Joe Gideon is at the top of the heap, one of the most successful directors and choreographers in musical theater. But he can feel his world slowly collapsing around him - his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of pills keep him going.
From the opening sequence of Joe Gideon auditioning hopeful young dancers, to the last, ingenious depiction of his heart attack, presented as a showbiz spectacle, this film is at times darkly fascinating and then exuberant in its depiction of a self-destructive song and dance man at the pinnacle of his craft. At the time that I first saw the film, with multiple viewings to follow, I was unfamiliar with the work of Bob Fosse - now it seems that every modern dance stage sequence has Bob Fosse DNA and this great film provides a glimpse into the often tormented soul of the man. It's Show Time Folks!