Storytelling Output Report

for

"All That Jazz"

All That Jazz is a strong main character story, which serves to reinforce the objective story concern of "doing" as Joe Gideon IS dance, and all aspects of the Broadway and film production are connected to him--the performers, the economics, and so forth. The distinction of the obstacle character throughline from the subjective story throughline is extremely fine, as the audience for the most part only sees Angelique as she relates to Joe.

• General Storytelling: Complete
• Act Order Storytelling: Complete
• Character List: Complete
• Build Characters: Complete

Author: Robert Alan Aurthur and Bob Fosse

Analysis by: Katy E. Monahan Huntley

Draft: Final

Genre: Musical

Period: Contemporary--late '70's

Setting: New York--Broadway

Source Material:

All That Jazz. Dir. Bob Fosse. With Roy Scheider. Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979.

Kroll, Jack. "Dance of Death." Newsweek 24 Dec. 1979.

Palmer, William J. The Films of the Seventies. New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1987.

Schlesinger Jr., Arthur. "Autobiography of Frenzy." Saturday Review 2 Feb. 1980.

Simon, John. "Stodgy Satire, Dodgy Satyr." National Review 22 Feb. 1980.

Brief Synopsis:

. . . Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), is a famous choreographer-director in his early 50s, a man who's reached the overload point of too much work, women, booze, cigarettes, uppers and increasing doubts about the value of his entire life. Gideon is editing his film about a comic, while rehearsing a new Broadway show in which his ex-wife, Audrey (Leland Palmer) is starring. At the same time, he's trying to be a reasonable father to his 12-year-old daughter Michelle (Erzsebet Foldi), trying not to hurt his girlfriend Kate (Ann Reinking) too much, and trying to get into the leotards of as many girls as possible, especially Victoria's (Deborah Geffner). All this jazz is too much; Joe suffers a heart attack and undergoes open-heart surgery. (Kroll 78-79)


Objective Character Mini-Synopsis:

As noted in the National Review:

All That Jazz is Bob Fosse's unauthorized autobiography. Like Fosse, the protagonist, Joe Gideon, is a Broadway choreographer-director cum filmmaker at work simultaneously on a Broadway musical like Chicago and on a movie, not just like but actually Lenny, about Lenny Bruce. He is driven, mildly drug-addicted (uppers and downers), and devoted with equal fanaticism to his work and his womanizing. Among the women who surround Joe are his ex-wife and leading lady (Leland Palmer, whom Fosse has turned into an alter ego of Gwen Verdon, his actual ex-wife and leading lady), his principal dancer and maitresse en titre (Ann Reinking, who has functioned in both capacities in real life), a new dancer-mistress, Victoria . . . Angelique, a kind of angel of Death with whom Joe has portentously vacuous existential colloquies (Jessica Lange, another real-life Fosse girlfriend). Michelle, Joe's teen-age daughter, with whom a tough-tender father-daughter and choreographer-dancer relationship flourishes . . . The others in Joe Gideon's life include producers, composers, directors, and sundry theater folk--many of them recognizable caricatures--as well as the doctors and hospital staff with whom he gets involved after his near-fatal heart attack and open-heart surgery; the attack . . . is converted into a fatal one. ( Simon 238-239)

THE OBJECTIVE CHARACTERS:

Name: Joe Gideon
Gender: Male
Description:
Screenplay description:
Joe Gideon is a man who has developed a specific image. Dressed in casual black clothes, he is a chain smoker with a cigarette constantly drooping from the left corner of his mouth. . . . His emotions change rapidly without transitions. Laughing, joking one moment--then suddenly angry (usually directed toward himself) but always accompanied by a hyper-nervous energy. (Aurthur and Fosse 4)
Role: Director for stage/film
Characteristics:

Motivation: Pursuit; Oppose;
Methodology: Proaction; Nonacceptance;
Evaluation: Proven; Process;
Purpose: Actuality; Change;

Name: Angelique
Gender: Female
Description:
Screenplay description:
"She is strikingly beautiful . . . her voice is soft, gentle, seductive" (Aurthur and Fosse 1).
Role: Angel
Characteristics:

Motivation: Reconsider; Avoidance;

Methodology: Potentiality; Reaction;

Evaluation: Unproven; Cause;

Purpose: Thought; Perception;

Name: Audrey Paris Gideon
Gender: Female
Description:
Plays the lead in NY/LA; supportive of Joe yet still unforgiving of his many infidelities.
Role: Joe's ex-wife
Characteristics:

Motivation: Conscience;

Methodology: Reduction;

Evaluation: Ending;

Purpose: Equity;

Name: Davis Newman
Gender: Male
Description:
Obnoxious, loud, standup comedian
Role: Actor
Characteristics:

Motivation: Disbelief;

Methodology: Induction;

Evaluation: Non-Accurate;

Purpose: Chaos;

Name: Dr. Ballinger
Gender: Male
Description:
Cardiologist, stern, extremely professional
Role: Doctor
Characteristics:

Motivation: Control; Help;

Methodology: Probability; Evaluation;

Evaluation: Theory; Expectation;

Purpose: Ability; Projection;

Name: Hallucinatory Joe
Gender: Male
Description:
Honest, strait forward
Role: Joe's fantasy self
Characteristics:

Motivation: Consider;

