MOVIE REVIEWS

For what it is--a slice-of-life of a group of people, trying to make the big-time and at least be able to say that they were on Broadway--it's a fine work. I admit I haven't seen the stage play--which many sources say is far superior to this filmic adaptation. I'm rather surprised that: a) Michael Douglas gets star status here, or is even involved. He doesn't dance here. The film would have worked so much better if it showed his character showing some dance moves and getting across to the dancers what he wanted. Both his character would have connected better with the dancers, and he would have connected better with filmgoers; and b) that Lord Richard Attenborough got involved with this: It's definitely not his forte or cup of tea. Perhaps he wanted to expand his directorial palette, or that some of his influences were masters of the genre, such as Lubitsch or Minnelli. Personally, I wish I knew, for he has done much better work in his career. Overall, not one of the better of contemporary (post-1970) musicals, but worth seeing once, if renting or seeing that it's coming on TV. Not a top purchase priority, unless you are a Douglas or Attenborough completest, and then prepare to be disappointed.

Were it not for Marvin Hamlisch's "Surprise, Surprise" then I think this film would be even more forgettable than it actually is. Michael Douglas is the hard-to-please Broadway director "Zach" who is casting the dance ensemble for his latest production. Aided by his sidekick "Larry" (Terrence Mann) he pits the would-be's through their paces with rigorous routines and some rather invasive questioning about their lives, families and peccadilloes. I did see this on stage and felt it a rather flat and introspective of an industry that should usually keep it's casting practices under wraps. Here, Richard Attenborough attempts to lay these bare for the big screen and ends up with a rather dull, processional series of footwork demonstrations and sob-stories that are pretty wearisome to endure after a repetitive first half an hour. Alyson Reed clutters the thing up further as the down-on-her-luck "Cassie" who is looking for favours from a man who seems pretty impervious to many of the decent aspects of human nature. The stage setting is too sterile to engage for long, and the characterisations fit just about every stereotype in the book as these youngsters vie for this latest opportunity to shine (and eat!). I didn't hate this, but it's really a rather disappointing foray into the potentially fascinating world of who wins and who doesn't in this highly competitive and fickle environment!