A CHORUS LINE
US, 1985, 115 minutes, Colour.
Michael Douglas, Terrence Mann, Alyson Reed.
Directed by Richard Attenborough.
A day at the auditions for members of the chorus line for a Broadway musical. The initial singing and dancing is done with the large group to eliminate those who are not good enough and to pick a group of finalists.
Zack, a former dancer and now a star choreographer, arrives and sits with his assistant in a dimly lit box assessing the dancers. Only four men and four women are needed. Twice as many are selected for the final auditions and elimination.
Zach requires each of them to come forward, into the spotlight, and talk about themselves, their lives, their hopes, ambitions, talents, sexuality. Some are more exhibitionist than others. Some invent. Gradually, the group is more honest. Paul cannot speak about himself but comes during the break and reveals himself to a much more sympathetic Zack. Zack, however, is angry when former partner, Cassie, comes begging for an audition.
Finally, the choice is made and those not chosen leave. The chosen ones go on to the show.
Michael Bennet's award winning musical broke records in the 70s and 80s for numbers of performances and was popular all over the world. It relied on the dancing of its leads for its musical impact, the team work of the chorus line. Its songs tended to be character revelations rather than show stoppers. 'What I did for love' (Cassie's song) and 'One', the number for the audition are the best known songs by Marvin Hamlisch.
A Chorus Line was an unexpected choice for Richard Attenborough between making Gandhi and Cry Freedom. The movie was criticised as not doing justice to the play. However, with the passing of time and the strength of the dialogue and characterisations, it has much to offer.
Michael Douglas was in transition from TVs Streets of San Francisco to the big screen (winning his Oscar for Wall Street two years later). The seemingly ruthless choreographer role suits him, 'playing God' as regards who will be eliminated and who will stay. The sequence where he listens to the timid Paul, even coming up to the stage and reassuringly touching him is a fine moment.
1. An entertaining musical? Musical traditions? A chorus line as unique?
2. The transition from stage to screen, the opening-out devices, the filming of the dances? The choice of Richard Attenborough with his background to direct?
3. The musical score, Marvin Hamlisch, the songs and the characters, the moods? The songs as an occasion for a variety of dance?
4. The quality of the dance, the chorus, the individuals, their skills, discipline? The inner imagination needed for performing?
5. The title, the nature of a chorus line? The limited number of places, the possibility for success, an avenue for stardom? The effort required for such achievement? For a future? The anonymity of the individuals auditioning for the chorus line? Visualising this, the opening, the detail of the auditions, the development to rehearsal, to the finale?
6. The New York City setting, the film opening up New York as a city, the crowds, the cars, the theatre? The difficulties in getting to the theatre? The sequences with Cassie, the cab, the rain? A New York kind of film?
7. The structure of the film: New York City, the auditions, the eliminations? Zac and his being the director, hidden away, a "God's eye view" of the stage and performers? Larry and his work backstage? The introduction to Cassie? A developing personal tension with Zac and Cassie? The individuals, their stories, song and dance routines? The finale?
8. Broadway, the Broadway musicals and their mystique and tradition? The large number of hopefuls? All types? Dancing and singing ability or not? The possibility of being chosen? The limited numbers, the final sixteen?
9. The dance, the song "One", the range, the visual impact, editing, people and dancing, Larry's place?
10. Zac and his personality, Michael Douglas? Seemingly impersonal? His relationship with the theatre staff? Hidden, a voice? Personal with Cassie? Hard with her? His relationship with her in the flashbacks, love, the relationship, encouragement, the separation? His attitude towards the other performers, tough, a growing warmth, especially with Paul, coming down for him, touching him more personally? The criteria for his final choices?
11. Larry, friendliness, his role as manager, his advice to those auditioning? His friendship with Cassie, helping her? His discipline? His being a model for those auditioning?
12. Cassie, her arrival, her star status, desperate, pushy, hurt, the discussions with Sheila, her memories, her hopes, Hollywood, it not succeeding, arguing with Zac? "I Want to Dance", "What I Did for Love"? Zac and his seeing her age, being tough on her?
13. The chorus as a group, the hard work, the competitiveness, the different moods, the stories? Getting in line and giving their information, their name and age, what differentiated each of them from the other, their fears, their face to the world? The ordeal and their response? The techniques for Zac to get them to reveal themselves? True confessions or authentic confessions?
14. "I Can Do That", cripple to agile? Impersonations?
15. The WASP character, violence, unique, his story of Buffalo, how he was treated, homosexuality? Suicide being redundant in Buffalo?
16. Sheila, the older woman, having a child, a tough broad, the cigarette, flaunting herself? Singing at the ballet? The nineteen-year-old, her being scared?
17. Miss Texas, her pushing herself, the sexual provocation?
18. The song "Tits and Ass", changing? Val, Irish? The issue of oomph?
19. Al and Kristine, from the Bronx, imitating - "Do As I Say"? Kristine and her nervousness, blanks?
20. Paul, his silence, his wanting to tell his story later, the Puerto Rican background, changing his name? Homosexuality? The 42nd Street story of the cinema? His drag act? Unable to tell his parents, his father coming and giving him support? His fall, Zac coming down and reassuring him?
21. Morales, tough, cheeks, dreams?
22. The Chinese girl, her audition? Don, his work, jobs? The nineteen-year-old and the song?
23. The variety of stories, the variety of hopes? The skills, the drives, the test? Success and failure? The atmosphere of the finale and its glitzy tone? A Chorus Line as on of the American musicals?