Methodology: Certainty;

Evaluation: Effect;

Purpose: Knowledge;

Name: Jonesy Hecht
Gender: Male
Description:
An old hand at producing Broadway shows, acts beneficent, but in reality is a cold-blooded business man.
Role: Producer
Characteristics:

Motivation: Logic;

Methodology: Inaction;

Evaluation: Trust;

Purpose: Aware;

Name: Katie
Gender: Female
Description:
Young, beautiful dancer, in love with Joe but his cheating with other women is extremely trying for her.
Role: Joe's girlfriend
Characteristics:

Motivation: Feeling;

Methodology: Possibility;

Evaluation: Hunch;

Purpose: Desire;

Name: Lucas Sergeant
Gender: Male
Description:
". . . a successful director: sharp, energetic, and ambitious" (Aurthur and Fosse 76).
Role: Rival Director
Characteristics:

Motivation: Hinder;

Methodology: Reevaluation;

Evaluation: Unending;

Purpose: Speculation;

Name: Michelle Gideon
Gender: Female
Description:
Adoring pre-teen, precocious
Role: Joe's daughter
Characteristics:

Motivation: Faith;

Methodology: Acceptance;

Evaluation: Accurate;

Purpose: Inertia;

Name: Paul Dann
Gender: Male
Description:
Drama Queen
Role: Composer
Characteristics:

Motivation: Uncontrolled;

Methodology: Protection;

Evaluation: Test;

Purpose: Self Aware;

Name: Penn
Gender: Male
Description:
Excitable
Role: Film Producer
Characteristics:
Motivation: Support;
Methodology: Deduction;
Evaluation: Result;
Purpose: Order;


Name: Victoria
Gender: Female
Description:
" . . . a very tall knockout" (Aurthur and Fosse 4).
Role: Dancer/Wannabe Actress
Characteristics:

Motivation: Temptation;

Methodology: Production;

Evaluation: Determination;

Purpose: Inequity;

AUDIENCE AND STORY DYNAMICS APPRECIATIONS:

Nature as it relates to Apparent Work:

Joe Gideon does not believe his ill health is the result of his own doing. He blames the environment over his own actions:

Joe:

My chest! It is obvious that Joe is having a massive coronary. . . .It's your goddamn fault!!! . . . It's you guys who are doing this to me!! I wasn't sick until I got here!! (Aurthur and Fosse 73)

Essence as it relates to Negative Feel:

The producers of Joe's show investigate the impact his heart attack will have on the production. It is determined that they stand to lose a lot of money unless Joe dies and the show cannot go on. As Palmer states:

If they would get lucky and Joe Gideon would die from his heart attack, the insurance they have taken out on him would not only cover all of their losses but actually return a tidy profit on their investment. When the news is broken to the gathering of corporate money men, a momentary hush falls over the conference table as they all resolve the possibility in their minds, try to decide whether they want to root for Gideon to live or die. That brief moment of hesitation as the camera pans the corporate faces around the table is ironically eloquent. It crystallizes the astoundingly flawed value system within which these men are operating. (60-61)

Tendency as it relates to Willing:

As the director and choreographer for NY/LA, Joe's skills are eminently suited to creating a hit musical.



Reach as it relates to Both:

Both women and men will empathize with someone facing their own mortality.



Resolve as it relates to Steadfast:

In the opening scene, Joe asserts "To be on the wire is life: the rest is waiting" (Aurthur and Fosse 1). This statement sums up Joe's credo, and because of it he remains steadfast in living the high life, despite the fact that it is literally killing him.



Approach as it relates to Do-er:

When faced with a problem, Joe takes action. At a loss for staging ideas or faced with problems editing The Standup, he works late into the night--exhausting himself rather than giving up; when Katie confronts him about their relationship, he tells her he loves her to head off a break-up; and so forth.



Direction as it relates to Stop:

If Joe is to live, he must stop drinking, drugging, and screwing around.
Audrey, Katie, and Michelle entreat him to do this, singing: "You better stop, you better change, you better stop and change your ways today" (Aurthur and Fosse 143).



Mental Sex as it relates to Male:

Joe evaluates problems in terms of cause and effect. For example, when he comes across organs preserved in formaldehyde, he jokes:

Listen . . . I told you guys you should take better care of yourselves. Too much booze . . . too much smoking . . . too much screwing around . . . it'll get ya every time. (Aurthur and Fosse 120)

Outcome as it relates to Failure:

The show (NY/LA) does not go on.



Judgment as it relates to Good:

Joe accepts his death--and an afterlife with Angelique. In addition, Joe may have failed in bringing NY/LA to Broadway, but his fantasy production of his good-bye to life is "the best one yet" (Aurthur and Fosse 127).



Work as it relates to Action:

How well the dancers perform determines who will be chosen for a part in NY/LA: "If you just stay in line for a minute, we'll make our decisions. Look, there are only twelve jobs . . . (Aurthur and Fosse 7); Joe's abuse of drugs and alcohol, combined with working and playing at a breakneck pace, contributes to his heart attack. Once this happens, he and the producers of NY/LA decide it's time he recover in the hospital; Joe's extramarital affairs forced his wife to divorce him; because of Joe's indisposition, Jonesy decides to sound out Lucas as a possible replacement; and so forth.



