Roy Scheider is outstanding as Joe Gideon, a dance instructor & film director who is also a womaniser, heavy smoker, big drinker, drugs taker & workaholic & whose life is spiralling out of control. This is autobiographical story from Bob Fosse, I've never heard of this guy, so I'm just talking about the film & the magnificent ROY SCHEIDER.
ROY SCHEIDER.... A legend of 1970's Cinema, a guy who is still underrated in my opinion & yet has given us some absolute Classic's such as, JAWS & JAWS 2 & BLUE THUNDER & THE SEVEN-UPS & LAST EMBRACE & THE FRENCH CONNECTION!!! This guy is one of the reasons I'm a film fan & movie geek as i grew up watching Scheider in Jaws & Jaws 2 & his iconic role as Police Cheif Brody is probably the first film character i knew by name & loved. Scheider has always been there as a recognisable face in films from when i was little & watching videos all the time, i also loved The French Connection & Blue Thunder. Truly Roy Scheider is one of my all-time favorite actors (in my top 3) & is such an amazing screen presence, Jaws wouldn't of been as great without Scheider as Brody.
Here Roy Scheider delivered one of, if not his best, Performances of his incredible Career. Roy is mesmerising on screen in all his sweaty & energetic glory, he's so charismatic, funny & tragic all at the same time. It was exhausting just watching him. Truly one of the best performances of the 70's & in movies in general!!! Joe isn't a bad man or a good man he's just a guy that lives too fast & wants everything all at once. We get scenes with his daughter & he's a good father but at the same time he's constantly distracted by his work on his show & trying to edit his movie & all the women he beds. Joe is a man obsessed with sex & how much he can get of it. The movie is a musical in ways but mainly a drama, a drama that is both dreamlike & realistic at the same time. All That Jazz is superbly directed & acted, Scheider should've gotten an Academy Award.
I really enjoyed this film even though i have no interest in musicals but i had to watch it for Roy Scheider's performance & i just love 70's filmmaking. An entertaining & very interesting character study drama set within the crazy world of Show Business.
