A Chorus Line (film)

Infobox Film
name = A Chorus Line

|thumb|frame
caption = Original poster
director = Richard Attenborough
producer = Cy Feuer
Ernest H. Martin
eproducer =
aproducer =
writer = Arnold Schulman
starring = Michael Douglas
Alyson Reed
Nicole Fosse
Vicki Frederick
Audrey Landers
Gregg Burge
Terrence Mann
music = Marvin Hamlisch
Edward Kleban (lyrics)
cinematography = Ronnie Taylor
editing = John Bloom
distributor = Columbia Pictures
MGM (DVD)
released = December 10, 1985
runtime = 112 min
country = USA
awards =
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id = 1:9456
imdb_id = 088915

"A Chorus Line" is a 1985 American musical film directed by Richard Attenborough. The screenplay by Arnold Schulman is based on the Tony Award-winning book of the 1975 stage production of the same name by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante. The songs were composed by Edward Kleban (lyrics) and Marvin Hamlisch (music).

Plot synopsis

A group of dancers congregate on the stage of a Broadway theatre to audition for a new musical production directed by Zach. After the initial eliminations, seventeen hopefuls remain, among them Cassie, who once had a tempestuous romantic relationship with Zach. She is desperate enough for work to humble herself and audition for him; whether he's willing to let professionalism overcome his personal feelings about their past remains to be seen.

As the film unfolds, the back story of each of the dancers is revealed. Some are funny, some ironic, some heartbreaking. No matter what their background, however, they all have one thing in common - a passion for dance.

Production notes

Following the smash success of the Broadway production, Hollywood producers expressed interest in a motion picture version of the musical. Many directors turned down the project, insisting that not only was "A Chorus Line" too beloved, but it would not translate well to the screen. Even Michael Bennett, the stage musical's director, declined to participate when his proposal to present the film as an audition to cast the movie version of the stage play, instead of a literal translation of the play, was rejected. When Attenborough accepted the project, there was some apprehension as to the treatment the British director would give the musical's quintessentially American story. [ [http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/galleries/attenborough/chorusline.html Richard Attenborough at the British Film Institute] ]

The decision to tamper with the score disappointed fans of the show. "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love," "Sing!," and "The Music and the Mirror" were deleted and new songs "Surprise, Surprise" and "Let Me Dance For You" were added. The show's breakout tune, "What I Did for Love," originally was performed as a paean to dancers and their dedication to their craft. In the film it becomes a love song delivered by Cassie to Zach.

The stage musical was one of the first to address the subject of homosexuality, but most overt references to it were eliminated from the film.

The dance numbers were staged by choreographer Jeffrey Hornaday.

Principal cast

*Michael Douglas ..... Zach
*Alyson Reed ..... Cassie
*Michael Blevins ..... Mark Tobori
*Yamil Borges ..... Diana Morales
*Jan Gan Boyd ..... Connie Wong
*Sharon Brown ..... Kim
*Gregg Burge ..... Richie Walters
*Cameron English ..... Paul San Marco
*Tony Fields ..... Al DeLuca
*Nicole Fosse ..... Kristine Evelyn Erlich-DeLuca
*Vicki Frederick ..... Sheila Bryant
*Michelle Johnston ..... Bebe Benson
*Janet Jones ..... Judy Monroe
*Pam Klinger ..... Maggie Winslow
*Audrey Landers ..... Val Clarke
*Terrence Mann ..... Larry
*Charles McGowan ..... Mike Cass
*Justin Ross ..... Greg Gardner
*Blane Savage ..... Don
*Matt West ..... Bobby

oundtrack

*"I Hope I Get It" --contains new sections of music not in the original stage version
*"Who Am I Anyway?" --Paul's solo, originally part of "I Hope I Get It"
*"I Can Do That"
*"At the Ballet" --the soundtrack contains an extended version not heard in the film
*"Surprise, Surprise" --replaces "Hello 12, Hello 13, Hello Love", although one verse of the song is heard in the film. The monologues of Mark, Connie, Judy, and Greg which are part of this number are performed in other parts of the film sans music.
*"Nothing"
*"Let Me Dance for You"--replaces Cassie's "The Music and the Mirror", although part of the instrumental section remains the same
*"Dance: Ten; Looks: Three"
*"What I Did for Love" --sung counterpoint to the Tap Combination. In the stage version, the company performs the number
*"One" (Finale)

The songs "And...", "Sing!", and "The Tap Combination" from the stage version are eliminated in the film, as well as most of "The Montage" (Hello 12, Hello 13, Hello Love)

Critical reception

In his review in the "New York Times", Vincent Canby observed, "Though it was generally agreed that "Hair" would not work as a film, Milos Forman transformed it into one of the most original pieces of musical cinema of the last 20 years. Then they said that "A Chorus Line" couldn't be done - and this time they were right . . . Mr. Attenborough has elected to make a more or less straightforward film version that is fatally halfhearted." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F01E5DB173BF933A25751C1A963948260 "New York Times" review] ]

Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" stated, "The result may not please purists who want a film record of what they saw on stage, but this is one of the most intelligent and compelling movie musicals in a long time - and the most grown up, since it isn't limited, as so many contemporary musicals are, to the celebration of the survival qualities of geriatric actresses." [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19851220/REVIEWS/512200301/1023 "Chicago Sun-Times" review] ]

"Variety" said, "Chorus" often seems static and confined, rarely venturing beyond the immediate. Attenborough merely films the stage show as best he could. Nonetheless, the director and lenser Ronnie Taylor have done an excellent job working within the limitations, using every trick they could think of to keep the picture moving. More importantly, they have a fine cast, good music and a great, popular show to work with. So if all they did was get it on film, that's not so bad." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117789892.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 "Variety" review] ]

"Time Out London" says, "The grit and drive of the original have been dissipated into studiously unkempt glitz as empty as plasticised pop . . . It's too corny and unbelievable for words." [ [http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/69214/a_chorus_line.html "Time Out London" review] ]

Nominations

*Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Surprise, Surprise")
*Academy Award for Best Film Editing
*Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing
*Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
*Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture
*BAFTA Award for Best Sound
*BAFTA Award for Best Editing

References

External links

* [http://www.logoonline.com/movies/movie/6099/moviemain.jhtml "A Chorus Line" on LOGO]
*imdb title|id=0088915|title=A Chorus Line
*amg movie|id=1:9456|title=A Chorus Line
*rotten-tomatoes|id=chorus_line|title=A Chorus Line
*mojo title|id=chorusline|title=A Chorus Line