Limit as it relates to Optionlock:

All the options for keeping Joe alive, and therefore the production of NY/LA afloat, are exhausted at the time of his death.

THE OBJECTIVE STORY THROUGHLINE:

Throughline Synopsis:

All That Jazz is a film that literally dances. Its opening is brilliant, a thrilling and poignant montage of leaping, straining bodies as Joe winnows out a stageful of young dancers to the final chorus line. The whole movie comes hurtling at you . . . There's an amazing sequence in which Joe puts on one of his dances for the producers of the show. . . Dance is Joe Gideon's life pulse. Fosse wittily and touchingly shows how Joe can relate to others only through body contact: in a wonderful scene with his daughter, he discusses their relationship while their bodies intertwine as he teaches her various ballet positions.

In All That Jazz, showbiz becomes a metaphor for the interlocking of dross and excellence in contemporary life. Joe Gideon adores his dancers but can't stand what Agnes de Mille referred to as the "Mafia" side of showbiz. There's a gruesomely funny scene in which the show's moneymen discover they can actually make money if Joe dies before the show opens. Fosse intercuts this scene with Joe's open-heart surgery. The last third of the film takes place in the hospital, a clinical crescendo of black comedy as Joe hurtles toward his fate. In the climactic episode, Joe imagines his death as a TV spectacular presided over by "host" Ben Vereen. (Kroll 78-79)



Backstory:

As the objective story opens, Joe Gideon is introduced as a successful choreographer/director, obsessed with his work and dependent on Dexedrine, booze, and cigarettes--and not to mention his libido. His past success is what puts him in the position to create another Broadway hit, his continued abuse of his body is what will cause the endeavor to fail.



Domain as it relates to Physics:

For the most part, all the objective characters are participating in the endeavor to put on the stage production of NY/LA and/or the film The Standup. Paul is composing music; Audrey is reading the script and trying out new dance steps; dancers are rehearsing; Jonathan and Stacy are involved in the film's post-production; and so forth.



Concern as it relates to Doing:

All That Jazz is a story that deals with performance and all that it takes in accomplishing a successful one, be it for the screen, the stage, or a hospital operating room. In the screenplay, the directions given are as follows:

Dancers audition: There are dancers everywhere, crowding the wings, every available backstage area--all trying to learn the audition combination . . . they bump into one another . . . the dancing never stops, the same dance combination being performed as the number of candidates is reduced from the original couple of hundred. (Aurthur and Fosse 3-4); Katie and Michelle perform a song and dance number for Joe; in the editing suite, Jonathan whispers to Stacy "Oh man, how many times do we have to look at this thing?" (Aurthur and Fosse)

Range as it relates to Skill :

Audrey assures Joe that she has developed the ability to play a much younger woman than herself: "You do think I'm too old to play the part. But you're wrong. I can play twenty-four years old, and I'll damn well prove it " (Aurthur and Fosse 56); Victoria's skills as a dancer are not at the same level as the other performers, yet she is adept at seducing her way into the production; and so forth.



Counterpoint as it relates to Experience :

Because they have worked together many times, Audrey is very familiar with the way Joe stages a show. This is why she is able to assure Paul that Joe won't cut his musical number: "He always says the same thing about every number in every show" (Aurthur and Fosse 55).



Thematic Conflict as it relates to Skill vs. Experience:

One of the dancers auditioning for NY/LA expresses the dilemma of one who has the aptitude to perform, but not the experience that is often required for a stage production:

Joe

The Wiz?

Astrid

(after a long pause) Mr. Gideon, I've never been in The Wiz or any show in my life . . . I had to put something on my card. I really need a job . . . I owe Julliard a thousand dollars . . . so I lied.

Joe

That's OK, Astrid, I lie all the time myself. (Aurthur and Fosse 4-5).

Problem as it relates to Cause:

Audrey's harping on Joe's infidelities causes tempers to flare; the "catchy and bouncy" (Aurthur and Fosse 36) music Paul composes for the show is the reason for Joe's mental block; The Standup going into triple overtime is the source of anxiety for Penn:

Joey, I've got to talk to you about these time sheets . . . three weeks we've been on triple time and the brass is eating my ass out. You shot eighty-two days on a sixty-five day schedule. On a four month editing schedule, you've gone seven months. We're already two million two over the original budget. I mean, God created the entire world in six days and never went on overtime once. . . . I'm usually a very calm man; but this whole thing has got me terribly crazy. (Aurthur and Fosse 39)

Solution as it relates to Effect:

Audrey's bitterness toward Joe's extracurricular marital activities serves as a source of inspiration for his new dance; Joe's experimenting with Paul's music results in a brilliant, original production number for the show; once Penn sees the latest film footage, he can appreciate the results of Joe's insistence on perfection: "Oh, my God, it is better. God help us all. It is better" (Aurthur and Fosse 40).



