A Chorus Line: The Move (1985): The film version of the beloved musical fails to be a “singular sensation”

Chad’s Grade: C+

Every once in a great while, a Broadway musical will break past its stage limitations and connect with the general public. It happened recently with “Hamilton” and even earlier in the decade with “Wicked.” In the ’90s, there was the rock opera “Rent.” And who can forget Lloyd Webber’s two mega-hits in the ’80s, “Cats” and “The Phantom of the Opera.”

In 1975, it was A Chorus Line, directed by Michael Bennett. The musical was like an atom bomb when it arrived on Broadway, winning nine Tony Awards in addition to the Pulitzer Prize for drama. All other musicals were steamrolled that year, even Bob Fosse’s Chicago (which ironically, would receive an Oscar winning film version in 2002). A Chorus Line was so popular that it played on Broadway for 15 years (a record at the time), finally closing in 1990.

The musical’s strength is in its simplicity. The story involves 16 dancers auditioning for eight spots on the “Chorus Line” for an upcoming musical orchestrated by a tough, demanding director. Through music and dance, the performers reveal the pleasures and the pains of the art form they love. The production had first-rate songs by Marvin Hamlisch & Edward Kleban with brilliant choreography by Michael Bennett.

The stage version was so effective because the musical was developed with the actual dancers who made up the original cast. Through several workshops, director Michael Bennett recorded conversations with his dancers, which were eventually turned into characters and songs. When the original cast debuted, they told their personal stories, blurring the line between fact and fiction.

Translating such an intimate work of theatre for film was going to be a tall order. The studios snatched the movie rights up immediately. Michael Bennett made his pitch for the movie, a docudrama involving actors auditioning for the film version of “A Chorus Line.” But the studios balked at the high concept, opting instead for a traditional stage to screen translation. The project languished in development for ten years, with Liza Minnelli and John Travolta approached to star. 

The film finally landed with acclaimed director Richard Attenborough, who was coming off the very successful and Oscar-winning “Gandhi.” (He’s also an actor, best known for playing the eccentric John Hammond in Jurassic Park) Despite the impressive resume, Attenborough’s proved to be a bad fit for the material. He cast Michael Douglas, the film’s only big star, in the crucial role of the director Zach while choosing mostly unknown names as the dancers.

The film version is a frustrating viewing experience. Because when it sticks to the source material, the movie occasionally springs to life. In fact, the first 20 minutes are pretty enjoyable. Attenborough does an excellent job of following the various dancers as they navigate the early audition process, where thousands of hopefuls are culled down to several dozen, eventually revealing the final 16. You can see the influence of the “On Broadway” sequence from Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz. (Who would have been a far better choice to direct) And the “I Hope I Get it” number is creatively staged in a cinematic manner.

Once the final group of dancers takes their place on the “chorus line,” the movie begins to fall apart. It’s tempting to use the language of cinema to “open” up the material and take us outside the theatre. So, Attenborough and his writers amplified the Cassie subplot, a dancer who romantically spurned Zach for fame and fortune in California. She’s now back in New York, flat broke and in need of a job, finally realizing she’ll never be a big star. (This was based on Michael Bennett’s complicated relationship with his leading lady and future wife, Donna McKechnie)

While this gives more screen time for star Michael Douglas, it diminishes the ensemble nature of the story. Attenborough constantly cuts back to Cassie wandering backstage, reminiscing in dressing rooms with cheesy flashbacks. They also excised several of the Broadway musical numbers, including “Sing” and almost all the “Montage” songs. The exclusion of “Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love” is the most jarring since it eliminates many of the dancer’s backstories. Some of this is dialogued out later, but poor Connie Wong has her charming solo about the frustration of being a short, Asian dancer reduced to a few unfunny lines.

There were two new songs by Hamlisch & Kleban written for the film that were instantly forgettable. “Surprise, Surprise” replaced “Gimme the Ball” from the original show, and while it’s creatively choreographed, the number sounds like an overproduced pop song. And there was no excuse to replace Cassie’s big solo “The Music & the Mirror” with “Let me Dance for You.” It’s essentially the same song with watered-down lyrics. But thankfully, Cassie still gets her dance solo with that iconic mirror shot. 

The original Broadway material was so strong that all they had to do was film the show. And when the movie does just that, the film starts to work. “At the Ballet,” “Nothing,” and “One” are beautifully performed and lensed with spare, simple lighting. One of Attenborough’s strengths is that he shot this like a movie, shying away from the fast editing MTV style of the decade.

And the stunt casting of Michael Douglas contrasts nicely with the unknown cast. He’s quite good here, playing Zach with a bitter and conflicted tone. His verbal takedowns of dancers during the early audition process have some real bite. The same can’t be said for Alyson Reed, who’s bland in the role of Cassie. This is another role that could’ve benefitted from a bigger name like Liza Minnelli or a young Cher. 

And while the rest of the cast are just as forgettable, there are a few standouts. Vicki Frederick makes for a wonderfully sardonic Sheila. The best dancing is from Gregg Burge as Richie, who leaps in the air with buoyant energy. And Audrey Landers performs Val’s “Dance Ten, Looks Three” with such charm and charisma that you can forgive the sexist message of the song.

But the film’s biggest sin is “The What I Did for Love” number. In the Broadway show, the entire cast sings the song as an ode to the sacrifices of the life of a dancer. It’s the thematic message of the musical. Yet, in the movie, it’s reduced to a bland solo ballad for Cassie after another fight with Zach. It’s the perfect summary of the flawed nature of the film adaption.

OSCAR BAIT SONG: 

As mentioned earlier, “Surprise, Surprise” and “Let Me Dance for You” were written for the movie. Neither tune was incorporated into the stage show since they are essentially pop versions of “Gimme the Ball” and “The Music and the Mirror.” Only “Surprise, Surprise” was nominated for the best song Oscar and lost to Lionel Ritchie’s “Say you, Say me.” The film’s score is long out of print, only available on vinyl or cassette tape. You’re better off streaming either the original Broadway cast recording or the excellent 2006 revival version.

ACTORS WHO CAN’T SING: 

Sadly, neither Bennett nor the original cast was involved in the movie. Thankfully, Attenborough did assemble a cast that can both and sing and dance. There were no breakout stars, but fans of the 80’s TV series Dallas might recognize Audrey Landers, who was perfectly cast as Val. Broadway veteran Terrence Mann, who appeared in the original Broadway runs of “Cats” & “Les Miserables,” does a nice turn as Zach’s assistant, Larry. And yes, that is Nicole Fosse, daughter of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, playing Kristine.

OTHER VERSIONS: 

Please seek out the 2008 documentary “Every Little Step,” a fantastic account of the plight of real-life dancers auditioning for the 2006 Broadway revival. This was Michel Bennett’s original vision for his movie of “A Chorus Line.” It’s a riveting watch, as it features rare footage from the original Broadway show contrasting with the new revival. It would make for an excellent double feature with the 1985 film. Also worth your time is the book “On the Line,” an oral history of the show as seen through the eyes of the original Broadway cast. The book was written in 1990, as the show was about to close its historic run, so it may be hard to find.