elements an audience member can expect to see. I put one of the most interesting moments from the movie on the poster: the burlesque dancers surrounding a hospital bed. I hope this will pique a viewer’s interest. I put the synopsis in large text at the bottom of the poster so that if people are drawn to the huge title, and their eyes go downward, they don’t just skip everything but instead can glaze over the middle and still have something to read at the end. The synopsis is probably one of the more essential things about the movie, so I wanted to make it very short and legible so that viewers can get a quick idea about what it is about. I used many “buzz words” in the densest part of the film’s description in the center so that if people bother to read the text, they leave with a positive feeling and a sense of the film’s importance.
The final element that went into these posters is that I prey on FOMO (fear of missing out) culture. For this reason, I also included that the film received praise and honors. Despite all the criticism, the Oscars are a massive honor, and the public views awards as a stamp of approval and evidence that this movie is a good film. By pointing out that All That Jazz is a beloved film, I want the poster’s viewers to feel like they are missing out on a conversation about something incredible. For the same reason, I wrote that Bob Fosse and the film are iconic, legendary, and spectacular. I hope this will cause the poster’s audience to wonder why I gave them such high praise.
The cause for such praise is this: Bob Fosse’s semi-autobiographical musical film All That Jazz is a culmination of his career, drawing on his experiences in the theater world and his struggles to create a poignant and stylistically groundbreaking work of art. Through the character of Joe Gideon, played masterfully by Roy Scheider, Fosse exposes the ruthless exploitation and unyielding pressure of the Broadway circuit in the 1970s. Despite his flaws, Gideon is relatable and sympathetic, reminding us of the human cost of success in a cutthroat industry. It is a powerful commentary on show business’s dark, exploitative, and corrupting influence and the toll that such a lifestyle takes on one’s health and relationships. The film artfully explores themes of moral corruption and death. This film demonstrates Fosse’s understanding of the Concept Musical and is an excellent example of Berliner’s principles of 1970s narration. Fosse’s directing style and signature erotic choreography are on full display culminating in a stylistic spectacle. Being such a monumental film and theatre director from the 1970s, I believe this course lacks Fosse and Broadway representation. Therefore, this film could help round out the syllabus. The general public can also benefit from this film, as it’s an educational and enlightening experience on the director, theatre, and film from the 1970s. I believe the public-facing works I have made to advocate for this film strike viewers’ curiosity and highlight the importance of Bob Fosse’s contributions to American cinema as a creative. Ultimately, All That Jazz is a testament to Fosse’s talent as a visionary director and choreographer, leaving a lasting impact on musical theatre and film.
Works Cited
Berliner, Todd. “Chapter 2 Narrative Incongruity in Seventies Cinema.” Hollywood Incoherent: Narration in Seventies Cinema, University of Texas Press, Austin, TX, 2012, pp. 25–52.
Fosse, Bob, et al. All That Jazz. Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979.
Jacobus, Lee A. “Contemporary Drama Timeline.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Drama, Bedford/St. Martins, Boston, MA, 2009, pp. 847–850.
Kenrick, John. “History of The Musical Stage 1970s II: Concept Musicals.” The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, Film, and Television, 2014, https://www.musicals 101.com/1970bway2.htm#Fosse.
Kenrick, John. “Theatre in NYC: History - Part IV.” The Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, Film, and Television, 2014, https://www.musicals101.com/bwaythhist4.htm#Off.
Maslon, Laurence. “Resurrection of 42nd Street.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 5 Nov. 2012, https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/essays/resurrection-of-42nd-street/.
Miller, Julie. “Fosse/Verdon: How Bob Fosse's near-Death Experience Inspired All That Jazz.” Vanity Fair, 15 May 2019, https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/bob-fosse-heart-attack-all-that-jazz-gwen-verdon.