Focus as it relates to Test:

The audition is a test for the dancers; the doctors keep Joe for testing; Katie tests Joe's commitment to her by letting him know she has the opportunity to tour with her dance company for six months; Nurse Gibbons examines Joe to see if he truly is having a heart attack:

Nurse Gibbons

He can't be in pain. Let me get his pulse. . . .But you just had the medication, twenty minutes ago . . . you couldn't possibly be in pain . . . it was just twenty minutes ago. (Aurthur and Fosse 114)

Direction as it relates to Trust:

Joe asks the producers to trust in the choices he has made; Despite Nurse Gibbons' assertion that Joe could not possibly be in pain, Audrey implicitly accepts Joe's statement that he is having a heart attack: "Goddamn it, he knows the symptoms. Call somebody. Hurry!" (Aurthur and Fosse 114)



Stipulation as it relates to Obtaining:

How much the objective story characters obtain or lose is how progress is measured in the objective story. Dancers who achieve a role in the production of NY/LA will gain a certain salary and an entry for their resume--if the show does not go on they lose it all, and in addition, they miss the opportunities they spurned to take part in NY/LA; as time goes on Victoria's dancing improves; and so forth.



Catalyst as it relates to Wisdom:

Dr. Ballinger's comprehension of Joe's medical condition convinces Jonesy, and finally Joe himself, to keep Joe in the hospital putting NY/LA in a tailspin; Leslie Perry, a seasoned film critic, gives her negative review of The Standup hastening Joe's heart attack.



Inhibitor as it relates to Security:

As an example of how "security" impedes the objective story's progress, Victoria, insecure about her dancing ability, halts the rehearsal when she breaks down crying: "I'm terrible, I know I'm terrible. I can't, like, seem to do anything right. I look in the mirror and I'm embarrassed. Maybe I should quit . . . " (Aurthur and Fosse 52); Once the dancers are informed of NY/LA's postponement, the sense of security they heretofore have experienced disappears; and so forth.



Goal as it relates to Doing:

Making the production of NY/LA happen is the primary goal of common concern to the objective characters.



Consequence as it relates to Being:

If NY/LA does not go on, the dancers and others associated with the production will be out of work, and forced to take on jobs that are meaningless to them such as being waiters, sales clerks, and so forth until they can audition for a new part on Broadway.



Cost as it relates to The Preconscious:

Audrey's immediate response to Joe's dance number is to burst into tears, costing her a momentary loss of pride, Paul's response is "now Sinatra will never record it" (Aurthur and Fosse), and the producers' reflexively concern themselves with losing their audiences because of its blatant eroticism; Young Joe's response to the strippers fondling him is to unthinkingly ejaculate, causing him tremendous embarrassment on stage when the audience notices the wet spot; Katie's response to finding Victoria and Joe asleep together is hurt and disappointment; Lucas Sergeant's pride is hurt when an actress asks for his autograph and unthinkingly blurts out that, next to Joe Gideon (his arch rival), he is her favorite director; and so forth.



Dividend as it relates to Progress:

Victoria develops into a better dancer; because of the blockbuster way The Standup opened, the financial backers are "talking a three million dollar advertising budget . . . three million dollars, can you believe that? I mean, with that kind of push this picture will go right through the roof . . . right through the roof" (Aurthur and Fosse 93); and so forth.



Requirements as it relates to Obtaining:

Dancers must obtain a part in the show; Joe must keep the producers happy as to the content of the show; Audrey must achieve leading lady status; and so forth.



Prerequisites as it relates to Becoming:

Dance hopefuls must transform their raw talent into what it takes to be a performer on Broadway; Joe must overcome certain objections from the producers to create the show he wants, e.g., casting, production numbers; Audrey must transform herself from a woman of a certain age to the "young thing" required for the lead role.



Preconditions as it relates to The Subconscious:

For the most part, Joe operates on a subconscious level when choosing (or not choosing) his dancers:

Younger Girl Dancer

Oh, fuck him. He never picks me.

Older Girl Dancer

Honey, I did fuck him, and he never picks me either. (Aurthur and Fosse 11)

Forewarnings as it relates to The Future:

The prospect that Joe might not recover from his heart attack is a forewarning of the show collapsing and the actors/dancers being out of work.

THE SUBJECTIVE STORY THROUGHLINE:

Throughline Synopsis:

All That Jazz has another dimension, a fantasy realm presided over by Angelique (Jessica Lange), a mysterious figure in white who represents Joe Gideon's final comeuppance; she is Death seen as Woman, whose beauty and power have always been at the center of Joe's (and Bob Fosse's) life and art. With this Felliniesque dream-figure, Gideon revisits his past . . .(Kroll 78)



Backstory:

Joe is flirting with death, as he knowingly self destructs. Angelique is beside him, presiding over his self reflection. They conflict over issues of power. Angelique can easily seduce him to his death; Joe must relinquish his own power over women (as well as his own life) if he is to follow her to the other side.



Domain as it relates to Psychology:

Angelique and Joe explore his lifetime of manipulation together, and entertain the ways that they can manipulate each other. When Angelique makes a remark about the double standard Joe had set for his and Katie's relationship, it is clear that she would never adhere to the same kind of rules.



Concern as it relates to Being:

Joe and Angelique come into conflict over the kind of lifestyle (not to mention his life on earth) he must give up in order to live with her.



Range as it relates to Ability :

Angelique and Joe are affected by his talent to manipulate women--from his mother to his daughter and all women in between--except for Angelique herself. Although she is affected by his charm, she does not allow herself to be submerged by it, and more importantly, his charisma cannot harm her. In the screenplay, Angelique lets Joe know that she is always a few steps ahead of his games:
"He's taken aback by her ability always to anticipate his thoughts.

