10 Essential Movies You Need To Tick Off Your Bucket List

Bob Fosse’s 1979 musical is one of the most self indulgent films ever made, and in this instance, that’s a compliment. The Oscar winning director of Cabaret created a lead character based on himself, the most created and talented auteur and choreographer in the business (albeit with a disastrous personal life), and somehow pulled it off.

Roy Scheider plays Joe Gideon, a dancer turned director who burns the candle at both ends to the extreme. He is simultaneously staging a major musical while editing his latest acclaimed movie (based on Fosse’s double duty on Cabaret and Lenny). Gideon is a workaholic of prodigious talents, correct about everything and with a vision beyond that of any money man or critic.

It’s somehow not grating, because it’s all true. Fosse was a difficult guy, but a creative mind of rare quality. The song and dance numbers actually convince us that Gideon is all he’s cracked up to be - Fosse’s stand in lives up to his own hype.

An incredibly kinetic picture with an astonishing lead performance from Scheider, whatever your view on the musical you’ll find something to love here. They don’t make ‘em like Bob Fosse anymore.