“A Chorus Line” is set in a serious, limited space. A monumental Broadway masterpiece that overturned the conventional wisdom of musicals.



It is ironic that the film did not create a star.

Amid this long run, the long-awaited film version of A Chorus Line was released in 1985. Attention was focused on how the simple stage direction would be reproduced on film, and although the camera briefly goes outside the theater, the film is basically made to show the audition scene on stage, which is probably a consideration from Richard Attenborough, who did not want to destroy the worldview of the original. Zack, the director, who was only a voice in the stage version, appears on screen, played by Michael Douglas, and is given a major role.

Other than Michael Douglas, no famous stars appeared in the film version of "A Chorus Line." The actress who played the lead professional wrestler in " California Dolls " and the regular cast members of the TV series "Dallas" were barely known. Of course, singing and dancing ability was essential, so several actors with Broadway experience were chosen, but the cast was virtually unknown in the film world. "A Chorus Line" refers to the "big group" that dances behind the main cast in the spotlight, and since the film depicts an audition for such an ensemble, in a sense it makes sense for the work that the cast is unknown.

And none of the cast members who were selected for the movie "A Chorus Line" blossomed into big stars after that. Some are still working as actors or choreographers. The actress who played Zach's assistant played the lead role when "Hidden Figures" came to Japan a few years later. However, Matt West, who played Bobby, was invited to the Yokohama Expo in 1989 to choreograph a show, but after a while he settled down to work as a driver on a movie set. Greg Burge, who played Richie, who has a solo part in the movie, died at the age of 40, and Charles McGowan, who played Mike, died at the age of 53, both of whom died too early. These are people who briefly entered the spotlight of the show business world in the much-talked-about movie "A Chorus Line," but then disappeared. That's just what "A Chorus Line" is all about...

Although the Broadway run of "A Chorus Line" ended in 1990, this timeless classic was revived on Broadway in 2006, and a documentary film was made that followed the auditions. The story depicts the auditions, while the dancers/actors who audition to get the role are shown. This dual structure resulted in a wonderful documentary A Chorus Line that once again demonstrated the unique charm of the original "A Chorus Line." In particular, the audition scene for the role of Paul, in which Michael Bennett himself is projected, condenses the theme of the work and leaves viewers emotionally moved.

Just as it had a major influence on the audition scene in " La La Land ," the beautiful image of people chasing a momentary dream and baring their entire lives in that moment will continue to shine forever through the masterpiece known as "A Chorus Line."

Text: Hiroaki Saito

Became freelance in 1997, contributing movie reviews and interview articles to various media such as movie magazines, theater pamphlets, and movie sites. The column is constantly updated on Yahoo! News. Star Channel's program "GO! Theater" introduces the latest released works.

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