Angelique

You can't make me jealous, Joe.

Joe

So I see." (Aurthur and Fosse 83)

Counterpoint as it relates to Desire :

Angelique represents to Joe the ultimate in a beautiful and desirable woman. She exhibits her charms to their best advantage, making Joe aware of the ecstasy that can be his in the afterlife.



Thematic Conflict as it relates to Ability vs. Desire:

It is Angelique's capacity to withstand Joe's charisma and accept and love him in spite of his flaws, that makes Joe desire her all the more. This eventually motivates him to change from enjoying earthly pleasures to choosing eternal bliss.



Problem as it relates to Cause:

The reason for death to come calling on Joe is because of the irresponsible and dangerous way he has treated his body. The reason why death is represented in the shape of the beautiful Angelique is because she is the one woman he cannot emotionally damage, which causes friction between the two.



Solution as it relates to Effect:

Angelique's efforts to lead Joe to the other side result in success:
Angelique: If you want to be with me, Joe, you know you can never be with anyone else.

Joe

I accept. (Aurthur and Fosse 131)

Focus as it relates to Non-Accurate:

Joe is concerned that once Angelique is aware of his flaws, she will be turned off by him.



Direction as it relates to Accurate:

Angelique assures Joe that his flawed character is perfectly acceptable to her.



Stipulation as it relates to Becoming:

The more Joe is able to identify with death (Angelique) the more he is prepared to move onto the afterlife with her.



Catalyst as it relates to Knowledge:

It is Joe admitting to Angelique what he doesn't know that brings them closer together, as it makes him more vulnerable:

"I don't know where bullshit ends and truth begins" (Kroll 78).

Inhibitor as it relates to Confidence:

Joe's expectation that he can charm Angelique, as he has been able to do with all women in the past, slows the growth between the two as, although she appreciates it, she is able to withstand his charm.

Joe Gideon's THROUGHLINE:

Role: Director for stage/film



Description:
Screenplay description:

Joe Gideon is a man who has developed a specific image. Dressed in casual black clothes, he is a chain smoker with a cigarette constantly drooping from the left corner of his mouth. . . . His emotions change rapidly without transitions. Laughing, joking one moment--then suddenly angry (usually directed toward himself) but always accompanied by a hyper-nervous energy. (Aurthur and Fosse 4)

Throughline Synopsis:

The main character throughline is described by the showman O'Connor Flood:

Folks, what can I tell you about my next guest? This cat . . . allowed himself to be adored but not loved. Strictly a pro since age thirteen, starting in sleazy Chicago dives and burlesque . . . this cat rose to become a leading director-choreographer on the Great White Way and in flicks. But success in show biz was matched by failure in his personal relationship bag . . . And from all this experience he came to believe that his whole scene--work, showbiz, personal life, and himself . . . all that jazz . . . was bullshit. The cat swung between heavy ego and very heavy self doubt. He had become a Numero Uno game player--like to where he didn't know . . . where the games ended and reality began. Like to him the only reality . . . is death, man. (Aurthur and Fosse 126-127)

Backstory:

Joe is a the premier director/choreographer for stage; he is an acclaimed director of film as well. He has a history of living life to excess, particularly in the areas of women, alcohol, and drugs.



Domain as it relates to Universe:

The state of affairs Joe finds himself in is a body that is quickly deteriorating and the very real possibility that it may no longer support him.



Concern as it relates to Progress:

Joe is concerned with staging NY/LA; moving forward with The Standup; the way his health is deteriorating; how his relationship with Katie will proceed after she has had an affair and so forth.



Range as it relates to Fantasy :

Joe's job is to provide fantasies for audiences; one example is the erotic fantasy he choreographs for NY/LA.



Counterpoint as it relates to Fact :

Joe does everything not to face the fact that he is dying; Davis gives his opinion of what he believes is the real Joe Gideon:

Davis

Gideon, I've got real insight into you . . . There's a deep rooted fear of being conventional . . . and what's underneath is this dreadful fear that you're ordinary, not special. . .

Joe

. . .right. (Aurthur and Fosse 90).

Thematic Conflict as it relates to Fantasy vs. Fact:

The way All That Jazz is constructed is to present Hallucinatory Joe and the real Joe as representations of how he considers fantasy and fact. The two appear together as Hallucinatory Joe directs the real Joe's final hours. Joe performs in a fantasy show-stopping sendoff and exits with his fantasy lover, Angelique. The fact is, his life ends zipped up in a body bag.



Problem as it relates to Unending:

Joe continually abuses his body, acting like he will live forever; he is driven to stage NY/LA and perfect The Standup, which means putting in interminable hours; he continues to "tap-dance" through meaningless affairs, which hurts those closest to him (ex-wife, girlfriend, daughter); and so forth. Note: Joe's problem of unending is illustrated visually in the film with the repetition of the montage of Joe's morning waking routine--Vivaldi cassette, Alka Seltzer, cold shower, Dexedrine, coffee, and "It's show time, folks" announcement to himself in the mirror.



Solution as it relates to Ending:

Joe may think that a finished production of The Standup and NY/LA (to his standards) will resolve his personal drive, but being a perfectionist, the possibility of that happening is not likely. Because he refuses to change his way of living and kick his bad habits, only death can solve his problem.



