Broadway's celebratory musical about rejection makes it to the screen in a fizzless adaptation by Richard Attenborough that misses the whole point of the Broadway show -- i.e. the dancing and the dancers. Instead, the dancers become a limp Greek chorus for the dead love affair between a choreographer, Zach (a pre-Gordon Gekko Michael Douglas) and his old flame, the star dancer Cassie (Alyson Reed). Zach is holding try-outs for a new Broadway musical and, as armies of dancers are brought on stage to audition for Zach, he sits in the darkened recesses of the theater, puffing on a cigarette, as he winnows out hopeful dancers who want to become part of the chorus line for Zach's new show. Finally, Zach has reduced the dancers to 16 men and women, and he asks each of them to step to the footlights and tell him about their lives and their dreams. But backstage, while the dancers are confessing their pasts to Zach, Zach's past walks through the stage door. Sheila, Zach's ex-lover, whom Zach met, courted and broke up with in the theatrical environs, has returned. Once a big star, Sheila has returned to the theater -- not to see Zach but to audition for Zach's musical. She needs the work.
Customer Rating
5
i love this movie
on March 7, 2009
Posted by: mindyis20
from disclosed
i love this movie and always have since i was really little we would watch it when it was on tv, even after 20 years i still remember all the words to the songs.
What's great about it: ive always loved this movie...if you love dancing and singing youll love it too
What's not so great: i really dont care for extras and stuff