Focus as it relates to Test:

Katie tests Joe's feelings for her by asking him what she should do about the job offer that would take her away for six months; Michelle constantly tests her father to find out if and when he will provide her with a sibling; and so forth.



Direction as it relates to Trust:

Joe asks Victoria to trust him to help her become a better dancer; Audrey can never trust Joe with other women, however, as a director/choreographer it is a different story, as indicated in the screenplay:

Dann

If she's (Victoria) in the show, I'm out . . . I walk.

Audrey

Listen Paul, if you're smart you'll do exactly what he wants you to do. Trust him. He's made an awful lot of money for all of us . . . all of us before and believe me, he'll do it again. (Aurthur and Fosse 12)

Stipulation as it relates to The Future:

The more Joe's health deteriorates, the more he exhibits a lack of concern for his future:

Dr. Ballinger

. . .everything he does is a denial of his condition.

Second Intern

He acts like he really doesn't care.

Dr. Ballinger

Oh, he cares all right. He cares too much in fact. The measure of his fear of death is how much he denies its possibility by his irrational behavior. (Aurthur and Fosse 93)

Unique Ability as it relates to Fact:

Everyone concerned with the production of NY/LA maintains the belief that when it comes to choreographing and directing the show, Joe is genuinely the best one to do it--making him uniquely able to achieve the goal.



Critical Flaw as it relates to Skill:

Joe's reliance on his natural aptitude as a choreographer and director to make NY/LA a success, without taking the time out to listen to and care for his body, is what undermines his efforts to achieve the goal and why he ultimately fails in bringing the show to completion.

Angelique's THROUGHLINE:

Role: Angel



Description:
Screenplay description:

"She is strikingly beautiful . . . her voice is soft, gentle, seductive" (Aurthur and Fosse 1).



Throughline Synopsis:

Angelique delicately compels Joe to review himself and his life while he undergoes the complex life or death decision making process.



Backstory:

Angelique is quite attracted to Joe and begins their relationship fully prepared to take him to the other side.



Domain as it relates to Mind:

Angelique has a fixed attitude towards the question of Joe living or dying. She wants him to release the earthly ties that bind him and live with her in eternity.



Concern as it relates to The Preconscious:

Angelique's impact is felt in the unthinking responses that accompany death.



Range as it relates to Worth :

Joe is worth a great deal to Angelique. She can clearly see all of his faults and flaws, yet from an emotional point of view, she still finds him extremely desirable.



Counterpoint as it relates to Value :

Angelique compels Joe to consider objectively what value he has as a human being:

Angelique

Marriage.

Joe

Screwed up.

Angelique

Family.

Joe

Screwed up.

Angelique

Work.

Joe

All there is. (Aurthur and Fosse 14)

Thematic Conflict as it relates to Worth vs. Value:

Angelique considers Joe desirable and much more useful to her in death than to himself and others in life.



Problem as it relates to Cause:

Angelique probing why Joe is the way he is creates tension between them.



Solution as it relates to Effect:

The effect of Angelique's probing into Joe's life is to fall more in love with him:

Angelique

. . . heavy into speed. Sleeps with a great many women.

Joe

A real turn off, huh?

Angelique

. . . just the opposite. (Aurthur and Fosse 8)

Focus as it relates to Unproven:

Throughout the course of the story, Angelique focuses on the unconfirmed accounts of Joe's life--looking to him for verification.



Direction as it relates to Proven:

Joe verifies the information Angelique has about him.



Stipulation as it relates to The Subconscious:

The more Joe's basic drives and desires are focused on Angelique, the more he is likely to give a positive response to her invitation to death.



Unique Ability as it relates to Value:

Joe's "increasing doubts about the value of his entire life" (Kroll) makes it easy for Angelique to force him to take a long, hard look at the abuse he has put himself and others through.



Critical Flaw as it relates to Ability:

Angelique does not have the actual capacity to determine if Joe lives or dies. Only Joe can make that decision.

ACT PROGRESSIONS:

The Objective Throughline Act Order:

Objective Story Signpost #1 as it relates to Understanding:

After listening to the banter between Joe and Joan (a dancer auditioning), the other dancers come to appreciate that one way to get a job is to kiss up to the director; As part of his standup act, Davis talks about death, specifically Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's comprehension of it:

There's this lady in Chicago, man . . . wrote a book . . . Dr. Kubler-Ross . . . Now this chick, man . . . without the benefit of dying herself, has broken the process of Death into five stages. . . .Anger, Denial, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance. (Aurthur and Fosse 18)

Objective Story Journey #1 from Understanding to Doing:

Although she says she understands, Joe's daughter doesn't really appreciate the reasons why her father is too busy to spend time with her; Victoria immediately comprehends why Joe asks about her home phone number, and not too much later is in his home engaging in sexual relations with him; and so forth.


Objective Story Signpost #2 as it relates to Doing:

Paul Dann demonstrates his opening song for the show; dancers rehearse; Audrey rehearses; Katie and Michelle perform for Joe; and so forth.


Objective Story Journey #2 from Doing to Obtaining:

Dancers perform "Take Off With Us" to obtain the producer's approval; since Joe is temporarily out of action, Jonesy woos Sergeant to possibly take his place:

Sergeant

I can see where it would be difficult to hold a cast like that together . . . It's really a shame . . . and of course even after four months, with a heart attack, there's really no guarantee he'll be able to work.

Jonesy

And, Lucas, I think we have a sure hit, a sure hit . . . reads like a dream . . .

Sergeant

I'd love to read it sometime.

Jonesy

I'll get a copy to you this afternoon. Oh, I forgot, wait a minute. I've got one here with me. Course I know you couldn't care a less about the money.

Light Director

How about this, Lucas?

Sergeant

No, it should be more shadowy. This is a seduction scene, you know. (to Jonesy) How much is Joe getting? (Aurthur and Fosse 77)

Objective Story Signpost #3 as it relates to Obtaining:

Dancers face the very real possibility of losing their jobs; the producers hope to keep the actors and dancers together until Joe can come back; Jonesy tempts Lucas Sergeant with Joe's directorial job; and so forth.


Objective Story Journey #3 from Obtaining to Learning:

Katie is concerned that she will lose Joe once she learns he knows about her indiscretion with another man; the dancers mutter amongst themselves what they gave up (television series) to perform in NY/LA, and what they might lose (new apartment) when they learn of Joe's medical condition; and so forth.


Objective Story Signpost #4 as it relates to Learning:

Members of the hospital staff learn from Dr. Ballinger how to proceed with their difficult patient, Joe Gideon; Joe reads the newspaper reviews of The Standup that Penn has gathered for him; Joe explores Katie's betrayal:

Katie

See how much I learned from you?

Joe

I'm afraid you learned too much from me.

Katie

What do you mean . . . I learned too much from you?

Joe

Remember last Tuesday night? You were with someone. (Aurthur and Fosse 102); The producers set out to gather information on what the financial impact of Joe's heart attack is: ". . . the play's producers and corporate angels all sit down around a conference table to compute how much money they are going to lose as a result of their director's incapacity" (Palmer 60).

The Subjective Throughline Act Order:

Subjective Story Signpost #1 as it relates to Conceptualizing:

Angelique and Joe explore his ideas of life and what his credo of living on the wire entails.


Subjective Story Journey #1 from Conceptualizing to Being:

Joe bemoans to Angelique he is obsessively driven to be perfect: "A rose is perfect," Joe Gideon cries. "I look at a rose and say to myself: "How in hell did God do that?" Why can't I do that?" (Aurthur and Fosse 61) Angelique comments that that must be one of his better con lines, indicating her appreciation of the many roles he plays to live the way he has always wanted.


Subjective Story Signpost #2 as it relates to Being:

Joe and Angelique discuss his short time living with two women "lasted five months" (Aurthur and Fosse 37); Joe and Angelique explore why women fall for him when he acts like such a cad:

Joe

Why do you think she put up with it?

Angelique

I can think of many reasons for wanting to be with you. (Aurthur and Fosse 50).

Subjective Story Journey #2 from Being to Becoming:

Joe plays photographer with Angelique as they discuss their similarities, becoming closer:

Joe

Me? I'm a dedicated collector of injustices.

Angelique

Sometimes real, sometimes imagined.

Joe

I always look for the worst in people.

Angelique

. . . a piece of you in them . . .

Joe

Yeah . . . a piece of me . . . and generally I find it.

Angelique

It may take you years, but you'll find it. You're cute. You are cute.

He laughs, looks at her a moment, his attraction to her obviously deepening. (Aurthur and Fosse 78)


Subjective Story Signpost #3 as it relates to Becoming:

Angelique transforms from an ethereal beauty to a much more earthy, sexual being making her more approachable for Joe.


Subjective Story Journey #3 from Becoming to Conceiving:

Joe makes the transition from life to death, accepting the idea of eternal life with one woman--Angelique.


Subjective Story Signpost #4 as it relates to Conceiving:

The discussion Joe and Angelique have on how he has handled Katie's betrayal indicates that Joe has an idea his time is near:

Angelique

Did you mean that?

Joe

Oh, hell no! I was fuckin' pissed off at her . . . I don't know . . . yeah, sort of. Oh, hell . . . I just wanted to say something nice to her, that's all. In case . . .

Angelique

In case . . . (She moves to him, kisses him on the lips. He gently pushes her back.) (Aurthur and Fosse 104)

The Main Character Throughline Act Order:

Main Character Signpost #1 as it relates to The Past:

Joe admits, that in retrospect, he screwed up his marriage. In the past, Joe had worked at a strip joint; and so forth.


Main Character Journey #1 from The Past to The Future:

The way Joe has related to women in the past sets the standard of how he will relate to them in the future.


Main Character Signpost #2 as it relates to The Future:

When asked go on tour, Katie forces Joe to decide the future of their relationship--at least for the next six months; Michelle asks her father to remarry:

Michelle

If you got married, maybe you'd have a baby and maybe I'd have a little brother.

Joe

I'll call Hertz tomorrow and rent you a brother. (Aurthur and Fosse 44)

Main Character Journey #2 from The Future to The Present:

Joe is concerned with the future of the show. This is why he wants the producers to see how it's staged now; Joe tells Michelle he won't marry in the future because of the way he is; and so forth.


Main Character Signpost #3 as it relates to The Present:

At the present time, "Mr. Gideon has a very serious case of angina that could possibly lead to a massive coronary" (Aurthur and Fosse 70).


Main Character Journey #3 from The Present to Progress:

Although his current state of ill-health causes the doctors to demand he rest and recuperate, Joe does not take them seriously, as depicted in a conversation with the dietitian:
Dietitian: I'll leave these menus with you, Mr. Gideon. Please check off what you want for the coming week.

Joe

On Monday I'll have the roast beef, Tuesday chicken, Wednesday steak, and Thursday I plan to be dead so I'll just have something light. (Aurthur and Fosse 68)

; As Joe progresses from his present state to further medical deterioration, he stages fantasy production numbers that represent what and who he's going to miss; and so forth.


Main Character Signpost #4 as it relates to Progress:

Despite mixed reviews, Joe is informed that his film, The Standup, has broken every first day record and is advancing toward blockbuster status.

The Obstacle Character Throughline Act Order:

Obstacle Character Signpost #1 as it relates to The Preconscious:

Angelique plays a word association game with Joe. She gives him the word and he responds with the first thing that immediately comes to his mind.


Obstacle Character Journey #1 from The Preconscious to The Subconscious:

Angelique has been playing a word association game with Joe. A hint of her backstory is indicated when she asks about the word "mother":

Mother

Ever since he was this high he's had such a crush on you.

Angelique

I've always been fond of Joe, too. (Aurthur and Fosse 30)

Obstacle Character Signpost #2 as it relates to The Subconscious:

Angelique queries Joe on the subject of love, and determines he has used the word as a manipulative tool:

Angelique

You believe in love?

Joe

I believe in saying I love you. It helps people concentrate. (after a moment; turns to her, not joking) I'd believe in it if I knew what it was. (Aurthur and Fosse 44A)

Obstacle Character Journey #2 from The Subconscious to Memory:

Joe recalls why he is in show biz in an attempt to make Angelique jealous:

Joe

Women . . . to tell the truth, is why I got into this business . . .

Angelique

Just to meet girls. (Aurthur and Fosse 83).

Obstacle Character Signpost #3 as it relates to Memory:

Angelique's recollection of Joe's tight wire comment underscores the fatal decision he has made about his lifestyle as he is rushed to the hospital.


Obstacle Character Journey #3 from Memory to The Conscious:

Angelique has led Joe in a journey down memory lane, now she compels him to consider a life with her.


Obstacle Character Signpost #4 as it relates to The Conscious:

Angelique considers Joe's request to hold off a little longer before seducing him over to the other side.

Miscellaneous Other Storytelling Items:

All Concerns:

Joe is concerned with choreographing NY/LA, a stage production that many dancers audition for and perform in--he is also directing the film The Standup--that also involves a great deal of performance, production (editing, etc.) and ultimately falls under the scrutiny of the critics. Joe is concerned with how these two productions are moving along, especially in light of his failing health. As his health deteriorates, he instinctively responds more toward his mistress in death, Angelique, the angel who changes from acting as a guardian angel to the angel of death, than to the other women in his life.



Master Plot Synopsis:

All That Jazz is Bob Fosse's 8 1/2, autobiography in the form of film, an exquisitely conceived meditation on life and death . . . .One must accept the film's premise--that the pressure of being a successful stage and film director and choreographer is roughly equivalent to that of being President during the Cuban missile crisis. Since people create their own pressure, this may almost be the case. . . Scheider and Fosse marvelously evoke the whirl in which movies are made on stage and screen, the thousand things demanding immediate attention, the insistent beat of music in the background. Then, in a fine and original scene, Joe Gideon suffers a heart attack. The film concludes in the hospital. Death in the shape of a lovely woman dressed in white reaches out for him. In his delirium he stages his own death as a series of production numbers. (Schlesinger, Jr. 28)



Master Theme Synopsis:

The objective story thematic conflict in All That Jazz is skill vs. experience. Joe Gideon is an experienced and successful choreographer/director. Yet, what he looks for in his dancers is not jaded experience, but talent that has potential to be developed into skilled performances. As an example, his producer, Jonesy, asks Joe during the audition to hire a dancer that he has had in three other shows. Joe refuses, opting instead to hire relatively inexperienced dancers that he has chosen using his own experienced eye.



Subjective Character Synopsis:

Joe and Angelique play at courtship like any other pair of lovers. The difference is, however, their "happily ever after" means residing together in the hereafter. Joe runs all his con lines by Angelique, and although "throughout, she never takes her eyes off Joe--totally attentive" (Aurthur and Fosse 1), she sees him for exactly who he is, and is able to accept him, flaws and all--which is why he can finally accept her invitation to life after death.



Master Character Synopsis:

Joe Gideon is the protagonist and main character in All That Jazz. He draws his power and inspiration from women, principally his ex-wife, Audrey, daughter, Michelle, girlfriend, Katie, and the antagonist and obstacle character, Angelique. Kroll comments:

[Women] have always been at the center of Joe's (and Bob Fosse's) life and art. With this Felliniesque dream-figure (Angelique), Gideon revisits his past; we see the 14-year-old Joe at the cheap burlesque joints where he was a kid dancer, studying Latin backstage and being sexually teased by the vulgar but desirable strippers. This, too, comes out of Fosse's own life; these childhood experiences made him deeply ambivalent about show business, about dancing, about art and sex and desire and love and glory and filth. (78)